Mendocino County

Complex Fires in Mendocino County Prompts Evacuations

"Residents in this area should leave immediately as fire activity is likely to increase as temperatures rise and humidity drops throughout the day," said Lake County officials

Two brush fires outside of Ukiah prompted immediate evacuations in Mendocino County and Lake County as well as the Potter Valley area.

The River Fire and Ranch Fire, now called the Mendocino Complex Fires, in Mendonico County have forced mandatory evacuations for everyone south of the 8000 block of Old River Road to the area of the roundabout at Highway 175 to evacuate, according to the Mendocino Sheriff's Office.

Residents on University Road and all area feeding onto Old River Road west to the Russian River should evacuate as well, sheriffs said. 

In Lake County, residents of Benmore Valley were ordered to evacuate Saturday morning. An evacuation shelter has been established at the Mountain Vista Middle School in Kelseyville, Lake County Sheriff's Department said.

Sutter Health Hospital had to evacuate Saturday afternoon as it was in the Mendocino Complex Fires zone.

Fourteen in-patients and one in the emergency department had to be transfered out.

"Residents in this area should leave immediately as fire activity is likely to increase as temperatures rise and humidity drops throughout the day," said Lake County officials.

River Fire burned at least 6,000 acres as of Saturday morning and it destroyed one home.

Ranch Fire burned at least 3,500 acres and it destroyed one structure. Both fires are two percent contained, according to officials.

Combined, the fire has burnt 9,000 acres and is 5 percent contained.

Officials have also advised residents in Blue Lakes, Bachelor Valley, Witter Springs, North Scotts Valley Road from the 7000 block to Highway 20 and Highway 20 from the 6000 block to the Lake County line into the Blue Lakes area to evacuate.

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