Crews Responding to Fire Reports Following Heavy Thunderstorms
Incident: Hat Creek Complex Wildfire
Released: 8/2/2009
News Release
Susanville Interagency Fire Center
CAL FIRE Lassen-Modoc-Plumas Unit Lassen National Forest
Bureau of Land Management Lassen Volcanic National Park
For Release: Aug. 2, 2009, noon BLM-CA-N-09-74
Contact: Jeff Fontana, BLM, (530) 262-1147
Crews Responding to Fire Reports Following Heavy Thunderstorms
The Susanville Interagency Fire Center (SIFC) is dispatching ground forces and aircraft to nearly
100 reported fires in the wake of widespread thunderstorms over the past two days.
Lightning detecting equipment showed nearly 1,800 lightning strikes in northeast California over
the past 24 hours, with 96 fires reported by mid morning, Sunday, Aug. 2. Saturday evening lightning
activity was concentrated in a swath extending northwest from Susanville, but strikes were recorded
across the SIFC region.
There were 43 reported fires on the Lassen National Forest, 40 reported blazes on lands protected
by the CAL FIRE Lassen-Modoc-Plumas Unit, 14 fires on Bureau of Land Management public lands, and
two reported fires in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
The largest incident is the Dodge Complex, two fires burning about 60 miles northeast of
Susanville, about five miles from the community of Madeline. The fires, dubbed Mendiboure and Dodge,
have burned about 1,500 acres of grass, brush, juniper and mountain mahogany on public lands managed
by the BLM. Some ranch structures were threatened; none were damaged. There is no estimate for when
the fires will be contained.
SIFC dispatchers will be sending crews and equipment to reported fires over the next several
days, placing heavy demands on fire fighting resources. The National Weather Service predicts more
thunderstorms over the next five days.
Fire officials said fire dangers are increasing with continued hot weather, and asked everyone to
be very careful with any use of fire outdoors.
SIFC
