Original Post of this story:
The Pass Complex is two separate fires in same area onMendocino Pass Rd, northeast of Covelo, Mendocino County.
Pass Fires Incident Information:
Last Updated:August 21, 2012 7:30 am
Date/Time Started: August 18, 2012 2:47 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit
County: Mendocino County
Location: Mendocino Pass Rd, northeast of Covelo
Acres Burned: 6,415 acres
Containment 6,415 acres - 10% contained
Control: Pass 1 Fire - 6,400 acres - 10% contained
Pass 2 Fire - 15 acres - 50% contained
Structures Destroyed: 1 outbuilding
Threatened: 45 residences
Evacuations: Mandatory Evacuations for:
Indian Dick Road, east of the Town of Covelo, all residents on Indian Dick Road from the intersection of Mendocino Pass Road north, to the Trinity County Line and East to the Tehama County Line. This order includes all residences and USFS campsites at Howard Lake Campground, Little Doe Campground, and Hammerhorn Lake Campground.
Blands Cove Road, east of the Town of Covelo, from the start of the Traveler's Home Wilderness Trail Head, north to the Trinity County Line.
Anyone displaced by this evacuation order can contact the American Red Cross for housing assistance at (707)463-0112 or (855)891-7325.
Injuries: 3
Cause: Lightning
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, USFS Mendocino, BIA, Covelo Fire, CDCR, California National Guard, Mendocino Co. Sheriff's Dept.
Total Fire Personnel: 732 (658 CAL FIRE)
Engines: 65 (58 CAL FIRE)
Fire crews: 21 CAL FIRE
Airtankers: 3 CAL FIRE
Helicopters: 3 CAL FIRE
Dozers: 14 (3 CAL FIRE)
Water tenders: 9
Conditions: Pass Complex is 2 separate fires in same area. Pass 1 Fire has burned into the Mendocino National Forest. Pass 2 Fire jumped the fire line and is burning east toward the Pass 1 Fire.
Road closures: Blands Cove Road and Indian Dick Road (USFS Road M1) will be closed to all non-emergency traffic in the areas noted above. These road closures remain in effect until the mandatory evacuation order is rescinded.
CAL FIRE is in unified command with USFS.
County of Mendocino Office Of The Sheriff-Coroner
NEWS RELEASE-Mandatory Evacuation Order Pass Fires, East of Covelo CA
For Immediate Release- August 21, 2012 1:45 PM
UPDATE: August 21, 2012 2:55 PM
Effective Immediately- The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office has issued a Mandatory Evacuation Order for any and all residents of the following areas:
Indian Dick Road (USFS Road M1), east of the Town of Covelo, all residents on Indian Dick Road from the intersection of Mendocino Pass Road (USFS Road FH7), north, to the Trinity County Line and East to the Tehama County Line. This order includes all residences and USFS campsites at Howard Lake Campground, Little Doe Campground, and Hammerhorn Lake Campground.
Blands Cove Road, east of the Town of Covelo, from the start of the Traveler's Home Wilderness Trail Head, north to the Trinity County Line.
Road Closures, Blands Cove Road and Indian Dick Road (USFS Road M1) will be closed to all non-emergency traffic in the areas noted above. These road closures remain in effect until the mandatory evacuation order is rescinded.
Anyone displaced by this evacuation order can contact the American Red Cross for housing assistance at (707)463-0112 or (855)891-7325.
Anyone having questions regarding this order can contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office at (707)463-6536.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reports onAugust 20, 2012 11:30 am:
The Pass Complex is two separate fires in same area onMendocino Pass Rd, northeast of Covelo, Mendocino County. Pass 1 Fire has burned into the Mendocino National Forest. Pass 2 Fire jumped the fire line and is burning east toward the Pass 1 Fire.
Size: 5,700 acres , 10% contained. Pass 1 Fire - 5670 acres-10% contained. Pass 2 Fire - 30 acres - 10% contained
Update Press Release issuedAugust 20, 2012, 10:00AM
Location: 10 miles NE of Covelo – Williams Valley, County: Mendocino
Acres: 5700
Containment: 10%
Start Date & Time: August 18, 2012 – 2:47AM
Expected Containment:
Injuries: 3
Structures Destroyed: 2 out-building
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT ASSIGNED
Fire Engines: 41 Fire Crews: 26 Bulldozers: 14
Airtankers: 3 Helicopters: 1 Water Tenders: 10
Total Personnel: 618
Current Situation: Heavy timber with limited access & limited resources. Crowning, torching and long
range spotting. Rapid rates of spread with extreme fire behavior.
Evacuations: None
Road Closures: Traveler’s Home Trail is Closed to the public. Hams Pass/Blands Cove Road is Closed to
through traffic above Traveler’s Home Trailhead.
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Covelo Fire Department, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, California Dept. of Corrections & Rehabilitation, California National Guard and Mendocino
County Sheriff’s Department.
Additional Information: CAL FIRE is in unified command with the USDA Forest Service. A Federal
Type 2 team is anticipated to arrive at the fire later today. Unified command will continue after the
transition with the Type 2 team.
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For the latest update on these fires, go to this Cal Fire pagehttp://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=723
This satellite image the National Weather Service from Monday afternoon (August 20, 2012) shows the smoke from the Pass fires (and others). Annotated by Longjohn.
