Attend virtual community meeting tonight for latest on Beckwourth Complex Fire

To hear the latest on the Beckwourth Complex Fire and ask questions, the public is invited to attend a virtual community meeting this evening, July 10, at 7 p.m. and streamed on the Plumas National Forest Facebook page.

In addition to the video update released by Jake Cagle this morning, the system operations chief for the incident command of the Beckwourth Complex, the team released more information pertaining to the complex, which is composed of the Dotta and Sugar fires.

The Dotta remains 670 acres and is 80 percent contained; the Sugar is now 54,421 acres and 8 percent contained. That brings the total acreage of the complex to 55,091 acres, with 1,251 personnel assigned. Both fires were triggered by lightning — the Dotta on June 30, and the Sugar on July 2. Less than a week ago, the Sugar Fire was 70 percent contained.

The Sugar Fire grew 16,365 acres over night, progressing further northeast reaching Constantia Road, and spotting within one mile of Doyle Grade Road. Significant resources are staged in the area for structure protection, which is currently under a mandatory evacuation order among several other communities. This extreme fire behavior is due to several factors coming alignment with critically dry and receptive fuels, hot temperatures, topography arrangement and southwest winds funneling through them.

After the inversion lifted yesterday afternoon, the fire developed a highly visible, large pyrocumulonimbus cloud, with reports of lightning on the east side of the fire.

Indirect bulldozer line was constructed in several areas for structure protection, focusing on the south/southeastern flank of the fire behind community of Chilcoot, and the northeastern flank below residences on Constantia Road. Additional areas on the northwestern flank of the fire were scouted for constructing indirect lines down toward Dixie Valley to box the main body of the fire in, taking into consideration how frequent the spotting behavior is.

During night operations, firefighters were successful in conducting strategic firing operations from bulldozer lines constructed on the south flank of the fire to guide fire back up into the main body of it.

High potential for extremely active fire behavior with group torching, long-range spotting and pyrocumulous clouds development with powerful downdrafts which also increases intensity of fire behavior.

Air operations are robust on this incident, including fixed and rotor wing. A night-flying helicopter is also available dedicated for any potential emergency firefighter extraction.