HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. (KIEM)-The Red-Salmon Complex fires have merged into one, according to the Forest Service and has burned 8,024 acres and is 35% contained.
To be specific the Red Fire is 19% contained the Salmon fire is now 89% contained. The nearby Jones Point fire is at 137 acres and 91% contained and has now transitioned back to the Hoopa Valley Tribe as of 6 o’clock Tuesday evening.
“The Red Fire and Salmon Fire have basically joined each other,” said public information officer Jay Burkhalter. “So the containment line will continue around both fires.”
With favorable weather expected Tuesday, crews will perform some burn outs to clean up the areas to the containment line and fire behavior is expected to be the same, according to fire Chief Gregory Moon with Hoopa Fire Department.
“The report from the incident meteorologist, A little bit cooler temperatures might mean that it’s a little bit of help but were up above the hundreds,” said Moon. “So I think it’s going to be still a good, a good fire fight.”
Moon says, the multi-agencies working together have a fine tuned plan in place.
“The team, the tribes and other forests that are involved are working together to make sure this plan is successful by making sure crew have all resources needed to keep the fires contained.
“So far we’ve been super successful at meeting the goals of the incident and I expect we’ll be able to suppress this fire and keep it as small as possible,” he said.
There have been minor injuries reported related to the red-salmon complex and Jones point fires, according to Jay Burkhalter, one of many acting as PIO for the complex fires.
“Accidents do happen a lot of time, this is tough terrain and so and you’re dealing with peat, your dealing with animals, bugs,” said Burkhalter. “We’ve had some had some bee stings, sprained ankles cuts a broken leg is a little more severe.”
The firefighter injured with an apparent broken leg is expected to be OK.
Burkhalter says, safety is taken very seriously, safety officers have been assigned to the complex and divisions within the fire who now hold meetings twice a day.
“They’ll be a new team coming in [Thursday], new crews, as firefighters and crew people time out and continue with the progress.
