A PG&E map showing in purple the customers in and around Lake County, California, who remained out of power due to a public safety power outage early on Thursday, August 19, 2021. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said its crews began conducting patrols on Wednesday after the high winds that prompted a public safety power shutoff the previous night had subsided.
The company said its meteorologists began issuing the weather “all clear” Wednesday morning for portions of affected areas impacted by the public safety power shutoff, or PSPS.
As of 10 p.m. Wednesday, PG&E said it had restored power to 55% — or 27,000 — of the impacted customers.
The remaining customers are expected to have their power restored by late Thursday afternoon or early Thursday evening, PG&E said.
PG&E had been planning to turn off the power to 51,000 counties across 18 counties on Tuesday night.
However, on Wednesday, the company said it removed five counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Sierra, Trinity and Yuba — from the shutoff scope.
That left 48,000 customers in portions of Lake and 12 counties: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Mendocino, Napa, Plumas, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama and Yolo.
In Lake County, the number of impacted customers in the first PSPS of the year was 4,563, including 353 in the Medical Baseline program, PG&E said.
During the shutoff, PG&E said it recorded wind gusts of 56 miles per hour at Jarbo Gap in Butte County, 48 miles per hour at Wilson Hill Road in Shasta County and 55 miles per hour at Thomes Creek in Tehama County.
Once the windstorm had passed, PG&E said its crews had to begin patrolling more than 3,289 miles of transmission and distribution lines to ensure that no damage or hazards existed before reenergizing the lines to restore power to customers.
PG&E said 1,302 ground patrol units and 33 helicopters were involved in the patrol work.
By Wednesday afternoon, power restoration had begun in some areas where PG&E said it was safe to do so.
There were reports in some parts of Lake County that power was being turned on Wednesday afternoon.
At the same time, due to the Cache fire in Clearlake, transmission lines through the fire area had been temporarily deenergized, according to radio reports.
A PG&E map of the PSPS area showed a large portion of Lake County’s impacted customers remained without power early Thursday morning, with restoration expected by 2 p.m. Thursday in most of those outage areas.
Three community resource centers remain open in Lake County until the outage is fully resolved. They are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. They are:
— Clearlake Senior Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake. — Mountain Lions Club (also known as Little Red Schoolhouse), 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb. — Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Red Hills property, 7130 Red Hills Road, Kelseyville.
The centers offer charging for medical equipment and electronic devices, information on the outage, and water, snacks and other essential items.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
A Pacific Gas and Electric map showing areas in purple in Lake County, California, and neighboring counties that were impacted by the public safety power shutoff that began on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. The map can be found at https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outages/map/. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Tuesday evening, as a red flag warning was going into effect across parts of Northern California, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. moved forward with shutting off power to 51,000 of its customers across portions of 18 counties, including Lake.
In Lake County, approximately 4,563 customers — including 353 in the Medical Baseline program — had their power turned off starting between 5 and 7 p.m., the company reported.
PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras said the shutoff was expected to impact areas in or near Clearlake Oaks, Kelseyville, Cobb, Lower Lake, Riviera, Clearlake Highlands, Morgan Valley, Spring Valley and Hidden Valley Lake.
The number of Lake County customers to be included in the shutoff doubled earlier in the day, according to PG&E.
The last time a public safety power shutoff took place in Lake County was in December, when only about two dozen customers were impacted.
PG&E said it took the action due to concerns about the incoming weather system, which could bring gusts of up to 40 miles per hour, which could increase fire danger significantly when combined with dry vegetation and low humidity.
The company said it expects the “all clear” will occur on Wednesday afternoon, but Contreras said power restoration is expected to occur on Thursday afternoon.
That’s because, once the windstorm has subsided, PG&E said it will patrol the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged and, if necessary, make repairs before restoring power as quickly as possible.
“It is very possible that customers may be affected by a power shutoff even though they are not experiencing extreme weather conditions in their specific location. This is because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions,” Contreras said.
Due to the smoke from wildland fires around Northern California, the inspection process could be hampered by reduced visibility, the company said.
PG&E is opening 36 community resource centers — 16 outdoor sites and 20 indoor sites — in 17 counties to support customers affected by this event.
The centers initially opened from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday and will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for the remainder of the shutoff.
In Lake County, four community resource centers are being opened at the following locations:
— Clearlake Senior Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake. — Live Oaks Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks. — Mountain Lions Club (also known as Little Red Schoolhouse), 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb. — Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Red Hills property, 7130 Red Hills Road, Kelseyville.
At the community resource centers, community members can charge medical equipment and electronic devices, get water, snacks and other essential items, and also receive updates on the PSPS. All resource centers will have COVID-19 health guidelines in place.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Organizers of the August Blackberry Cobbler Festival said they are postponing this year’s event due to concerns about rising COVID-19 cases.
“With great concern and love for our community, and out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to postpone the Blackberry Cobbler Festival,” said the Cobb Area Council, the event’s organizer, in a statement. “We are aiming to protect our community, our guests, and our beloved festival from negative impacts.”
The event had been planned for Aug. 28 at the Whispering Pines Resort in Cobb.
The festival is part of a larger plan created by the Economic Development Committee of the Cobb Area Council to bring more visitors to the Cobb area to help stimulate economic growth by supporting local businesses and artisans, and to celebrate the community’s unique offerings and fun locations.
Despite the postponement, there will still be an opportunity to enjoy some delicious blackberry cobbler.
Contact the Cobb Mountain Lion's Club to find out how you can order your award winning blackberry cobbler (made by last year's grand prize winner Kelly Stuckey).
Follow their Facebook page for updates on their drive-thru event on Aug. 28.
Several Cobb businesses will still offer smaller events and entertainment that can be enjoyed including:
— Live music at Mandala Springs; weekend packages, www.mandala.org, 707-371-5022. — Live music in the evening at Adams Springs Golf Course, 707-928-9992. — Swimming and events at Pine Grove Resort, www.pinegrovecobb.com. — Blackberry menu items all week at Mountain High Coffee & Books, 16295 Highway 175. — Guided hike with Friends of Boggs Mountain, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to sign up for the 9 a.m. hike on Aug. 28.
Visit http://ExploreCobbCA.com for more information and to support the artists and businesses in the Cobb community.
The Cobb Area Council said it’s grateful for the generous donation from Calpine Corp. and their commitment to support the event when it can next happen.
The group also thanked the Strickler family of Whispering Pines Resort, Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., California Tendai Buddhists, Pat and Jon Meyer, Adventist Health Clear Lake, Boatique Winery, Kelsey Creek Brewery, Shannon Ridge Winery, Fore Family Winery, Pope Valley Winery and many volunteers who have put in hours of work and donations.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Registrar of Voters said registered voters should soon receive ballots for the California Gubernatorial Recall Election set to take place next month.
The election is set for Sept. 14, and Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez reported that all registered voters will be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot to ensure a safe and accessible voting option during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mailing of vote-by-mail ballots began no later than Monday, Aug. 16, Valadez said. Supplemental mailings will follow for newly registered or re-registered voters.
Valadez said her office will begin processing the returned vote-by-mail ballots on Monday, Aug. 23, with the processing of the vote-by-mail voter ballots will continue through Election Day as well as during the official canvass. Results won’t be released until after polls close on Sept. 14.
To ensure there are no delays in receiving your ballot in the mail, verify that the Registrar of Voters has your most up-to-date voter information. Visit https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/ or call 707-263-2372 or toll-free at 888-235-6730 to verify both your residential and mailing address.
Is everything correct? If not, you can update your registration by re-registering to vote at http://registertovote.ca.gov or by calling 707-263-2372 and requesting a voter registration form be mailed to you.
Return your vote by mail ballot
The Registrar of Voters Office encourages you to vote safely at home, and return your vote-by-mail ballot in one of the following ways:
— Mail your ballot on or before Election Day; no postage is required. — At any official ballot drop box location. Visit the following website at https//caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/ or call 707-263-2372 for locations. — At the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office or at any polling place location within the state of California.
Track your vote-by-mail ballot
Receive your personalized text message, emails or voicemails letting you know when your ballot is mailed, received, and counted by the Registrar of Voters Office by subscribing to https://wheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.
In-person voting
There will be 22 polling place locations on Election Day. Polling place locations will be staffed for voters to drop off voted ballots or to be issued a replacement ballot from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To vote in-person at your assigned polling place site on Election Day (please call the Registrar of Voters Office for instructions). You will be required to vote a provisional ballot if you are unable to surrender your vote by mail ballot and envelope.
For additional information call the Registrar of Voters Office at 707-263-2372 or 888-235-6730.
Smoke from Northern California wildland fires on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Image courtesy of NASA Worldview. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As major wildland fires continue to burn across Northern California, the Lake County Air Quality Management District said more smoke and haze are expected in the air basin this week.
Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said fires including the Dixie, McFarland and Monument are creating the regional smoke impacts throughout Lake County and California.
The new Caldor fire in El Dorado County also will contribute to smoke impact in Lake County over the next several days, Gearhart said.
Gearhart said all of Lake County has experienced intermittent air quality impacts from moderate to hazardous over the past few weeks.
He said the air quality forecast through Friday will range from “moderate,” or 51 to 100 on the Air Quality Index, to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” (AQI of 101 to 150) with a heightened potential for “unhealthy for all” (AQI of 151 to 200) conditions as the anticipated north winds may bring smoke from the Northern California fires into Lake County.
This forecast is based on the latest weather, monitoring and fire activity information, Gearhart said.
The National Weather Service, which also has included information about hazy conditions on Wednesday in its forecast, has issued a red flag warning for Lake County until 8 p.m. Wednesday due to high winds in the forecast, with those winds also prompting Pacific Gas and Electric to conduct a public safety power shutoff impacting parts of Lake County.
Gearhart said the district continues to actively monitor the smoke impacts throughout the County.
Information also is available at the Lake County Air Quality Management District website; follow the quick links for air monitoring for current smoke and air quality conditions.
Current particulate levels in Lake County range from “good” to “moderate.” Gearhart said those values were forecast to degrade overnight to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse as smoke is pushed into the county.
Gearhart said concentrations of smoke may vary depending upon location, weather and elevation.
Smoke from wildfires and structure fires contain harmful chemicals that can affect your health. Smoke and high winds can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing. People who are at greatest risk of experiencing symptoms due to smoke include those with respiratory disease (such as asthma), those with heart disease, young children and older adults.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued a red flag warning for Lake County as a windstorm approaches, while Pacific Gas and Electric has expanded the area in Lake County that’s expected to be impacted by a Tuesday evening public safety power shutoff.
The National Weather Service had previously issued a fire weather watch, but that has been upgraded.
The red flag warning is in effect in Lake County from 11 p.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Wednesday in areas above the 1,500-foot elevation mark.
A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly as a result of strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures.
The National Weather Service said northwest to north winds of up to 25 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 35 miles per hour, are possible Tuesday afternoon and evening, and into early Wednesday.
The combination of winds, low humidity and high temperature could result in critical fire conditions, officials said.
That windstorm has caused PG&E to move forward with plans for a potential public safety power shutoff, or PSPS. The company began notifying customers on Sunday night of a possible outage.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, 18 counties, including Lake, are still in the area of the planned outage, but in Lake County the number of customers expected to be impacted has more than doubled since Monday night.
On Tuesday, PG&E said 4,563 customers in Lake County are in the anticipated outage area, with 353 of those in the Medical Baseline program.
The estimated time of shutoff in Lake County is between 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, with restoration expected as of 2 p.m. Thursday.
PG&E customers can look up their addresses to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.
Editor’s note: The story has been updated to show restoration may occur in Lake County as late as Thursday afternoon.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
MICHAEL D. KING, NEIL BENNETT, AND LINDSAY M. MONTE
Ballooning student debt was already a concern prior to COVID-19 but the widespread economic hardship brought on by the pandemic, including a spike in unemployment, has left some groups in even more precarious financial conditions than before.
Student loans are among the largest contributors to household debt. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that in 2017 the total amount owed in federal student loans was $1.37 trillion.
Experiences prior to and during the pandemic provide insight into what we can expect going forward.
In 2017, 15% of adults (33 million) who had completed at least a high school degree had student loan debt, according to the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), which provides detailed info about debt holders in the years preceding the pandemic (all subsequent SIPP estimates are limited to those with at least a high school degree).
But the number was higher for certain groups: 21% of non-Hispanic Black adults; 23% of never-married adults; and 29% of adults ages 25 to 34.
Education and debt go hand in hand
Student debt was tied to educational attainment or the highest degree someone has received.
About 1 in 4 adults with advanced degrees, meaning those with more than a bachelor’s degree, had at least some student debt, compared to fewer than 1 in 5 adults with an associate or two-year degree.
Those with only a high school diploma were the least likely to carry student debt. But even this group accrued debt if they started but did not complete college courses or took vocational training, such as trade certifications or licensing.
Although those with advanced degrees were the most likely to hold and have higher student debt, those with some college but no degree were in a particularly difficult double bind: They accumulated debt during college but were yet to benefit from the greater earnings that come with a college degree.
In 2017, median annual earnings of those with some college but no degree was significantly less than among those with a bachelor’s or higher degree, making it more challenging for them to pay off their student debt. And while some may eventually complete a college degree, many will not.
Who is most likely to have student loans?
Racial differences in student debt holding are stark.
Non-Hispanic Black adults were particularly likely to have student debt.
In 2017, for example, rates for some non-Hispanic Black groups were twice as large as for non-Hispanic White adults and Black adults were more likely than White adults at every educational attainment level to have student loans.
Women overall were 28% more likely than men to have student debt.
In 2017, non-Hispanic Black women were the most likely of any gender group to have student loans. About 1 in 4 non-Hispanic Black women had student debt, compared to 1 in 8 non-Hispanic White men.
Younger adults, particularly those in their late 20s and early 30s, held a disproportionate amount of debt and clear racial and ethnic differences existed in this age group as well.
Among adults ages 25 to 44, Hispanic adults were the least likely to have student debt, partly a reflection of the lower likelihood of college attendance among the Hispanic population.
Roughly a third of non-Hispanic Black and White adults ages 25 to 34 held student debt.
However, older Black adults were significantly more likely than White adults to still have debt.
Differences by educational attainment and race were so large that non-Hispanic Black adults who had attended college but not earned a degree were about as likely as non-Hispanic White adults who had completed advanced degrees (21% and 22%, respectively) to carry student debt.
How much student debt do people owe?
Median student debt in December 2017 was similar for non-Hispanic Black women and non-Hispanic White women, with each group each carrying roughly $20,000.
Non-Hispanic White women, who made up the largest percentage of college graduates, carried as a group an estimated $398 billion in student loans in 2017.
Non-Hispanic White men, the second-largest student debt group, owed $278 billion in student loans. Non-Hispanic Black women carried $110 billion and Hispanic women an estimated $54 billion in student debt.
According to SIPP, adults with at least a bachelor’s degree had student debt totaling $756 billion.
Student loan debt associated with more debt overall
Many adults with student loans also faced other debt burdens. Of those with student loans, about 23 million (69%) had at least one additional type of debt like credit card, vehicle or medical.
Among those with student loans, credit card debt was the most common additional debt (52% of those with student debt also had credit card debt), followed by vehicle loans (33%), and medical debt (18%).
Those with debt on top of their student loans also often owed more in student loans.
For instance, the median student debt of those with no credit card debt was $16,000 in 2017. However, those with both student and credit card debt owed a median amount of $20,000 in student loans.
COVID-19 adds layers of economic hardship
Since 2017, federal student loans have increased an additional $190 billion, totaling $1.57 trillion in 2020. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has piled on additional layers of economic challenges on top of existing loan burdens.
Responses to the Census Bureau’s experimental Household Pulse Survey highlight how some groups for whom student debt may present particular challenges have also been hardest hit by the pandemic.
For example, those with some college but no degree were more likely to have experienced a loss of employment income within their household since the start of the pandemic. They were also more likely to report having a somewhat or very difficult time paying their usual expenses in the prior week than those with at least a bachelor’s degree.
In an effort to reduce the burden of student debt during the pandemic, the government has frozen payments for federal student loans and interest rates have been set to zero.
However, these policies are only temporary. Even with high national unemployment and without a current need to pay down this debt, recent stimulus money has been used to reduce debt burden.
Although the stimulus payments received in January were not more than $600 per person, more than three quarters of the people who received them spent them immediately and about half reported spending it to pay down credit card, student loan or other debt.
The populations most likely to carry student debt were even more likely to use the January stimulus payment to pay down debt.
For example, women were more likely than men to use the stimulus to narrow debt. Similarly, more than 60% of both non-Hispanic Black respondents and Hispanic respondents also used that money to shrink debt compared to less than 50% of non-Hispanic White respondents.
These results suggest that despite the freeze on payments student loan debt is still a heavy burden for many households during the pandemic.
About the data
SIPP is the nation’s premier source of information for income and program participation. It collects data and measures change in Americans’ economic well-being, family dynamics, education, assets, health insurance, child care and food security. Information on the methodology and reliability of these estimates can be found in the source and accuracy statements for each SIPP data release.
HPS is designed to provide near real-time data on how people’s lives have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Information on the methodology and reliability of these estimates can be found in the source and accuracy statements for each HPS data release.
Michael D. King and Lindsay M. Monte are survey statisticians in the Census Bureau’s Program Participation and Income Transfers Branch. Neil Bennett is an economist in the Census Bureau’s Labor Force Statistics Branch.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — State Sen. Mike McGuire is planning a town hall to discuss the latest developments on the coronavirus.
The community meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18.
The town hall will be streamed live on Facebook or on McGuire’s website.
You may also dial in to listen by phone at 1-669-900-6833 and enter the Webinar ID, 975 8621 7852.
Dr. Jose Morales, Kaiser Permanente pediatrician and assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and infectious disease physician Dr. Timothy Brewer of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and Geffen School of Medicine will join McGuire to talk about the facts and dispel the myths surrounding this public health crisis.
They’ll also cover the latest surge and what to expect as we head into the fall for adults and kids in school.
NORTH COAST, Calif. — It’s as if there is something sacred about this work. No power tools. No heavy equipment. Everything is done by hand. Nothing that would create so much as a spark.
“I like to think that we’re giving the trail a makeover,” said California Conservation Corps Ukiah Corpsmember Madison Troop.
She and a crew of corpsmembers from the California Conservation Corps are undoing some of the damage the August Complex fire did a year ago to the Mendocino National Forest’s hiking trails.
“If there’s a downed log in the trail we have to move it,” said Ukiah Corpsmember Lane Hengel. “I cut a tree by hand with a hand saw the other day. It’s awesome, but it was a lot of work. It took me about ten minutes to get through a log about three feet thick.”
The flames of the August Complex fire downed and weakened trees. The series of lightning sparked fires ignited Aug. 17, 2020, and burned for four months. Many of the fire damaged trees have fallen across the trails, which is where Ukiah Center corpsmembers are putting in the most work as they remove these hazards by hand.
And it’s not just fire damage that needs undoing. The closing of these wilderness trails for the past year, allowed for brush and vegetation to become overgrown and take over.
“We’re clearing the trails 6 feet in width,” said Troop. “If there’s something hanging over the trail, we’re pulling it down. On some of the trails we’ve worked on there was so much brush you didn’t even know it was a trail.”
Ukiah California Conservation Corps member Lane Hengel, right, works with his partner on a two-person crosscut saw to remove a downed tree from a trail damaged by the August Complex fire in 2020. Photo courtesy of the California Conservation Corps. Troop and Hengel are among 15 corpsmembers tasked with the hands-on work. Wilderness rules and the risk of sparks requires the crew to only use hand tools. No motorized equipment is used.
Instead, teams of corpsmembers are using two-person crosscut saws to clear the way for future hikers, horses, or even vehicles.
“Trail building and maintenance, as well as wildland fire recovery, is what we do best,” said CCC Director Bruce Saito. “Our corpsmembers get hands-on experience that can lead them to careers in our forests and parks. They also get the added benefit of improving and positively impacting their local communities and state with projects like this.”
Corpsmembers from the CCC’s Ukiah Center recently concluded several weeks in the Lower Nye Valley area near Lake Pillsbury. The crew camped near the project site for eight straight days to better access the damaged trails. The scenery provided a great experience for corpsmembers as they hauled themselves and their hand tools throughout the wilderness.
“We’re hiking every day,” Hengel said. “The last trail we worked on we did about 24 miles of hiking over the week. It’s been really fun.”
The 18- to 25-year-olds, and U.S. military veterans through age 29, who enroll in the CCC embrace the motto of “Hard Work, Low Pay, Miserable Conditions, and More!”
Hengel and Troop both know that a year doing project work like this, especially in miserable conditions, can help lead to skills and careers in wildland firefighting, forestry and more.
To learn more, visit http://ccc.ca.gov or call 800-952-5627 to speak to a recruiter today.
California Conservation Corps Ukiah Corpsmembers and staff work to remove a downed tree as fallen vegetation is scattered across the trails in this area. Photo courtesy of the California Conservation Corps.
This article is being updated with new information.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters are trying to stop a wildland fire burning in Clearlake.
The Cache fire was dispatched at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Sixth Avenue and Cache Creek in Clearlake.
Units arriving on scene reported finding RVs on fire as well as several acres of wildland, with a rapid rate of spread.
Incident command began requesting evacuations on the north side of Dam Road, adding the south side of Dam Road minutes later.
Radio reports stated that California Highway Patrol and Lake County Sheriff’s Office units were asked to respond to assist the Clearlake Police Department with evacuations.
Incident command also requested strike teams from in-county and out-of-county fire agencies for help with structure protection, but initial reports indicated challenges getting those additional resources.
Copter 104 from Boggs Mountain arrived on the scene just before 12:50 p.m. and reported over the air that the fire was between 25 and 30 acres and was soon to impact structures.
In addition to Copter 104, there are three helicopters and three tankers assigned, according to radio reports.
Authorities are going door to door along Dam Road to evacuate people, based on radio reports.
At 1:09 p.m., the Clearlake Police Department issued an evacuation order for the area from Cache Creek Apartments east to Betz Lane, with additional evacuations for south of Dam Road to Tish A Tang.
At 1:13 p.m., it was reported that 15 to 20 structures were involved, with several hundred threatened.
At 1:20 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for zones LOW-E159, located north of Morgan Valley Road and south of Cache Creek, east of Bonham Road and southwest of Staehle Lane; and LOW-E160, which includes Lower Lake, north of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road, south of Cache Creek, east of Bonham Road and west of Highway 53.
The schools were advised to begin evacuating children, and at 1:25 p.m. it was reported that school children were being evacuated from Lower Lake to Haverty Field at Austin Park.
Just before 1:30 p.m., incident command requested two more copters and five additional strike teams.The Cache fire in Clearlake, California, on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. The Cache Creek Apartments are on the bottom right. Photo courtesy of Robin Humphrey.
By 1:40 p.m., the fire was estimated to be up to 40 acres. Minutes later, an update said two dozen structures were involved.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said at 1:40 p.m. that an evacuation shelter has been established at Kelseyville High School.
Incident command called at 1:46 p.m. for an ambulance to respond to Cache Creek Mobile Home Park and an air ambulance to Adventist Health Clear Lake for an elderly burn victim. However, the air ambulance request could not be filled so a ground ambulance was requested. Later, it was reported an air ambulance would respond.
Just after 1:50 p.m. a grass fire was reported to be near Lower Lake Elementary School and the Lower Lake Cemetery, with a firefighter trying to access it.
Help from CHP was requested at Highways 29 and 53 shortly before 2 p.m. in order to get traffic going, as cars were backing up.
At 2 p.m., it was reported that Lower Lake Elementary’s evacuation had been completed, with children moved out by bus.
Minutes later, as many as three spot fires were reported around Lake Street.
At 2:07 p.m., an evacuation order was issued for south of 10th and East of Cache Creek apartments to the city limits.
At the same time, heavy traffic was reported on Highway 29, and at 2:10 p.m. radio traffic indicated a hard road closure was needed for northbound traffic at Highway 29 and Highway 53.
The fire was estimated to be 50 acres as of 2:12 p.m., with numerous structures involved and a moderate rate of spread.
At that point, incident command asked for four more dozers, two more crews and additional water tenders, with plans to update evacuation orders.
At 2:39 p.m., incident command reported the fire was up to 100 acres, with no updated estimate on structures. They asked for Animal Control and the Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, or LEAP, team to respond to Dam Road for numerous burned pets and livestock.
Evacuation areas have continued to expand. A rundown of zones and descriptions and their evacuation status is below.
There were separate reports over the air of forward progress being stopped, at 3:21 p.m. and again at 4:48 p.m.
Tankers began to be released shortly before 3:30 p.m. while work continued on a stop fire near the school.
At 4:36 p.m., there were plans to begin reenergizing major transmission lines that go through the fire area.
At 4:50 p.m., the sheriff’s office released a Nixle alert reporting that road closures are in place at the following locations: Dam Road at Jack in the Box, Main Street in Lower Lake at Highways 53 and 29, and Jessie Street at Highway 53 All other road closures were removed by that point.
At 6:55 p.m., incident command reported the fire was 80 acres and 20% contained, with two helicopters — of them Copter 104 — released.
At 7:51 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said evacuation orders for zones LOW-E159 and LOW- E169 were no longer in effect and residents could return home, but they were asked to be alert as fire and law enforcement personnel are still in the area.
The evacuation warning for zones LOW-E161, LOW-E167, LOW-E170 and LOW-E176 also were reported to have been lifted at that time.
However, the sheriff’s office said evacuation orders for zones LOW-E160 and CLE-E157A remain in effect.
The Clearlake Police Department reported just before 8:30 p.m. that the mandatory evacuation order for Cache Creek Apartments has been lifted and residents could return home, but the LOW-E160 and CLE-E157A evacuations orders were still active.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Cache fire zones - https://community.zonehaven.com/
ZONES IMPACTED BY THE CACHE FIRE
Evacuation orders remaining in effect as of 8 p.m.:
CLE-E157-A: Everything in the city of Clearlake to the south of 18th Avenue and east of Highway 53 except for Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital.
LOW-E160: Lower Lake. North of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road. South of Cache Creek. East of Bonham Road and west of Highway 53. This area excludes school district campuses.
LOW-E163: Richard H. Lewis School campuses.
LOW-E164: Includes Lower Lake, north of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road, south of Cache Creek, east of Bonham Road and west of Highway 53.
LOW-E166: Lower Lake High School and William C. Carle Continuation High School campuses.
Evacuation orders lifted as of 8 p.m.:
LOW-E159: Located north of Morgan Valley Road and south of Cache Creek, east of Bonham Road and southwest of Staehle Lane.
LOW-E169: North boundary extends south of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road. West boundary extends to the east of Highway 29. South boundary extends north of Spruce Grove Road North.
Evacuation warnings lifted as of 8 p.m.:
LOW-E161: West of Highway 53, north of Highway 29, northeast of Point Lakeview Road.
LOW-E167: Twin Lakes, west of Highway 29. North and east of Perini Road. East of Big Canyon Road and Seigler Canyon Road. Seigler Canyon Road passing through the outer part of the northwest boundary. Highway 29 passes through the outer part of the north boundary.
LOW-E170: South of E-169 and E-159, no boundary description offered, but northern boundary is Morgan Valley Road.
LOW-E176: Southwest of Spruce Grove Road and Old Spruce Grove Road. Southeast of Highway 29. North and northwest of Henderson Ranch Road. Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
A measure to grant the state’s judicial branch employees the first-ever paid state holiday on California Native American Day was approved Tuesday on a 32-0 bipartisan vote on the Senate floor.
Assemblymember James Ramos, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, is the first California Native American lawmaker elected in the state’s 170-year history. He has been working to enact a California Native American Day since 1998.
“I was a San Manuel council member when I started working toward this goal with then-Assemblymember Joe Baca Sr. This is one more step forward in recognizing and building knowledge about the history, culture and contributions of California’s Native Americans,” Ramos said.
Judiciary employee holidays are set in the Code of Civil Procedure and a change requires legislation. Other state employees are covered in the Government Code.
AB 855 would amend the Code of Civil Procedure to recognize California Native American Day as a judicial holiday to provide proper recognition for the state’s First People and celebrate their history.
It would not create an additional paid holiday for court personnel because Columbus Day would be exchanged for another state holiday, California Native American Day which is celebrated on the fourth Friday in September.
Court personnel are currently the only state workers receiving the existing Oct. 12 holiday as a paid day off.
The Judicial Council, a sponsor of the proposal, voted in January to seek authority to ensure California Native American Day is designated as a paid holiday for court employees.
“The Judicial Council is proud to sponsor AB 855, and thanks Assemblymember Ramos for authoring this historic bill,” the council said in a statement. “The judicial branch recognizes that access to justice is served by ensuring all Californians feel seen by the justice system, and this bill recognizes and celebrates the important contributions of Native Americans to this state. The Judicial Council extends its gratitude to the members of the Senate for their support of AB 855.”
“Our state Judicial Council brought the idea for this bill forward, and I thank them for their initiative,” Ramos added. “For more than 20 years, I have worked to help create a day recognizing California’s First People and their history. California has the greatest number of Native Americans residing within its boundaries, and it is fitting that we begin to expand our commemoration of this holiday.”
AB 855 is sponsored by the Judicial Council of California. It is also supported by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the California Tribal Business Alliance.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council is set to discuss a proposal to purchase a property that once housed a water park for retail development.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
The meeting will feature a presentation of August's adoptable dogs and a proclamation declaring Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day.
Under council business, City Manager Alan Flora will present to the council a proposal to purchase 11.28 acres of property located at 6885 and 7110 Old Highway 53 from the Burbank Housing and Development Corp. for a retail center development. The purchase price is $1 million.
The property, at the former Pearce Field airport, was home to the former Outrageous Waters water park, which closed in 2005.
“The city currently owns approximately 28 acres which comprised the former Pearce Field airport west of Highway 53. The City recently approved the sale of approximately 2.5 acres of the property for development of a Fairfield Inn and Suites and is working with various developers, business owners, retailers and investors with an interest in the overall project,” Flora wrote in his report to the council.
He said the city has been working with the firm Retail Strategies and others to attract retail interest in the retail development that has long been envisioned for the former airport site. “Interest has been quite strong and many of the pieces necessary for a successful development are starting to come together.”
Flora said it became apparent that having control over the bulk of the developable area would be helpful for a consistent and cohesive development plan. He said the 11-acre property, the location of the former water park, was part of the original airport site the city acquired from the county in 1994.
City staff contacted Burbank Housing Development, a Sonoma County-based affordable housing developer, about the property. Burbank, which was given the site and has owned it since 2017, has no plans to do any development in Lake County, Flora said.
“This purchase will give the City control of nearly 40 acres of development area along Highway 53 and will allow more strategic master planning of the entire site. The City is currently working with architecture firm Ankrom Moisan on the site master plan,” Flora said.
Upon closing of the purchase of the property, Flora said the city will begin demolition of the remaining infrastructure from the water park — such as the racetrack and batting cages — in order to prepare the site for development.
Flora said the city expects to begin construction of the road and utility infrastructure at the site in the spring of 2022.
In other business, staff will ask the council to consider a resolution approving an application for funding to the state for Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response funding not to exceed $1 million for improvements at the Hope Center, a transitional housing facility.
Flora’s report on the item said the city has partnered with Adventist Health, Hope Rising and other local partners to develop the center, but additional improvements are needed, including curb gutter and sidewalks, and an energy microgrid system, which are eligible for funding through the CDBG-CV Home Key program.
“The Hope Center renovation was funded in large part by the first round of Home Key funding in 2020 with the County as a sponsor. The County is not interested in sponsoring the current application, so the City has stepped up. The City will be the applicant and will pass through the funds to the Hope Center, but will rely on Adventist Health and Hope Rising for reporting and administrative support of the grant process,” Flora said.
The council also will discuss resolutions to be taken up at the 2021 League of California Cities Annual Conference.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants, minutes of the July 14 Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting, the second ready and adoption of Ordinance No. 256-2021, an amendment to Chapter 17 of the Clearlake Municipal Code repealing and replacing floodplain management regulations, minutes of the July 15 council meeting and authorization of an agreement for a remodel of the City Hall breakroom.
Following the meeting, the council will have a closed session for conference with legal counsel regarding a lawsuit against the county of Lake and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
