A wildfire in northwest California has been steadily expanding over the past four weeks, destroying nearly 90,000 acres of land and leaving firefighters exasperated as they continue to struggle against the blaze, only having contained less than a third of the fire's total area as of Saturday evening.

Dubbed the Happy Camp Fire Complex, this blaze first sparked in the town of Happy Camp, Calif. on Aug. 11 by a lightning strike. It is one of hundreds of wildfires currently running rampant throughout the West Coast of, and Southwest United States.

As of the most recent update on InciWeb, issued in the evening hours of Saturday Sept. 6, the Happy Camp wildfire measured in at approximately 88,546 acres -- or just over 138 square miles. It is currently 30 percent contained, officials report.

This wildfire has prompted a whole slew of evacuation orders and advisories throughout the past month and new orders continue to be issued by authorities in Siskiyou County, California almost daily.

As of Saturday the mandatory evacuations still in place included areas along Highway 96 from Johnson Bar to Seiad Valley. Scott River Road also remains closed and under mandatory evacuation from Johnson Bar south to Bridge Flat.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office issued on Saturday yet another evacuation advisory order due to the dangers related to the Happy Camp Complex. Because of increasing fire activity in the northeast area of the fire, the evacuation advisory has been issued to residents in all areas of Mill Creek Road, five miles east of Scott River Road.

Residents in this area should be prepared to evacuate their homes immediately if fire conditions worsen. It's encouraged that individuals in the area who may require more time to evacuate their homes should consider leaving immediately.

On the up side, evacuation orders have officially been lifted for residents along both sides of Highway 96 from the Klamath River Bridge west of Grider Road/Walker Creek Road to Cade Mountain, including the communities in Seiad Valley.

For the remaining evacuees, however, two evacuation centers have been established to offer shelter and assistance to the numerous residents who have been ordered out of their homes due to the fire.

One of these shelters has opened at the Happy Camp Karuk Tribal Community Center, located at Second Avenue and Headway Road in Happy Camp. The second shelter that has been opened is located at Winema Hall at the Siskiyou County Fairgrounds in Yreka.

For those residents who have pets, small animals will be allowed to accompany their owners to the shelter based out of the Tribal Community Center. Officials have ensured that larger animals and pets will be accommodated as well, with large animal transport being arranged through the Sheriff's Posse. To arrange transport, residents are urged to contact Jodi Aceves at (530) 340-2422.

In terms of traffic control and road closures, Scott River Road is closed from Highway 96 to Bridge Flat. Highway 96, however, is open. Drivers should expect delays as "pilot cars" escort travelers through parts of an 11-mile stretch of potentially dangerous road from Seiad Valley to Scott River Road, throughout which traffic may be stopped with little warning if fire conditions warrant.

In terms of fire behavior and weather, a Red Flag Warning was in effect as of Saturday night. The National Weather Service predicts continued dry and unstable air over the fire, with poor humidity recovery. Winds will be light and variable and fire activity is expected to be moderate throughout the weekend. Fire officials warn that heavy smoke may accumulate in low-lying areas around the fire.

Due to these heavy smoke conditions, a "Clean Air Respite Center" has been opened at the Karuk Tribe Senior Nutrition Center at 64101 Second Avenue in Happy Camp. The center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours when smoke conditions are worsened.

Firefighters continue to battle the Happy Camp inferno despite the slow crawl toward success in terms of controlling this aggressive blaze. Line construction and preparations to hold fire will continue, according to officials.

Specifically, the west and north flanks of the fire will continue to be patrolled, mopped up, and readied for suppression repair. On the east flank, firefighters will hold and improve existing containment lines, as well as assist in hand ignition as needed, along Scott Bar Road. Fire management will reportedly re-evaluate control lines on the southwest side of the fire. Structure defense preparations and plans are in place along the vulnerable Scott River Road areas.

As of Saturday, there were a total of 2,679 firefighting personnel assigned to battle this wildfire. Among the committed resources being utilized are 78 crews, 14 helicopters, 124 fire engines, 22 dozers, 34 water tenders, 30 mules, and eight horses. The estimated cost to date for fighting this fire has been calculated at $54.7 million as of Saturday night and it is expected to continue to climb.

For the latest news and updates on the Happy Camp Wildfire Complex, check back in with us at Latin Post regularly. We will continue to publish reports of the most up-to-date information on this incident as soon as it is made available.

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