Walbridge Fire Update Sunday 10AM

Share with Friends

55940 Acres, 55% Containment

GENERAL PROGRESS

As fire crews were able to connect hand and dozer lines, containment on the Walbridge rose rapidly this weekend, sitting at 55% as of Sunday morning. There are still just under 3 thousand residents under evacuation orders, but the last of those may be lifted soon as containment grows. There has been little to no growth of the fire in several days and light winds and higher humidity have helped firefighters make rapid progress.

As of Sunday, Cal Fire chief Ben Nicholls says a key hose line has been established on a portion of the active southern edge of the fire from Sweetwater Springs Road to Mt. Jackson Road. This on the ground effort will be key to reopening some of the remaining areas like Rio Nido and areas north of Guerneville still under evacuation orders. In the past day, evacuation orders were changed to warnings and residents were allowed to return in areas on the southern and northeastern fire edges, from Westside Road to Hacienda Bridge and from Chemise Road west of Dry Creek to Skaggs Springs Road. Check socoemergency.org for full information and evacuation map updates.

OUTLOOK

As of early Sunday some northerly winds were pushing wildfire smoke to the south, and reducing humidity values in parts of the fire zone. These northerly winds were forecast to dissipate with winds generally light for the first part of the week. A warming and drying trend is then forecast with potentially hot weather and less marine influence returning by mid to late in the week. Temperatures may reach the high 90s and low 100s across many inland areas. This has the potential to increase fire activity in remaining areas of concern, and especially in active areas of the LNU Complex in Lake County and the August Complex burning actively in the Mendocino National Forest further to the north (potentially sending smoke south into the North Bay).

ASSISTANCE CENTERS

Two local assistance centers will be running through Friday to from 10AM to 7PM to assist fire victims in recovery. They are one stop shops for replacement of items like drivers licenses and other documents, access to county and private assistance and services, and help to filing insurance and federal disaster claims. They are in Guerneville at the Bank of America Building, and in Healdsburg at the Healdsburg High School Gym. More information at socoemergency.org.

Images today show the Walbridge and LNU Complex boundaries, and the smoky skies across Northern California caused by still burning areas of the LNU Complex and the August Complex in the Mendocino National Forest.