Red-Salmon Complex nearly 4,000 acres has burned with no containment

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ORLEANS, Calif. (KIEM)-The Red-Salmon Complex Fire is now at nearly 4,000 acres with no containment burning within the Trinity Alps wilderness in the Six-Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Crews have made progress on the north flank of the fire, along Lubbs trail and the 10N01, between Salmon Trailhead and Black Mountain.

Fighting wildfires is a collaborative effort, according to Jay Burkhalter who drove in from Denver to act as one of about a dozen, public information officers working the Red-Salmon Complex Fire.  

“You know this was lighting, which you can’t help but man made fires are a big problem,” said Burkhalter.

A big problem that usually requires a huge workforce.

“So we want to put crews closer to the fire line their working, and it’s a little bigger area. So were moving our base to Orleans.”

Jeffrey Dixon is camp manager, he says some camps can be much larger than the one he’s managing.

“Sometimes these camps can get as big as 500 to 2,000 people,” said Dixon.

Their incident command post however, will remain in Willow Creek at Veterans Park.

About 200 to 300 people are now stationed at the new base camp.

“There is a catering service, showers, there is a laundry service as well,” said Dixon.

“There’s a supply unit, there’s ground support unit, and all those come together to get people fed, get people supplies, a medical unit,” said Burkhalter. All the pieces of the puzzle we have to fit together to make it work.”

As fire crews return to base camp their only focus is food, showering and rest.

Burkhalter says, the California Conservation Corp is part of that puzzle, and are a hard working group mostly comprised of high school kids.

They help with meals, camp clean-up, among other duties that help support the crews.

As night falls, they work diligently to restock supplies.

“All the supplies on my right will be going out Wednesday,” he said. “And then another batch going out on Thursday.”

And the process is repeated until the fire is 100% extinguished.

Daily smoke forecasts and air quality information can be found by clicking here.

This is an ongoing story that we’re following — we will update you as soon as more information becomes available.

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