Update: Cooley Fire in Mendocino County Grows to 1,156 Acres; Containment Holds at 15%

MENDOCINO COUNTY — The Cooley Fire, burning west of Cloverdale in Mendocino County, had grown to 1,156 acres with containment at 15%, according to evening updates on CAL FIRE's official incident page on Sunday, October 18. Officials reported the new size of 1,156 acres at 4:49 p.m. — a further 120 acres beyond the 1,036 acres remapped at midday — while containment held at the 15% reported at 3:57 p.m.

In its latest update at 6:42 p.m., CAL FIRE said firefighters made good progress during the day, focusing on the fire's eastern and southern portions to build and strengthen containment lines while working to keep the flames west of Dry Creek and Highway 128; a west wind developed in the area, with speeds picking up through the afternoon. During the morning, heavy smoke trapped under a thermal inversion at about 1,000 feet limited visibility to the ridgelines and forced pilots to wait for the inversion to lift. The rugged, steep terrain continues to challenge crews trying to gain access. Over the next several days, temperatures are expected to drop while fuels remain critically dry, and crews will continue identifying control features and building and strengthening containment lines.

Earlier in the day, the fire was mapped at 1,036 acres at 12:37 p.m. (the incident page header shows 1,037 acres) and containment was reported at 15% at 3:57 p.m.; an 11:10 a.m. update described an overnight firing operation in the fire's northeast corner, when the fire still stood at 731 acres and 5% containment.

The fire began at 5:05 p.m. on October 16 near Elkhorn Road and Cooley Ranch Road, is under the jurisdiction of the CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit, and its cause remains under investigation. No evacuation orders or warnings have been issued for this fire at any point, and official updates have reported no structure damage or injuries; the October 18 evening updates likewise mentioned no new evacuations, damage or injuries.

Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：Cooley Fire 态势图（GSM 据 CAL FIRE/NIFC 官方测绘周界绘制，10月17日，本轮重新裁切）。图中红色周界为17日中午官方测绘的火场范围（558英亩测绘值）；最新官方数据以正文为准：加州消防局（CAL FIRE）10月18日下午4时49分通报过火面积升至1,156英亩、控制率15%。底图 © OpenStreetMap contributors。Situation map of the Cooley Fire, drawn by GSM from the official CAL FIRE/NIFC mapped perimeter as of midday Oct. 17 (558 mapped acres; re-cropped for this update). The latest official figures are in the text: CAL FIRE reported the fire at 1,156 acres at 4:49 p.m. on Oct. 18, with containment at 15%. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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