Ranch Fire (Mendocino Complex) Lawyer

The Mendocino Complex fire is the largest in California – a state with a long history of fires burning out of control. Its fires are leaping across both man-made and natural barriers, bringing destruction and devastation with it. If you or a loved one suffered harm or personal loss after the Ranch Fire of Mendocino, you may need help from a northern California wildfire attorney who is on the frontlines of this catastrophe.

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Causes of the Ranch Fire

Wildfires throughout California are getting worse year after year. Four of the five largest state fires, for example, have all occurred since 2012. Drought conditions continue to produce kindling for wildfires. Combined with unfavorable weather conditions – such as high winds – wildfires are more devastating and difficult to contain.

The specific cause of the Ranch fire is currently unclear, but the weather conditions over the past few years make the risk of fire and fire spread significantly higher than they would otherwise be. Because of their proximity, firefighters consider the Ranch and River fires to be one fire event – although the two don’t connect.

Temperatures and weather conditions are largely responsible for how quickly the Ranch Fire has spread. Heat in northern California has consistently reached the triple digits in summer 2018, making fire much easier to start and spread. Heat, however, has also kept the smoke contained within the valley of the Ranch Fire – meaning that it has thus far been easier for firefighters to combat the inferno.

Ranch Fire Stats in CA

The Ranch Fire is the state’s largest wildfire in modern history. As of August 7, 2018, it has burned over 290,000 acres of land. This is over half the nearly 600,000 acres of land burned in this year’s wildfires. At this time, it is only 34% contained. Experts expect it to blaze across the region further. 

The area affected by the Ranch Fire is suffering still from the effects of several years of continuous wildfire devastation. These fires are hitting the same communities repeatedly. While firefighters continue to battle these infernos, it is difficult for most affected communities to recover when conditions are so conducive to spreading fires again and again.

Fortunately for most residents in the area, unlike the other fires blazing across the state, the Ranch Fire has been less devastating to property. The Ranch Fire has mostly blazed across remote, uninhabited areas and so has affected communities somewhat less. This is of little comfort, however, to those families devastated by the inferno. 

While the 2018 Carr Fire caused a larger loss of life, the Ranch Fire covers such a large area that it has also affected a massive number of people. The fire has destroyed homes and vehicles throughout the region, displacing entire families. Communities continue to suffer as the devastation forces them to leave behind their homes and livelihoods as the state’s wildfire epidemic continues unabated. So long as drought conditions exist, the state is at great risk of repeated fires – often hitting the same regions year after year. 

Legal Help After Ranch Fire

If you’ve lost property or have suffered an injury due to the Ranch Fire, speak with a Sacramento personal injury attorney from Eric Ratinoff Law Corp today. In some situations, insurance agencies don’t treat victims fairly, pushing them to accept claims much lower than they deserve. Whether by negligence or malice, insurance companies don’t make negotiations easy.

Our team will work with you to understand your claim and negotiate with your insurance provider to understand why you haven’t received proper compensation. We can also help represent and advocate for your case. Contact us today for a free consultation!