Scanner traffic beginning around 12:13 p.m. indicates a full wildland fire response has been dispatched to Peachland Road in the hills east of Anderson Valley regarding a wildfire in the area. Ground and air firefighting resources have been dispatched.
An Incident Commander is not at the scene yet, but a significant smoke column can be seen in the area from the Alert Wildfire Mt. Sanel Camera, dark in coloration.
UPDATE 12:28 p.m.: An Incident Commander is reporting the fire is approximately 10 acres in size and a structure is possibly involved with more possibly threatened. The fire is growing at a moderate rate of spread and has burned grass while moving into timber.
UPDATE 12:35 p.m.: Reports from the air indicate the fire is now 15 acres in size and creeping downhill into the timber. There is reportedly a light west wind influencing the fire behavior.
UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: There are at least four firefighting aircraft currently fighting the Meadow Fire. The Incident Commander reported the fire is best described in the area of Peachland and Lonetree Road
The fire is being referred to as the #MeadowFire.
UPDATE 12:47 p.m.: The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office has issued a situational awareness alert in the area of the fire:
CAL FIRE Mendocino also released information about the incident stating “Initial Report: ~10 acres, moderate rate of spread, 1 structure in the area, grass into timber, additional aircraft ordered. Location: Boonville, Peachland Rd x Lone Tree Ridge, Mendocino County, CA. #CALFIREMEU #ReadyForWildfire“
UPDATE 12:53 p.m.: A report on conditions from air resources described the fire as currently 20 acres with the potential to grow to 100. At this point, the fire is reportedly growing at a moderate rate of spread.
UPDATE 12:59 p.m.: While waiting for updates via the emergency scanner, police, and fire social media, we scan social media for any reports/photographs of citizens in the area with a close-up view of incidents like these. It takes a village to tell these stories. If you have information, pictures, or videos about this incident or others in the future, do not hesitate to text/call (707)560-1543 or email (matthewplafever@gmail.com).
UPDATE 1:09 p.m.: The Meadow Fire has prompted an aggressive air attack. There are at least six aircraft making rounds on the fire including air tankers dumping retardant. and helicopters dropping buckets of water.
The Alert Wildfire Camera from Mt. Sanel shows the Meadow Fire’s smoke column has lightened in color and diminished in density.
UPDATE 1:16 p.m.: For anyone traveling in the area, be mindful that law enforcement is setting up a hard road closure in the area of Goodacre Road and Peachland Road.
UPDATE 2:38 p.m.: As per visual of the Meadow Fire from the Alert Wildfire Mt. Sanel Camera, the fire’s overall smoke output has significantly decreased.
An Incident Update published by CALFIRE Mendocino Unit indicates the fire is approximately 20 acres in size with no structures lost at this point. At this point, firefighters on the ground and in the air “are actively battling the remote fire” and shore up containment lines.
A total of 151 firefighters were assigned to the Meadow Fire tasked with suppressing the flames centered in what CALFIRE described as a “remote location.”
MeadowFireIncidentUpdate719100pm3:01 p.m.: The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office annouced via their social media accounts that their personnel are at the site of the Meadow Fire “assisting as needed with the Meadow Fire in the area of Peachland Roand and Lone Tree Road in Boonville.”
They provided the following photographs of the burn area:
UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: The Fire Integrated Realtime Intelligence System tweeted that their aeriel survey of the #MeadowFire measured the area to be 22.2 acres.
UPDATE 8:11 p.m.: A CALFIRE Incident Update provided the latest acreage of the Meadow Fire- 16.54 acres. As of 7:00 p.m., the fire stands at 50% containment.
Two structures were destroyed as a result of the blaze.
Firefighters will remain at the scene throughout the night working to harden containment lines and extinguish hotspots.
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
Looks to be a marijuana hoop house. Generator? This could have been a disaster for Upper Peachland. Reasons to keep these out of remote
dry rangeland/timberland zones, besides preserving natural ecology: lack of water, roads, and grid electricity.