Firefighters Battle Lucas Fire As Tanker Drops Retardant Over California Hillside

Firefighters battled the Lucas Fire on September 18 as an aircraft dropped a line of pink retardant beyond a ridge over a blackened hillside.

The fire started on September 10 after lightning struck near the Lake County–Mendocino County line by Potter Valley and Upper Lake.

A CAL FIRE morning update on September 18 said the fire was 75% contained. Crews had worked overnight on containment lines and hotspots.

At 7 a.m. that day, the North Bay Incident Management Team handed operations back to the CAL FIRE Sonoma–Lake–Napa Unit.

Later updates put the fire at about 4,128 acres and 84% contained. It reached 100% containment by September 20–21.

Three structures were destroyed. CAL FIRE thanked the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the North Bay team.