Update: Palmer Fire in Mendocino County remains at 80% containment by Tuesday morning

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Updated: 6:04 a.m. June 2

First discovered: 16 hours ago, 1:28 p.m. June 1

Initial location: Highway 253, East of Boonville, Mendocino County, Calif.

Fire unit: Cal Fire Mendocino Unit

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Palmer Fire

Palmer Fire initially started 1:28 p.m. June 1 on Highway 253, East of Boonville in Mendocino County, California.

Since its discovery 16 hours ago, it has burned 13.6 acres. As of Tuesday morning, 80% of this fire was brought under containment. Investigations into its cause are still ongoing.

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 contained 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 June 2, 2026 at 6:19 AM.