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Arcata officials detail downtown blaze, environmental concerns and recovery steps
Summary
Arcata Fire and city staff told the planning commission the downtown commercial fire began around 2:30 p.m. and was contained with extensive mutual aid; staff declared a local emergency to pursue state technical resources for sampling and cleanup while supporting displaced businesses and residents.
Arcata Fire Chief Emmons told the Planning Commission that the downtown commercial fire began about 2:30 p.m. on the second and spread rapidly because of strong winds and older, connected buildings. "At the peak of the fire, we had gusts at 38 miles an hour with sustained winds right around 20 to 22," Emmons said, describing rapid attic and void-space spread that forced shifts from offensive to defensive attack.
The chief said multiple mutual-aid agencies responded and that ladder trucks and crews searched upstairs apartments and evacuated residents. He said excavators from GR Sundberg Inc. and Figus were used to separate debris and limit spread. "I think we were right around 2,000,000, 2 and a half million gallons of water that we put on it," Emmons said, adding that crews were able to hold the fire to a single…
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