North Complex Fire closing in on full containment
The North Complex Fire remains at 96 percent containment, but that percentage is expected to increase to 98 percent within the next day or two, and full containment is expected within the next week or so depending on weather. More precipitation is expected to arrive later this week into next. In an update today, the Forest Service said that significant heat remains in the fire’s interior at the lower elevations.
The incident command post has shifted from Quincy to Oroville as higher elevation areas become less accessible for suppression repair and hazard tree removal.
Plumas National Forest officials have reduced the closure area, which now follows (generally) the actual fire perimeter and affects all national forest land, roads and trails with the fire closure area. County roads and private land within the perimeter are not affected by the federal land closure. For more information about the closure, please check the forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/plumas/alerts-notices .
Within the closure area, Forest Service trails, roads, and campgrounds are closed. Falling trees (often falling without warning), smoldering stump holes, and moving heavy equipment are some of the public safety hazards that exist within the fire perimeter. Longer-term hazards include landslides and flash flooding caused by erosion or suppression activities not yet repaired. These hazards may lead to serious injury or even death. Law enforcement is patrolling the area. The public is urged to use caution as fire personnel continue working in and around the fire area; watch for logging trucks around La Porte Road.
Following the upcoming weather event, operations will continue to ramp down for the season due to road and area conditions.
The North Complex Fire began Aug. 17 due to lightning strikes. It originally began as the Claremont and Bear fires, which eventually merged and then made a major run into Butte County damaging or destroying 2,455 structures and killing 16.
