Crews battle Cherry Fire, spot fires: Siskiyou, Trinity fire updates

Firefighters are working to put out several fires burning in the North State, including spot fires erupting out of the McKinney Fire burn area in Siskiyou County and the Six Rivers Lightning Complex burn area in Trinity and Humboldt counties.

Brush is extremely dry and fire weather is still a problem, but weekend temperatures could give firefighters a slight break after weeks of triple-digit heat. Daytime high temperatures will reach no higher than the mid-90s in most of the North State.

In the Sacramento Valley around Redding, daytime temperatures will stay below 100 through Monday, then go up to 101 degrees on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service out of Sacramento.

Here are updates on fires burning in the North State.

Cherry Fire, Siskiyou County

Firefighters spent Friday morning mopping up after the Cherry Fire, burning in the McKinney Fire burn area.

The fire started on Thursday and burned 3.8 acres east of Horse Creek on Highway 96, according to the Klamath National Forest. It spread to both sides of the Klamath River, about 18 miles west of Interstate 5.

Traffic along Highway 96 is flowing again, the California Department of Transportation said, after the Cherry Fire closed a stretch of road from Scott River Road to half a mile west of Klamath River.

The cause of the Cherry Fire is under investigation, said Mark Thibideau, information officer with the California Incident Management Team. It's unknown if this was a spot fire caused by the McKinney Fire.

McKinney Fire, Siskiyou County

The McKinney Fire is burning in the Klamath National Forest between Yreka and Fort Jones. 

As of Friday morning, it was holding at 60,138 acres in size and is 99% contained, but spot fires flared throughout the area this week, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

This weekend, crews will continue to patrol the burn area looking for hot spots — areas of intense heat that could reignite the fire, the Forest Service said on Friday. Spot fires "have the potential for rapid growth due to hot, dry and windy conditions."

About 22% of the combined burn areas of the McKinney and Yeti fires is either unburned or has minimal damage, according to the Forest Service, leaving it vulnerable to spot fires. About 63% of the area has moderate burn damage and 16% was completely burned.

On Friday and Saturday, expect mild winds up to 13 mph, with 20 mph gusts around Yreka near the McKinney Fire, according to the National Weather Service in Medford. Those winds could fan hot spots into spot fires.

But temperatures could help cool the area down at night. In the forecast, daytime highs will reach 88 degrees on Saturday, 90 degrees on Sunday. Temperatures boost fire concerns again when they rise into the high 90s and triple digits next week.

Of the 60,325 acres scorched in the McKinney Fire and Yeti Fire combined, 39,316 acres is Klamath National Forest land, and 21,009 acres is private land, the Forest Service reported on Thursday,

Yeti and Alex fires, Siskiyou County

Combined, the Yeti and Alex fires burned 7,886 acres, and is 95% contained.

It burned between Seiad and Happy Camp in the Klamath National Forest.

The fire is belching up some smoke south of Highway 96 as it burns small pockets of dry brush, the Forest Service said. 

The Six Rivers Lightning Complex, Humboldt and Trinity counties

The Six Rivers Lightning Complex is burning near the town of Willow Creek, located in Humboldt County at the Trinity County line along Highway 299.

It burned 28,904 acres and was 80% contained as of Friday morning, according to a Six Rivers National Forest report.

Smoke over the area helped cool off the area and starve the fire on Thursday, according to the Forest Service, but brush is extremely dry and combustible.

The Trinity County Sheriff's Office reduced some evacuation orders to warnings including parts of Trinity Village and Willow Creek. For updates go to bit.ly/3Kwi0Ow.

Temperatures are expected to cool slightly over the weekend, reaching 92 to 96 degrees daily Saturday through Tuesday, the Weather Service said.

Firefighters contained the latest of several spot fires in the Ammon Fire burn area on Thursday morning, the Forest Service said. Crews will spend the weekend improving containment lines and watching for hot spots.

Firefighters are also strengthening containment lines, preparing control lines and creating other defenses around the Campbell Fire, currently the most active of the complex of fires.

"The priority is to complete the primary control line along Lone Pine Ridge" about 12 miles directly east of Willow Creek; "and contingency line along Tish Tang Ridge" about seven miles east of Hoopa, the Forest Service said.

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.