On Friday, July 31, 2015, a lightning strike started the Gasquet Complex Fires. The complex now consists of Coon Fire: 5,684 acres, 100% contained; Bear Fire: 10,843 acres, 54% contained; Feeder Fire: 898 acres, 100% contained; Peak: 11,444 acres, 9% contained. The total complex is 28,869 acres and is 48% contained at present. A high pressure system will bring temperatures into the 90s and reduce relative humidity for the next several days. High temperatures and low humidity will bring increased fire activity. A morning inversion will trap smoke in the valleys and the smoke will not lift until early afternoon.
A lightning strike on July 30, 2015 started the River Complex of fires. The River Complex is currently 71,608 acres and is 54% contained. Fire behavior has remained low intensity with only a couple of flare ups or single tree torchings noted over the past few days. Northwest winds are forecasted each afternoon, which will help disperse smoke. Warm and dry conditions will promote moderate fire spread within the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Potential for active fire behavior will abide in the Devil’s Canyon area where dense fuels have been unaffected by fire in the previous century.
This natural-color satellite image was collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite on September 08, 2015. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS’s thermal bands, are outlined in red. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner with information from Inciweb.