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Information about the North By Area fires.
Prescribed burn of chaparral at the Hopland Center. Such burns lessen the impact of wildfires. Photo by Evett KilmartinTwo-thirds of the more than 5,000 acre Hopland Research and Extension Center was scorched in the River Fire last week. Reporter Sarah Reith of KZYX in Mendocino County ventured into a pasture with the center's community educator Hannah Bird on Saturday. The ground was black, but a lot of the oak trees were only lightly singed. Bird described why she thinks the fire wasn't as destructive as it could have been. 
Here's a YouTube preview of Maya Khosla's fillm:
Containment lines are growing around the Mendocino Complex Fires, but thousands of homes are still threatened.
Firefighters are concerned because a red flag warning is in effect over part of the weekend.
Reporter Adia White spoke with Cal Fire's Public Information Officer Tricia Austin for an update.
Keep an eye on local fires with the San Francisco Chronicle's interactive fire tracker.
The Mendocino Complex fires have consumed 110,166 acres and destroyed a combined 14 residences and 24 outbuildings.
As of 9:00 am Thursday, The Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued a Mandatory Evacuation in Western Lake County. The Mandatory Evacuation area is west of Lucerne at Bartlett Springs Road and Highway CA-20, south of the fire, east of the fire, north of Clear Lake including the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley, Saratoga Springs.
“For most of the night, both fires remained active in the upper elevations. The ridgetops reached peak relative humidity around midnight and then began to drop. The valleys and drainage's remained far less active and the fire was not as active in the unexposed areas. Firing operations on both fires took well and increased containment line. The fire continues to spread into the Mendocino National Forest and crews are scouting for opportunities ahead of the active fire's edge. Fire crews are fighting the fire aggressively. Very steep terrain and fire intensity on the fire front make it difficult to insert crews in certain areas of the fire.”
To sign up to receive news releases and fact sheets for the Mendocino Complex click the link.
A look back at last Saturday’s Day of Remembrance at Santa Rosa Junior College.
Let’s listen to the music and poetry that brought the audience of several hundred to tears… and to their feet repeatedly on a crystal clear and warm fall day. You’ll hear MC Pat Kerrigan of KSRO and young poet Vicente Reyes of Mark West Charter School. Tenor Mark Kratz and soprano Linnea Hill started things off with the National Anthem.
In the second part of our conversation with Wendy Wheelwright, she explains how the California HOPE program helps survivors and other community members heal after October's wildfires.
In the second part of our conversation with Wendy Wheelwright, she explains how the California HOPE program helps survivors and other community members heal after October's wildfires.
Today, we talk with Wendy Wheelwright, project manager for a county-wide counseling initiative called HOPE – for Helping, Outreach, Possibilities, and Empowerment.
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