A pair of vegetation fires in Northern California combined into one rapidly expanding wildfire early Wednesday, burning roughly 50 acres while crews worked in punishing terrain, including mountainsides with slopes as steep as a 100% grade.
The fire, now known as the Mile Post 16 Fire, ignited at about 1:30 a.m. in the Gorge area near Mile Post 16 along Highway 96, drawing a large response from local, state and federal firefighting agencies.
As of Wednesday evening, the blaze had consumed approximately 50 acres and was still 0% contained. It was burning north of Mill Creek Road, south of Norton Creek, east of Norton Creek Road and west of Highway 96 near the Hoopa Valley Reservation.
Fire officials said the remote, rugged terrain has significantly complicated suppression efforts and increased risks for crews on the fire line.
“Fire suppression efforts are being challenged by extremely steep terrain with slopes ranging from 75% to 100%, numerous rock outcroppings and limited access. These hazardous conditions require firefighters to prioritize safety while implementing suppression strategies,” the Hoopa Fire Department and Office of Emergency Services (HFD/OES) said on Facebook.
With firefighters facing difficult conditions, officials requested additional support to help contain the fast-moving blaze.
“Additional resources have been ordered, including personnel from Hoopa Wildland Fire, the U.S. Forest Service Lower Trinity Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service Division 3, Yurok Wildland Fire, air resources, additional engines, and hand crews,” the agency further said.
The expanding fire also led the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office to issue evacuation warnings. Meanwhile, Hoopa Valley Airport was closed so it could serve as a staging site for firefighting aircraft.
“The Hoopa Valley Airport is closed to all public access today. The airport is currently being utilized as an air operations base in support of the ongoing wildfire incident,” HFD/OES said.
Highway 96 also was closed from Carpenter Lane in Hoopa to north of the Sidehill Viaduct as crews worked to contain the flames.
Wildfires are a recurring threat in Humboldt County, where steep terrain, dense forests and dry conditions can quickly turn small ignitions into major blazes.
In 2023, lightning-sparked fires across Six Rivers National Forest burned more than 50,000 acres, while the devastating August Complex Fire charred more than 1 million acres across seven Northern California counties in 2020.
The latest fire comes just a week after another late-night brush fire scorched about 4 acres near the Nixon Fishing Hole in Hoopa.
