Wildfire burning south of Willits prompts evacuation warning

WILLITS – A wildfire burning near Willits Thursday afternoon prompted evacuation warnings from authorities, who told residents to be “ready to evacuate at any moment.”

The so-called Walker Fire burning south of Willits on the east side of Highway 101 in Mendocino County was first reported at around 4 p.m.  

At the time, the fire was estimated to be about 15 to 20 acres, but smoke from the blaze could be seen from all over the region.

The Mendocino County Sheriff issued an evacuation warning for the Pine Mountain and Ridgewood Road subdivisions at around 4:22 p.m. 

“Be ready to evacuate at any moment, gather your belongings, check on your neighbors and leave early if possible,” a tweet by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office read. Additional information was available at the MendoReady.org website.

Caltrans confirmed that a northbound lane of 101 has been closed due to firefighting efforts. People are advised to drive with caution through the area and be on the lookout for fire department and Cal Fire vehicles.

With temperatures over 100 degrees, there was concern the fire could spread and endanger homes in Willits.

Cal Fire confirmed the Walker Fire was at 20 acres as of 5:43 p.m. It was 0% contained. Cal Fire has set up an incident page for the fire to provide details on its development. The Mendocino County Sheriff confirmed that Ridgewood Road was closed at East Side Road in Willits a short time later.

Less than an hour later, the size of the fire was reported as 100 acres. However, Cal Fire noted that it had a moderate rate of spread.

This story will be updated.