Mendocino Complex Fire Explodes To 2nd Largest Blaze In California History

Mendocino Complex Fire explodes to 2nd largest blaze in California history

The Mendocino Complex Fire has charred more than 273,000 acres, making it the second largest blaze in California's history. Firefighters will continue to face local gusty winds and building heat this week.

To put this in perspective, the massive blaze is burning an area larger than New York City.

As AccuWeather predicted, hot and dry weather allowed the Mendocino Complex Fire to spread rapidly this past weekend, which resulted in mandatory evacuations for portions of Colusa County, California, on Saturday evening. Over 20,000 people have now been evacuated from Colusa, Lake and Mendocino counties.

The Mendocino Complex fire is comprised of the Ranch and River fires. Together, these comprise the second largest California wildfire on record in terms of acreage burned. A total of 9,200 structures are being threatened, while 130 have been destroyed.

Heat and poor relatively humidity will continue to plague firefighters battling this complex fire each afternoon and evening into early this week.

Farther south in California, stronger Sundowner winds are also anticipated to develop and significantly increase the fire danger around Santa Barbara. These winds are anticipated Monday night when there can be gusts to 45 mph.

"These winds tend to flow from north to south from Santa Barbara County to Los Angeles County in the mountains and through the north-south passes," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said "The winds typically ramp up in the evening and last into the nighttime hours, hence the name 'Sundowner winds'."

Residents who have not been forced to evacuate but living in the vicinity of the fires should closely monitor alerts from government officials and be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.

The shifting blazes can further put the lives of firefighters at risk. Smoke may also be spread farther away from the fires than in recent days, creating dangerously poor air quality conditions throughout the western U.S. 

As windy conditions become more localized, attention will turn toward dangerous heat set to build back across the West this week.

Early this week, temperatures are expected to soar well into the 90s in Downtown Los Angeles. A high near 85 F is more common this time of year.

The neighboring valleys can anticipate triple-digit heat, while the deserts from Palm Springs, California, to Phoenix, Arizona, will endure highs in the 110s. Temperatures in a few locations along the Colorado River can approach or crack the 120-degree mark.

Temperatures will also climb farther north across the West this week. Tuesday and Wednesday, widespread highs in the 100s are expected from Sacramento and Redding, California, to Reno, Nevada; Medford and Pendleton, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho.

Multiple days of highs in the 90s are once again anticipated for Portland, Oregon, and Seattle this week before cooler air may return by next weekend.

The heat will further feed the ongoing blazes. Residents and firefighters will once again have to take the necessary precautions to protect against heat exhaustion and stroke.