Mendocino Complex Fire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mendocino Complex Fire |
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Smoke from the Mendocino Complex on Highway 20 on July 31, 2018
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| Location | Mendocino County, Colusa County and Lake County, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°14′36″N 123°06′12″W / 39.243283°N 123.103367°W |
| Statistics | |
| Cost | Unknown |
| Date(s) | July 27, 2018 – |
| Burned area | 302,086 acres (1,222 km2) |
| Buildings destroyed | 229 |
| Deaths | None reported |
| Non-fatal injuries | 8 |
The Mendocino Complex Fire was a huge group of two wildfires that burned in California, USA. These two fires were called the River Fire and the Ranch Fire. They started on July 27, 2018.
These fires spread across Mendocino, Lake, and Colusa counties. Together, they became the largest group of wildfires ever recorded in US history. The Ranch Fire burned near Ukiah, and the River Fire was close to Hopland. Many towns and communities in the area had to be evacuated to keep people safe.
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About the Mendocino Complex Fire
The Mendocino Complex Fire was actually two separate fires that grew very large. The River Fire and the Ranch Fire started burning around the same time. They were so close that they were managed as one big event, called a "complex" fire.
How Big Was It?
These two fires burned a combined area of over 302,086 acres. That's a massive amount of land, about the size of a very large city! Firefighters worked hard to control the flames. By August 7, 2018, the River Fire was mostly under control, but the Ranch Fire was still spreading. It was pushing towards a wild, mountainous area called Snow Mountain Wilderness.
People Had to Leave Their Homes
Because the fires were so big and dangerous, many people had to leave their homes. This is called an evacuation. Communities along the borders of Mendocino and Lake Counties were affected.
Some of the places where people had to evacuate included:
- Lakeport
- Kelseyville
- Lucerne
- Upper Lake
- Nice
- Saratoga Springs
- Witter Springs
- Potter Valley
- Finley
- Parts of Hopland
- The tribal communities of Hopland Rancheria and Big Valley Rancheria
Evacuations help keep everyone safe from the fire and smoke. It's a very important step when wildfires threaten homes.
Images for kids
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The community of Upper Lake was evacuated during the Mendocino Complex fires.
