The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for assistance in its investigation of the Masonite Fire, which broke out on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, near Highway 101 and Masonite Road in northern Ukiah. The fire triggered evacuations and highway closures as emergency crews worked to control the blaze.
According to a post on MCSO’s Facebook page, detectives are collaborating with the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority to investigate the fire’s origins. Authorities are asking anyone who may have captured photos or videos near Highway 101 and Masonite Road before fire personnel arrived to upload their footage using a provided link or QR code. “This digital evidence will assist with this continuing investigation,” the statement reads.
The fire, which ignited around 4:45 p.m., rapidly spread across both sides of Highway 101, forcing the closure of the highway’s northbound lanes. Flames were reported not only along the road but also in the median, and evacuations were ordered for areas behind the Mendo Mill.
Evacuations were extended as the fire pushed eastward, and firefighters worked to protect structures in the path of the blaze, while emergency medical teams responded to incidents such as smoke inhalation.
By 5:31 p.m., the fire had subsided enough for the incident commander to scale back some emergency measures.
Officials continue to assess the damage and determine the cause of the fire. Anyone with information is encouraged to share it with investigators to aid in the ongoing efforts to understand the circumstances leading to the blaze.
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Is anyone gonna talk about the traffic jam in Ukiah while this was happening? We are totally not prepared for a mass evaluation or any emergency, our towns intersections cannot handle it. What if the whole high-school has to evacuate at once along with the whole North End neighborhood in a fire or something?
The intersection by the new Starbucks is a mess and a half. Right or wrong?