There has been active fire on the Modoc National Forest since July 23rd when lightning strikes began hitting dry fuels according to a Sunday morning update provided by the U.S Forest Service.
NorCal Team 2 is currently in command of the Modoc July Complex with an area of responsbility for all fires west of Highway 395, with the exception of the Warner Mountains. There will be a public meeting today at 3 p.m. at the Adin Community Center.
If internet connections allow, this meeting will be livestreamed on the Modoc National Forest Facebook page.
Public meetings will also be held 6 p.m. Monday at the Lakeview Elks Lodge and 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Tulelake Newell Family Resource Center (known locally as the Honker).
Firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures and higher humidity levels last night to make progress on the Steele and Cove Fires, but there was still very active fire behavior. The Steele Fire, north and east of Clear Lake, is currently 29,779 acres. Fire crossed County Road 136 to the south, but crews and dozers were able to put a line around 75 percent of the slopover. Smaller slopovers were quickly lined. Firefighters started to create a buffer along County 136, and built a line that now ties into Forest Service System Road 48N70. Crews and equipment will continue to build, maintain, and reinforce firelines today.
The Cove Fire, northwest of Adin, is currently 3,257 acres. It was extremely active overnight, spotting into a drainage last night, moving southeast. Firefighters are working to create a fireline by utilizing the existing Forest Service System Road 40N14. Dozer lines were extended overnight, and crews will continue work in the area.
There was very little growth on the Lake Fire and Rimrock cluster in the past 24 hours. No structures have been reported damaged or destroyed. The northern edge of fires in this complex is still approximately four miles from the Oregon border. The Oregon Department of Forestry has preparations underway in case fire activity pushes further north.
The weather forecast for today indicates conditions very similar to yesterday, but a slight chance of thunderstorms exists near Goose Lake and east. An increase in temperatures is forecast for Monday through Wednesday. Incident meteorologists will continue to monitor weather conditions to assist firefighters in creating safe and efficient action plans.
While no roads or trails in the Modoc NF are currently closed, residents and visitors in the area should be aware of the potentially dangerous fire conditions and increased fire vehicle traffic on roadways. Fire safety restrictions are in affect for the entire Modoc NF.
The need for additional resources and the large geographic scope of the Modoc July Complex have led to the necessity of a type 1 team. California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 will shadow with NorCal Team 2 today and assume command of the fire area on Monday, July 31st.
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