Update: Containment of Mile Post 16 Fire in Humboldt County grows to 80%

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Updated: 5:58 p.m. July 10

First discovered: 53 hours ago, 12:17 p.m. July 8

Initial location: -96 near Mile Post 16, Hoopa, Humboldt County, Calif.

Fire unit: Hoopa Fire Department

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Mile Post 16 Fire

Mile Post 16 Fire initially started 12:17 p.m. July 8 near -96 near Mile Post 16, Hoopa in Humboldt County, California.

By Friday evening, 87 acres of land had been consumed by it. As of Friday evening, the fire crew succeeded in containing 80% of the wildfire. There is currently no information on the cause of the fire.

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 80% contained?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 80% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 20% 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

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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 6:02 PM.