Authorities expect within the next two weeks to have full containment of three of the four largest wildfires in state history, which continued to burn Thursday in Northern California.
But those are just estimates, as firefighters closely monitor another heat wave over the Labor Day weekend that will bring extreme conditions prefect for starting another blaze.
More than 12,800 firefighters were still busy Thursday battling flames as they try to make progress toward containment of 22 major fires throughout the state, according to Cal Fire. More than 12,400 people remain evacuated, officials said, as more evacuation orders are lifted and reduced to warnings.
As of Thursday morning firefighters had 81% containment of the cluster of fires in the LNU Lightning Complex cluster, which has been burning in the North Bay area since Aug. 17.
The LNU Complex had burned more than 375,000 acres, the third largest wildfire in California history. After destroying nearly 1,500 structures and damaged another 232 in Yolo, Solano, Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties, this complex of fires has been one of the most destructive in the state this summer.
Fire officials estimate they can achieve full containment of the LNU Complex fires by Tuesday, but Cal Fire officials there say that’s more of a goal they’re working toward. Reaching that goal will depend a lot on if the weather over the weekend cooperates with firefighters and allows for further progress, according to Cal Fire.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat watch Saturday through Tuesday for most of the northern half of the state, including the Sacramento Valley, parts of the greater Bay Area and along most of the North Coast. Highs throughout the valley and foothills are expected to range from 95 to 110 degrees, and will vary from 75 to 100 degrees near the mountains.
Cal Fire officials on Thursday expected a light west flow that will allow smoke and haze from the Northern California fires to spread across more areas of eastern California and western Nevada at least through Thursday.
Firefighters had 78% containment of the fires that make up the SCU Lightning Complex. Flames had burned more than 391,000 acres as of Thursday morning in parts of Stanislaus, Santa Clara, San Joaquin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
The SCU Complex, which has been burning since Aug. 16, has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in California history. The Mendocino Complex wildfire in the North Bay area in 2018 remains the largest.
Authorities expected to reach full containment of the SCU Complex of fires by Sept. 12, even as they expected a high pressure system that will bring a warming and drying trend through the Labor Day weekend. A cooling trend was expected early next week with an potential of increased wind speed, Cal Fire said.
The SCU Complex of fires has destroyed 70 structures and damaged 52 others. As of Thursday morning, flames were no longer threatening structures, according to Cal Fire.
Firefighters battling the August Complex, a large group of wildfires burning at Mendocino National Forest, had a longer way to go to reach full containment. But authorities there are working to fully contain these fires by Sept. 15, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
As of Thursday afternoon, firefighters had 23% of the August Complex contained. The fires there had burned more than 287,000 acres in parts of Glenn, Mendocino, Lake, Tehama and Trinity counties. The August Complex has grown to become the fourth largest in state history, according to Cal Fire.
Like firefighters battling the other major Northern California wildfires, August Complex authorities expected extreme weather over the weekend.
With well above normal temperatures, they expect the weather to be very dry and the possibility of humidity in the single digits, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
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