LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Rocky fire, which started Wednesday afternoon has grown to 8,000 acres since five a.m., according to Cal Fire. No containtment has been reported.

An evacuation center is opened at the Highland Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Road, Clearlake.

An animal evacuation center is opened at the Lower Lake Social Services parking lot, 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway, Lower Lake. 

Road closures are in effect for Morgan Valley Road at Bonham, Rocky Creek Road, Dam Road, Mustang Court, Quarterhorse Road and Sleepy Hollow.

Evacuations remain in place for the North side of Morgan Valley Road for 5 miles east of Bonham Rd. 

South of Lower Lake evacuations in place at Spruce Grove Rd. NORTH, Noble Ranch, Jerusalem Grade, and Cantwell Ranch.

Lower Lake proper and Hidden Valley Lake are not subject to evacuation. 

As of seven a.m. Cal Fire reports that several outbuildings have been destroyed.

Agencies involved include CAL FIRE, Kelseyville FPD, South Lake FPD, Northshore FPD, Lake County Sheriff, CHP, Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection (LEAP), Lake County Office of Emergency Services and North Bay Incident Management Team. Resources working the fire include 315 fire personnel, 35 engines, eight fire crews, eight airtankers, eight helicopters, nine dozers and four water tenders.

When someone says “Once in a blue moon,” you know what they mean: Rare, seldom, even absurd.

This year it means “the end of July.”

For the second time this month, the Moon is about to become full. There was one full Moon on July 2, and now a second is coming on July 31.

According to modern folklore, whenever there are two full moons in a calendar month, the second one is “blue.”

The second full moon of July is just around the corner. According to modern folklore, it is a “blue moon.”

This definition of a blue moon is a recent thing.

If you told a person in Shakespeare's day that something happens “once in a blue moon” they would attach no astronomical meaning to the statement. Blue moon simply meant rare or absurd, like making a date for “the Twelfth of Never.” Since then, however, its meaning has shifted.

The modern definition sprang up in the 1940s. In those days the Maine Farmer's Almanac offered a definition of blue moon so convoluted many astronomers struggled to understand it.

It involved factors such as ecclesiastical dates of Easter and Lent, tropical years, and the timing of seasons according to the dynamical mean sun.

Aiming to explain blue moons to the layman, Sky & Telescope published an article in 1946 entitled “Once in a Blue Moon.” The author, James Hugh Pruett (1886-1955), cited the 1937 Maine almanac and opined that the “second [full moon] in a month, so I interpret it, is called Blue Moon.”

This was not correct, but at least it could be understood. And thus the modern blue moon was born.

Most blue moons look pale gray and white, just like the moon you've seen on any other night. Squeezing a second full moon into a calendar month doesn't change its color.

Nevertheless, on rare occasions the moon can turn blue.

A truly-blue moon usually requires a volcanic eruption.

Back in 1883, for example, people saw blue moons almost every night after the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa exploded with the force of a 100-megaton nuclear bomb. Plumes of ash rose to the very top of Earth's atmosphere, and the moon … it turned blue!

Krakatoa's ash was the reason. Some of the plumes were filled with particles 1 micron wide, about the same as the wavelength of red light. Particles of this special size strongly scatter red light, while allowing blue light to pass through. Krakatoa’s clouds thus acted like a blue filter.

People also saw blue-colored moons in 1983 after the eruption of the El Chichon volcano in Mexico. And there are reports of blue moons caused by Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Forest fires can do the same trick. A famous example is the giant muskeg fire of September 1953 in Alberta, Canada. Clouds of smoke containing micron-sized oil droplets produced lavender suns and blue moons all the way from North America to England.

At this time of year, summer wildfires often produce smoke with an abundance of micron-sized particles – just the right size to turn the Moon truly blue.

On the other hand, maybe it will turn red. Often, when the moon is hanging low, it looks red for the same reason that sunsets are red. The atmosphere is full of aerosols much smaller than the ones injected by volcanoes. These aerosols scatter blue light, while leaving the red behind.

For this reason, red blue moons are far more common than blue blue moons.

Sounds absurd? Yes, but that's what a blue moon is all about. Step outside at sunset on July 31, look east, and see what color presents itself.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters are at the scene of two wildland fires burning east of Lower Lake that have resulted in evacuations of the Morgan Valley Road area.

The Rock fire was first dispatched as a structure just before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the area of the 9000 block of Rocky Creek Road.

Cal Fire's most recent report on the Rock incident, released just before 5:15 p.m., put it at 150 acres with no containment.

Immediate evacuations are under way with structures threatened, Cal Fire said.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office asked that all residents of Morgan Valley Road east of Lower Lake evacuate immediately as a result of the fires. Lake County Animal Care and Control assisting.

An evacuation center has been set up at the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake, according to the Lake County Office of Emergency Services.

Fire officials said the Rock fire is traveling at a rapid rate of spread with forward spotting in heavy brush and timber.

Cal Fire diverted resources from the Wragg fire in Napa and Solano counties, based on radio reports.

Access has been difficult during the initial attack. Dozers are being used not just to cut fire line but also to cut a road in to the incident, according to radio reports.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m., a spot fire was reported in the 20000 block of Morgan Valley Road.

Minutes later, there were reports of about 10 people trapped and unable to get down their driveway in the 19000 block of Morgan Valley Road, with resources diverted to that area.

Residents are asked to stay away from the area, so emergency personnel can concentrate on fighting the fire and evacuating residents.

Cal Fire said roads are closed in the Rocky Creek and Morgan Valley areas.

Resources on scene include 12 engine companies, six air tankers, five bulldozers, five helicopters, six overhead personnel, four water tenders and a total of 171 personnel.

The fire's cause is under investigation.

Additional details will be reported as they become available.

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.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – As local and state firefighters worked through the night to contain a growing wildland fire, local officials called for more evacuations that forced hundreds from their homes.

The Rocky fire broke out Wednesday afternoon near Morgan Valley Road and Rocky Creek Road, east of Lower Lake.

Within hours the fire had scorched 3,000 acres in difficult-to-access, rugged terrain covered with heavy brush and timber, sending up a huge plume of smoke that was traveling into neighboring counties and had worked its way up along the Northshore.

Shortly before 5 a.m., Cal Fire reported that the fire had grown to 5,000 acres, with no containment.

More than 300 firefighters were committed to the incident Wednesday night, and resources were called in from other major incidents around the region, such as the 7,500-acre Wragg fire in neighboring Napa County that's nearing full containment.

As of early Thursday, the fire had destroyed several outbuildings, but officials are holding off on further damage assessments while they focus on fighting the fire.

No injuries have been reported.

Cal Fire said the fire has forced the evacuations of 500 Lower Lake area residents.

On Wednesday afternoon, mandatory evacuation orders were issued in the Lower Lake area for Morgan Valley Road, east of Bonham Road, with residents in an area south of Lower Lake – Spruce Grove Road, north of the intersection with Jerusalem Grade Road, along with Noble Ranch, Jerusalem Grade and Cantwell Ranch roads – being ordered to evacuate late Wednesday night.

Lower Lake proper and Hidden Valley Lake were not under evacuation orders, county officials said early Thursday morning.

A Red Cross evacuation center is open at the Highland Senior Center in Clearlake, 3245 Bowers Ave., with county officials reporting early Thursday that Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road, also had been opened as a shelter location.

An evacuation center for animals has been set up in the parking lot of the Lake County Department of Social Services, located off of Highway 53 at 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway in Lower Lake.

The Lake County Emergency Operation Center, located in the county offices in Lakeport, was activated as a result of the fire, the first time it's been needed since a severe storm incident in December.

County emergency officials reported early Thursday that the fire was forcing a closure – until further notice – of all summer school programs in Lower Lake, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown.

Several local and regional agencies are working together on the fire, including Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Kelseyville Fire, Northshore Fire, South Lake County Fire, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the California Highway Patrol, Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, Lake County Office of Emergency Services and North Bay Incident Management Team.

Resources committed to the fire included 315 firefighters, 35 fire engines, eight fire crews, eight air tankers, eight helicopters, nine dozers and four water tenders.

Road closures are in effect for Morgan Valley Road at Bonham, Rocky Creek Road, Dam Road, Mustang Court, Quarterhorse Road and Sleepy Hollow, Cal Fire said.

The fire's cause is under investigation, Cal Fire said.

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.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters on Wednesday night were continuing to be challenged by a growing wildland fire that has so far consumed 3,000 acres near Lower Lake.

The Rocky fire – originally called the “Rock” fire – has been burning since about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday near Morgan Valley and Rocky Creek roads, east of Lower Lake.

Shortly after 7 p.m. Cal Fire reported that the fire had reached 1,000 acres. It continued to grow rapidly, expanding to 3,000 acres in another two hours' time.

No containment has been reported on the fire so far.

Cal Fire said evacuations are in place for the north side of Morgan Valley Road to five miles east of Bonham Road.

A home was reported to be on fire in the 21000 block of Morgan Valley Road shortly before 9:30 p.m., with people inside. Two strike teams were dispatched to the scene.

Evacuees are continuing to be directed to a Red Cross evacuation center at the Highlands Senior Center at 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake, while an animal evacuation center is open at the Lower Lake Social Services parking lot, 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway.

A number of road closures also are in effect, including Morgan Valley Road at Bonham, Rocky Creek Road, Dam Road, Mustang Court, Quarterhorse Road and Sleepy Hollow, Cal Fire said.

The resources on scene Wednesday night from Cal Fire and agencies around the lake included 315 personnel, 35 engines, eight fire crews, eight air tankers, eight helicopters, nine dozers and four water tenders.

Additional resources have been ordered and are responding, Cal Fire said.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Clearlake man has been convicted of three felony charges in connection to his torturing of a German Shepherd puppy – including punching it while he hung it from a tree.

Emilio Vega Mendoza, 44, was found guilty of intentionally and maliciously torturing Remy – who was not quite a year old at the time of the April incident – along with making criminal threats to a witness and attempting to make threats to a Clearlake Police officer, according to Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones.

Mendoza was found not guilty of a fourth charge of making threats to deter the officer from performing his duties, Krones said.

Krones said Vega Mendoza waived a jury trial and instead had a bench trial before Judge Michael Lunas on July 23, with the verdict coming down on Tuesday.

Vega Mendoza's defense attorney, Mark Cabaniss of Lakeport, did not respond to requests from Lake County News for comment on the case.

Clearlake Police Officer Michael Dietrick arrested Vega Mendoza on the morning of April 26 at a residence on Saroni Parkway after getting reports of him torturing the dog, and threatening a woman and her child, according to the case records.

The dog was being punched like a punching bag while being hung from a tree, said Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli.

Krones said Vega Mendoza was living in a shed on the property where the beating took place. On the morning of the incident, a woman who lived in the house on the property came out to find him hanging Remy from a rope that was thrown over a tree branch, hitting the pup, lowering him, and then repeating the same abusive treatment numerous times.

Witnesses said Vega Mendoza was drunk, and when the woman confronted him and told him to stop harming the dog, he told her to mind her own business. She told him she would call the police if he didn't stop, and he then threatened to go into the house, take the woman's 1-month-old daughter and harm her, Krones said.

During the time when Remy was being hung from the tree and beaten, he began to thrash around and snapped at Vega Mendoza, biting him in the face, Krones said. In his booking sheet, Vega Mendoza has facial injuries as a result.

Celli said that when officers arrived at the scene, Remy – who is very friendly – ran to them and hid behind them.

He then got into the police car, and – considering that he looks like a police dog – was right at home, riding with his head out the window, Celli said.

Krones said a rope was found over a tree branch at the scene. Remy didn't have neck injuries, but he did appear to have a preexisting hip injury, exhibiting a noticeable limp.

Vega Mendoza was arrested and taken to the hospital for his facial injuries before he was booked into the Lake County Jail. “He’s been in custody ever since,” said Krones.

Part of the reason for Vega Mendoza remaining in jail is a hold placed on him by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Krones said Vega Mendoza claimed to have been in the United States for many years. He's listed as a carpenter on his booking sheet, and she said he has been working for his cousin.

She added that she is not sure how the immigration hold will play into the case. “They have not been putting ICE holds on everybody,” she added, noting that used to be a much more common practice.

Unconvincing testimony

During his trial, Vega Mendoza took the stand, denying all of the allegations, Krones said.

“He said he was just playing with the dog,” Krones said.

Vega Mendoza claimed that he had his jacket around his arm and he was teaching Remy to be an attack dog. He also stated that witnesses must have mistook the dog's jumping around for being hoisted up by the rope.

“He said he was teaching the dog a lesson, but what lesson is that?” Krones asked.

He also testified that he was not drunk and that the dog didn't bite him in the face, but that he had been scratched on a fence the day before, Krones said.

She said Vega Mendoza's testimony didn't make sense. “The judge did not think his testimony was credible.”

Vega Mendoza is due to be sentenced Sept. 9, Krones said.

He's facing a maximum of three years in state prison – not the county jail – due to the severity of the crimes for which he was convicted, with both of the threat charges being strikes. Due to the ICE hold, he's also not eligible for probation, Krones added.

Because the charges came from the same incident, Vega Mendoza is likely to get sentences that run concurrently, Krones said.

She said Vega Mendoza has no previous animal cruelty cases or felonies, but he has had priors going back to 1997, the most serious of which was a misdemeanor criminal threat case in 2012 that occurred outside of Lake County and resulted in him being placed on probation.

The felony strike convictions in the dog abuse case may result in Vega Mendoza being deported. Krones said it is likely he will serve prison time first, although it's ultimately up to immigration authorities.

There are several other animal cruelty cases involving dogs working their way through the local courts now, said Krones.

She's also handling the case against Clearlake resident Michael Truscott, who was arrested in May after police said he threw a 9-month-old puppy to the ground and broke her jaw.

A friend of Truscott's submitted to Lake County News a voice recording of him claiming that he accidentally injured the dog.

As for Remy, after Vega Mendoza was arrested, Remy was taken to the SPCA of Clear Lake, which has held an animal control contract with the city of Clearlake since October 2013.

SPCA Executive Director Mary Jane Montana called news of the verdict “awesome.”

She said Remy is a sweet dog who this spring was adopted out to a new home, details about which she can't disclose. She added that he'll never have to worry about Vega Mendoza abusing him again.

Montana said Remy had severe dysplasia in the injured leg and apparently in another as well, which was disclosed to the adopter.

Both she and Krones said the dog is awaiting hip replacement surgery.

“I'm glad the dog’s in a good home and hopefully he’ll get the surgery he needs,” Krones said.

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.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – As the Rocky fire near Lower Lake continued to grow through the night, the Lake County Sheriff's Office expanded evacuations in the fire area.

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, the sheriff's office reported that it had issued an order for the latest round of mandatory evacuations, this time for an area south of Lower Lake.

Those evacuations were for Spruce Grove Road, north of the intersection with Jerusalem Grade Road;    Noble Ranch Road; Jerusalem Grade Road; and Cantwell Ranch Road.

Earlier on Wednesday, mandatory evacuation orders were issued in the Lower Lake area for Morgan Valley Road, east of Bonham Road, according to the Lake County Office of Emergency Services.

As of early Thursday, Lower Lake proper and Hidden Valley Lake were not under evacuation orders, county officials said.

A Red Cross evacuation center is open at the Highland Senior Center in Clearlake, 3245 Bowers Ave., with county officials reporting early Thursday that Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road, also has been opened as a shelter location.

Animals are being evacuated to the parking lot of the Department of Social Services off of Highway 53 at 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway in Lower Lake.

County officials also reported that all summer school programs in Lower Lake, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown are canceled until further notice.

The Lake County Emergency Operation Center also was activated late Wednesday.

The Lake County Office of Emergency Services has an information line set up at 707-263-2360 and is posting updates on the Lake County OES Facebook page.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A wildland fire that began near Lower Lake Wednesday afternoon ballooned in size within hours, resulting in evacuations.

The Rock fire was first dispatched at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Morgan Valley and Rocky Creek roads east of Lower Lake.

By 7:15 p.m., it had reached 1,000 acres, according to Cal Fire.

Resources from the Wragg fire in Napa and Solano counties have been diverted to assist on the incident, where early on Wednesday evening six air tankers and five helicopters continued to hit it from the sky, with a large force of ground resources also on scene.

Evacuations remain in effect until further notice for all residents of Morgan Valley Road between the Napa County Line and the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 53 in Lower Lake, according to the Lake County Office of Emergency Services.

The Red Cross has an evacuation center in place at the Highlands Senior Center in Clearlake, 3245 Bowers Ave., authorities said.

Cal Fire's latest report said the fire continues to travel at a rapid rate of spread with forward spotting.

Part of the incident includes a large spot fire that was reported on Morgan Valley Road about an hour after the first fire was reported.

Temperatures at the scene have reached 100 degrees, with 10 percent humidity and wind coming from the south at 11 miles per hour, officials said.

Agencies on scene include Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Kelseyville Fire, South Lake Fire and Northshore Fire.

Total resources committed as of 7:30 p.m. included 171 firefighters, 12 fire engines, six fire crews, six air tankers, five helicopters, five dozers and four water tenders.

Additional details will be posted as they become available throughout the night.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – This week the Illini 4000 team will be biking through Kelseyville as part of a nationwide tour to raise awareness about cancer's impact on America and raise funds for research.

The team will stop at Grace Church at 6 p.m. Friday, July 31, to visit with the community. The public is invited to attend.

The Illini 4000 is a student group and nonprofit organization based out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Every summer, Illini 4000 sends a group of students on a cross-country bicycle trip to fundraise for cancer research, spread information about cancer.

The group said its ride this summer is covering more than 4,500 miles from New York City to San Francisco.

Members of the Illini 4000 also interview those who have been affected by cancer as a part of the Portraits Project.

The Portraits Project is a collection of narratives, also known as Portraits, that demonstrate how cancer affects people across America.

While traveling across the country, riders interview cancer patients and survivors from all walks of life and compile their stories.

The Illini 4000 team will speak at the Grace Church gathering. All community members are welcome, and those willing to share their experience with cancer are strongly encouraged to do so.

The event is free, but the Illini 4000 will accept donations.

Funds raised will go toward the 2015 fundraising total, with proceeds benefiting a variety of charities including the American Cancer Society, Camp Kesem-Illinois, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the B+ Foundation, TLC Camp in Lombard, IL, and Cancer Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Illini 4000 has successfully completed five cross-country trips and raised more than $800,000.

For more information visit www.illini4000.org , www.portraitsproject.org , www.facebook.com/Illini4000 and Twitter/Instagram, @illini4000.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Several new major wildland fires broke out during Wednesday's hot conditions, with the new incidents ranging from Shasta County to Lake County.

Cal Fire said the Wednesday afternoon fire activity in Northern California significantly increased as temperatures hit the triple digits and the winds became very gusty.

Despite the extremely challenging weather conditions, firefighters were able to contain some of the dozens of new wildland fires that were sparked, but the drought-caused dry vegetation, along with windy conditions, caused five of the wildland fires to grow, officials said.

Those new incidents included the Rocky fire near Lower Lake in Lake County; the Big Creek fire in Tuolumne County; the China and Mallard fires, both in Shasta County; and the Swedes fire in Butte County, Cal Fire reported.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated as a result of those five new incidents, fire officials said.

Hot, dry conditions with elevated fire danger are expected to continue on Thursday, according to Cal Fire.

For information on wildland fire preparedness, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org .

The following is a summary of major wildfire incidents around the state, with size estimates through late Wednesday night.

Cal Fire incidents

– Rocky fire: Began July 29 near Lower Lake in Lake County; 3,000 acres, zero containment. Evacuations in effect. Cause is under investigation.

– Big Creek fire: Began July 29 in Tuolumne County; 150 acres, zero containment. Cause is under investigation.

– China fire: Two fires that began July 29 in Shasta County; 150 acres, 50-percent contained. Evacuations in effect. Cause is under investigation.

– Mallard fire: Began July 29 in Shasta County; 75 acres, 50-percent contained. Evacuations in effect. Cause is under investigation.

– Swedes fire: Began July 29 in Butte County; 500 acres, 10-percent contained. Evacuations in effect. Cause is under investigation.

– Lowell fire: Began July 25 in Nevada County; 2,303 acres, 50-percent contained. Evacuation advisories in effect. Six injuries. Cause is under investigation. Estimated full containment: Aug. 3.

– Wragg fire: Began July 22 in Napa and Solano counties; 7,500 acres, 80-percent contained. Evacuations remain in effect. Two outbuildings destroyed, three outbuildings and one residence damaged. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation. Estimated full containment: Aug. 2.

– Queen fire: Began July 25 in Humboldt County; 158 acres, 75-percent contained. Two injuries. Cause is under investigation.

Federal incidents

– Cabin fire: Began July 29 in Tulare County; 180 acres, no containment. Caused by lightning.

– Willow fire: Began July 25 in Madera County; 2,077 acres, 30-percent contained. No injuries reported. Caused by arson.

– Cutca fire: Began July 24 in San Diego County; 167 acres, 75-percent contained. No injuries reported. Cause is unknown.

– Kyburz fire: Began July 23 in El Dorado County; 75 acres, 100-percent contained. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation.

– Pines fire: Began July 17 in Los Angeles County; 200 acres, 100-percent contained. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation.

– Lake fire: Began July 16 in San Bernardino County; 31,359 acres, 98-percent contained. No injuries reported. Human caused; remains under investigation.

– Washington fire: Began June 19 in Alpine County; 17,790 acres, 99-percent contained. No injuries reported. Caused by lightning. Estimated full containment: July 31.

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.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Effective immediately and until further notice, the Lake County Sherriff’s office has requested that all residents of Morgan Valley Road between the Napa County Line and the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 53 in Lower Lake evacuate immediately, due to the Rock Fire.

An evacuation center has been set up at the Highlands Senior Center in Clearlake, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake.

Animals are being evacuated to the parking lot of the Department of Social Services off of Highway 53 at 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway, Lower Lake.

The Lake County Emergency Operation Center has not been activated. Lake County OES Manager Marisa Chilafoe is actively monitoring the situation and additional operations are on standby.

The Lake County Office of Emergency Services has an information line set up at 707-263-2360, and will be posting information on the Lake County OES Facebook page.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As firefighters continue to work major incidents around the state, the National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for much of Northern California due to fire weather concerns.

The agency is urging caution due to the potential for triple-digit temperatures through Thursday and medium- to high-elevation thunderstorms into early next week.
 
In the midst of the hot summer temperatures, Cal Fire said 5,200 firefighters from Cal Fire, US Forest Service, local fire departments and other federal agencies are making progress as they work on the front lines of nine active fires across the states.

The hot conditions helped fuel a flare up on the Wragg fire in Napa and Solano counties on Tuesday afternoon, with new evacuations ordered, as Lake County News has reported. However,

Due to the increase in hot, dry temperatures as well as the high level of fire activity, Cal Fire is urging Californians to use extra caution outdoors.

For information on wildland fire preparedness, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org .

The following is a summary of major incidents around the state, with size estimates through late Tuesday night.

Cal Fire incidents

– Lowell fire: Began July 25 in Nevada County; 2,303 acres, 40-percent contained. Evacuations remain in effect, with 1,800 structures in Nevada and Placer counties threatened. Four injuries. Cause is under investigation. Estimated full containment: Aug. 1.

– Wragg fire: Began July 22 in Napa and Solano counties; 6,991 acres, 80-percent contained. Evacuations in effect after the fire had a flare up on Tuesday afternoon. Two outbuildings destroyed, three outbuildings and one residence damaged. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation. Estimated full containment: July 28.

– Queen fire: Began July 25 in Humboldt County; 158 acres, 42-percent contained. Two injuries. No cause given.

Federal incidents

– Willow fire: Began July 25 in Madera County; 1,739 acres, 30-percent contained. No injuries reported. Caused by arson; juvenile suspect identified.

– Cutca fire: Began July 24 in San Diego County; 167 acres, 75-percent contained. No injuries reported. Cause is unknown.

– Kyburz fire: Began July 23 in El Dorado County; 75 acres, 98-percent contained. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation.

– Pines fire: Began July 17 in Los Angeles County; 200 acres, 100-percent contained. No injuries reported. Cause is under investigation.

– Lake fire: Began July 16 in San Bernardino County; 31,359 acres, 98-percent contained. No injuries reported. Human caused; remains under investigation.

– Washington fire: Began June 19 in Alpine County; 17,790 acres, 99-percent contained. No injuries reported. Caused by lightning. Estimated full containment: July 31.

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.