Crews work to keep the August Complex Fire south of Highway 36

MENDOCINO COUNY, Calif. (KIEM) — The August Complex Fire continues to grow. It has now burned more than 862,000 and is 38% contained.

The West Zone stands at 103,780 acres with 45% containment. Two thousand firefighters have constructed 195 miles of fire line.

In the North Zone, crews are working to keep the fire south of Highway 36. California Highway Patrol is anticipating the closure of Highway 36 from State Route 3 to South Fork Mountain Summit. That closure is expected to go into effect Friday morning at 8 am and last through the weekend.

“We did have a couple of spot fires across out containment line. However, dozers and personnel were there and able to pick it up, meaning they were able to put line around it and extinguish it. We feel good about our containment lines and what’s happening in Ruth Valley,” Operations Section Chief Karen Scholl says.

Evacuation orders remain in effect for Ruth and Ruth Lake, Forest Glen, Post Mountain and Trinity Pines, Zenia and Kettenpom, and Three Forks.