Caltrans Tree Maintenance Supervisor Michael Quinliven came to the aid of a frantic mother when her car became surrounded by Mendocino Complex Fire on State Route 20. Quinliven helped her navigate with minimal visibility away from the fire to safety. Photo by District 1 
By Jason Probst
Maintenance Division Strategic Planning Manager
Fires have wreaked havoc across California, as the Golden State grapples with an increasingly long burn season with unprecedented impacts. Lives, property and myriad other losses have affected thousands. But thanks to the intrepid efforts of Caltrans employee Mike Quinliven, several lives were saved July 29 in Mendocino County, as the Mendocino Complex Fire consumed State Route 20, nearly trapping several motorists overtaken by the speed of events and the wind-amplified blaze. Quinliven, acting decisively, guided them to safety and averted tragedy.
Quinliven, a tree crew supervisor in District 1 South Region, is an eight-year veteran of Caltrans. That Sunday, he was preparing for the call to report to work, knowing that the Mendocino Complex– which would become the biggest in the state's recorded history – was spreading through his area. And then the call came.
"I went to Ukiah and got into my work truck and headed out toward State Route 20. At this stage, we were out to monitor and prepare to close the highway," Quinliven said."As I drove on 20, I noticed the fire was super close. I knew there were CHP units, so I went to talk to an officer, and he told me he would dispatch another unit to help us do a hard closure."
Quinliven realized the situation was deteriorating quickly. The fire was spreading rapidly and jumping the highway from the north side to the south, two miles east of the J-Bar-S Bison Ranch.
He topped a hill on State Route 20 only to see a long line of vehicles stopped in the westbound lane, the drivers frozen, uncertain what to do in the wake of the massive smoke pouring across the roadway. He put his vehicle into the eastbound lane to bypass the jam, and headed into the smoke, finding a tanker truck carrying gasoline, immersed in the smoke.
"I blocked him off, got outta my truck, and I sent him into a gravel turnout (to help him turn around heading eastbound). And I told him to just go. He put it in gear and went back into the black smoky cloud. I don't know how he made it," said Quinliven.
"Then I turned around and noticed a white SUV with a lady in it. She was just locked up, frozen in fear, no idea what to do," he said."I knocked on her window. She looked me, and I said, 'Follow me.' And as I went to get into my truck, I could barely see my vehicle. The heat was just crazy. I covered my face, got in my vehicle, turned it around and started driving – I know my surroundings pretty good out there. I knew once I got pointed east in my lane, I had rumble strips on either side of my truck, so if I drifted left or right, I'd know," he added."They definitely helped. She was right behind me. As soon as we got out of the smoke and flames, she pulled over and asked what to do, I said to go east. Everything's gonna burn."
The woman, Honalee Newman, had three passengers in the vehicle with her – all children. With motorists in the smoke-cloud evacuated, Quinliven headed back east to start re-routing motorists stuck in the westbound traffic queue.
"Once I got 150 or 200 feet from the burn area, out of the smoke and everything, that's when I stopped my pickup, got out on foot and started getting people turned around," he said. "I evacuated two miles of vehicles."
The immense fire blackened 459,123 acres and was 98 percent contained as of Sept.6.
Quinliven and his team had their work cut out for them removing hazardous trees in the area, working 15-plus-hour days clearing them from State Routes 20 and 175. Meanwhile, the fire continued burning, but these roadways were soon back in operational condition thanks to Quinliven and countless other Caltrans employees' hard work and dedication.
"I knew the road needed to be closed when I got out there. It's just what I do," he said of the rescue and the decision to run into danger."The safety of the traveling public is my job every day. From events like that, to people on the side of the freeway, to stuff in the middle of the road, I take my job very seriously."