The Park fire grew from 307,000 acres to 350,000 acres Saturday…most of the growth was on the North ½ of the fire.
The fire is holding on Hwy 32 in the Forest Ranch area. Calfire is using dozers on the left (West) flank in the grassland bordering the Valley with good effect. They are working from South to North in direct attack on the fire edge where ever possible.
The fire crossed Hwy 36 between Red Bluff and Manton and again around the town of Manton last evening. CalFire had stationed a Structure Protection Group of engines and dozers in Manton for just that possibility…Those young men and women did as advertised…Best in West! They fought fire all night and air tankers came to help as soon as they could get under the smoke. The slopover is now 5,000 acres…Inskip Hill has burned, but Manton and many rural structures were saved. The slopover was stopped in the flats just under Shingletown Ridge… that was one hell of job of fire fighting! Its not fully contained yet, but rest assured these crews will work all night to make that happen.
The fire continues to make headway in the rugged Canyons of Antelope Creek and Mill Creek. Those canyons point right straight to the junction of Hwys 36 and 32 and Lassen National Park. These are rough, steep walled canyons in lava country. Not suitable for dozer work. Part of the area burning is the Ishi Wilderness. Ishi was the last Stone Age Indian in North America… he lived in that wild country until 1911.
The weather has moderated… the Marine influence is present and we’ll get good humidity recovery and light winds on all areas of the fire tonight. That’s good for firefighters and all of us…fire spread will slow and crews can gain more containment… but don’t get in a hurry…there’s more than 100 miles of open line on this monster.
Royal Burnett is retired from the California Department of Forestry and has lived in Redding for nearly 45 years.
