New evacuations ordered as Mendocino Complex fire rages

Despite the efforts of more than 10,000 firefighters, Northern California’s four big wildfires are still growing and resisting containment — and even forcing new evacuations.

The evacuation area for the raging Mendocino Complex, which has burned more than 120,000 acres and consists of the Ranch Fire and River Fire, was enlarged by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire on Thursday.

The River Fire, near Hopland, has consumed 41,278 acres and was about 50 percent contained by Thursday night, officials said. The Ranch Fire, outside Ukiah, has burned 83,890 acres and is 33 percent contained. Flames from the Mendocino Complex have destroyed 16 residences and 17 other buildings, and the two blazes are being fought by 3,069 firefighters.

Early Thursday, the Lake County Sheriff Fire moved to clear everyone from Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley, Saratoga Springs. Most of those areas had been ordered evacuated Saturday, but some residents were allowed to linger.

Cal Fire expanded evacuations late Thursday to include areas throughout Lake County and the Mendocino National Forest.

Meanwhile, the Carr Fire west of Redding and the Ferguson Fire outside Yosemite National Park continued to grow Thursday. Two firefighters were killed last month while battling the blaze near Yosemite. The Carr fire has claimed six lives, including those of two firefighters.

Even as most evacuations in Redding were lifted, the Carr Fire continued to spread into rural and wilderness areas. The conflagration has destroyed 125,842 acres and is 35 percent contained. More than 4,200 firefighters are battling the inferno. So far, 1,060 homes, 18 commercial buildings and 477 other structures have been destroyed.

Just west of Yosemite, some of the 3,344 firefighters battling the Ferguson blaze worked through the night to contain spot fires outside of Wawona, a small town inside the park that was evacuated Wednesday night.

The historic community inside the park’s southern boundary is home to the Big Trees Lodge, formerly the famed Wawona Hotel. The area features Park Service housing, a golf course, post office, library, two markets and private cabins.

Along with the evacuation of Wawona, the Mariposa Grove and the southern entrance to the park on Highway 41 have been closed.

The Ferguson Fire grew by 6,557 from Wednesday, reaching 69,440 acres by 6 p.m Thursday. Containment was at 41 percent Thursday night. The inferno has destroyed 10 structures, including nine abandoned houses found along a washed-out road.

The numbers reflect newly discovered homes that burned prior to Wednesday, officials said.

“Damage assessment teams can’t get out there until the fire is out,” said Michelle Eidam, a Ferguson Fire spokeswoman.

While Yosemite National Park remains open, its most popular areas — Yosemite Valley, Wawona and the Mariposa Grove — have been evacuated at the peak of the tourist season due to fire danger and unhealthy levels of smoke.

The valley closure, which started July 25, has twice been extended and the area isn’t expected to reopen until Sunday, air quality permitting. No estimate has been made for the reopening of the southern entrance, Wawona and Mariposa Grove.

With the closure of the park entrances, only the Highway 120 entrance through Big Oak Flat remains open to Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Pass.

Several popular camps have also closed as a result of the Ferguson Fire, including the San Francisco-operated Camp Mather, which announced it won’t open until at least Aug. 12.