The heat wave has broken records across the region, but lower temperatures will provide some relief for north coast residents today and smoky conditions continue.
A slight chance of rain midweek brings with it the chance of lightning strikes.
Highway 299 is closed 3 miles east of Big Bar through Junction City. The Helena Fire is burning along highway 299 and is currently burning on both sides of the Trinity River. CalTrans District 2 reports that there will be a handful of scheduled road openings today.
ANTICIPATED OPENINGS FOR SR 299W NEAR #helenafire -MONDAY 9/4/17 ONLY: 5:30AM, 9 AM, 12PM, 3PM, 5:30PM, & 9:30PM-SINGLE TIME OPENINGS ONLY. pic.twitter.com/wmM1UJm9Cb
— Caltrans District 2 (@CaltransD2) September 4, 2017
According to CalTrans District 2's Facebook Page:
Vehicles in line at these times will be allowed through. Please arrive at the highway closure areas within 15 – 20 minutes of the scheduled opening times. These openings are for THROUGH TRAFFIC ONLY. All areas under evacuation orders remain closed. PLEASE NOTE: -These openings are for THROUGH TRAFFIC ONLY. All areas under evacuation orders remain closed. -On Monday, Motorists are strongly advised to use alternative routes such as State Route 36. Agencies continue monitoring the situation and will provide updates as they become available. Agencies working on this: Caltrans District 2, Shasta-Trinity Forest Service, Cal Fire, California Highway Patrol, Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, and Trinity County Department of Transportation.
According to a joint message from the North Coast Regional Air Quality Management District, the poor air quality is due to wildfire smoke from nearby wildfires including the Eclipse Complex, Orleans Complex, Salmon August Complex, and Helena Fire in California and the Miller Complex and Chetco Bar Fire in Oregon.
Firefighters working theHelena Fire continue to secure the safety of structures in nearby Junction City, and the fire has already destroyed 72 homes. The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for residents between Helena and Oregon Mountain Summit. The Canyon Creek area, popular with backpackers, has also been evacuated. Access to Hobo Gulch is also closed.
The nearby Fork Fire has grown to over 1,000 acres.
Air quality continues to cause concern. In Humboldt County:
- Communities in the Klamath River Drainage (Orleans and Weitchpec) are forecast to be in the Very Unhealthy range with periods of Hazardous level conditions.
- Communities of Hoopa, Willow Creek, and Salyer are forecast to be Very Unhealthy
- with periods of Hazardous level conditions.
In Del Norte County:
- Smith River and surrounding areas are forecast to be in the Very Unhealthy to Hazardous range.
- Crescent City to Klamath is forecast to be in the Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy range with periods of Hazardous level conditions in Klamath.
- Inland areas east of Crescent City (Gasquet) are expected to be Unhealthy with periods
- of Very Unhealthy level conditions.
Clean Air Shelters have been set up around the region.
Humboldt County:
- Weitchpec Tribal Office, Highway 96, Weitchpec. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Hoopa Neighborhood Facility, Hoopa Tribal Office, Highway 96, Hoopa, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., M-F and this Holiday Weekend.
Trinity County:
- Veterans Memorial Hall, 101 Memorial Dr, Weaverville. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- American Red Cross Evacuation Shelter,
- First Baptist Church, 1261 Main St., Weaverville.
- Hayfork Community Center, 154 Tule Creek Road, Hayfork. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Huge thanks this Labor Day to all the firefighters and support crews for their tireless efforts protecting our communities and public lands! pic.twitter.com/gtenUk1tuA
— Forest Service NW (@ForestServiceNW) September 4, 2017
