Updated: 1:18 p.m. Aug. 26

First discovered: More than a month ago, 5:39 p.m. July 9

Initial location: 10 miles East of Orleans, Del Norte, Siskiyou County, Calif.

Fire unit: Unified Command: Six Rivers National Forest and Klamath National Forest

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Orleans Complex

Orleans Complex Fire initially started 5:39 p.m. July 9 in Del Norte, Siskiyou County, California.

Since its discovery more than a month ago, it has burned 22,144 acres. As of Tuesday afternoon, 91% of this fire was brought under containment. Investigators believe the fire originated from a lightning strike.

Historic data

In 2024, lightning strikes ignited 305 fires in California, resulting in 90,206 acres of wildland burned, according to NIFC data.

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 91% contained?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 91% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 9% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire