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LUCERNE, Calif. – A one-stop local assistance center, or LAC, for those impacted by the Mendocino Complex fire will open Friday, Aug. 10.

The center will be located at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, 3985 Country Club Drive.

It will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 10, through Friday, Aug. 17.

A wide-ranging array of services and expertise will be available.

Some of the organizations that will be present include: American Red Cross, North Coast Opportunities, Habitat for Humanity, United Methodist Church, Lake County Behavioral Health, Veteran’s Services, Lake County Departments of Environmental Health, Behavioral Health, Social Services, Public Services, Social Security Administration, Social Services and Habitat for Humanity, to name a few.

If you need food replacement, assistance accessing medical care, concerns about your animals, debris removal, replacement copies of vital records or driver’s licenses, or even insurance matters, there will be people on site at the LAC to help and answer your questions.

All of these organizations will be there to help make profoundly complicated situations a little bit easier, and offer some of the first building blocks of successful long-term recovery.

For more information, contact the Department of Social Services, 707-995-4260.
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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Public Health, the Red Cross and Konocti Unified School District are working together to help control a norovirus outbreak at the Lower Lake High School evacuation shelter, officials said Wednesday.

Norovirus is a very common cause of stomach flu. It is highly contagious and can spread quickly in settings where people come in close contact with each other, such as an evacuation shelter.

Norovirus causes irritation of the stomach and intestines. Common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps.

While most people with norovirus do not need medical care and get better within one to three days, the virus can make a person feel extremely ill with vomiting and diarrhea many times a day.

The best way to stop the spread of norovirus is to avoid coming into contact with bodily fluids of sick people.

Proper hand washing and cleaning of surfaces that might be contaminated are essential. Infected people should avoid caring for or preparing food for other people until at least 48 hours after symptoms have ended.

Surfaces and objects in contact with vomit or diarrhea should be washed with soap and hot water, and disinfected with a bleach solution or washed in a washing machine with detergent. Wear gloves and wash hands carefully after any contact with contaminated objects.

County public health officials reported that the actions taken at the Lower Lake Shelter to prevent the spread of norovirus including grouping people with symptoms away from people without symptoms and providing them with separate bathroom facilities.

People recovering from illness are being kept separate from people without symptoms, including being fed away from those who do not appear to be ill, officials said.

In addition, the county reported that signs have been posted asking people to wash hands frequently, especially before eating and after using the bathroom.

The county said an outside company is being contracted for additional environmental cleaning and disinfection.

Additional handwashing stations have been set up next to the restrooms and food lines, officials said.

For more information on norovirus, please visit the CDPH or the CDC Web sites.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – County officials reported that arrangements are being made to set up a local assistance center to offer resources to community members impacted by the Mendocino Complex.

The County Administrative Office said that, within 24 to 48 hours of the repopulation of all evacuated areas, the county of Lake will be establishing a local assistance center.  

Officials recognize that the Ranch and River fires have left many in the community with profound needs.

Some individuals and families have lost homes, and are just beginning to navigate the process of rebuilding. Others are wondering how to replace basic food items or vital records and other critical documents.  

Many are still displaced from their homes, and unsure what they will find when they return. Some may need assistance healing emotionally from the effects of the disaster.

Given the variety and depth of needs county residents are facing, some may be wondering where to start. Most can likely use some support in deciding what needs to address in what order.

The local assistance center is meant to help the community begin that process.

The specific date and time of when the center will be opened will be released as soon as it is known; presently, resources are being devoted primarily to the immediate disaster response, officials said.

“With the duration of the River and Ranch fires, and people repopulating over such a lengthy period, we understand that people are at different stages, and many kinds of assistance are needed,” said County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.

The local assistance center will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lakeport Senior Center, located at 527 Konocti Ave.

A wide-ranging array of services and expertise will be available. If you need help with temporary or long-term housing, assistance accessing medical care, or information on fire debris removal or permits, resources will be available.  

If you have concerns about your animals or even insurance matters, help will be available at the local assistance center.

“We want to help Lake County residents progress through recovery in a positive, productive way,” said Social Services Director Crystal Markytan. “The process of recovering from any significant loss is challenging, and rebuilding a beloved home, for example, brings unique technical and personal challenges. No one should walk that road alone, and we want to ensure appropriate resources are available.”
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Library announced that Lakeport Library at 1425 N. High St. is open with its regular hours after being closed last week due to the mandatory evacuation of Lakeport.

Redbud Library at 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake and Middletown Library at 21256 Washington St. have both remained open on their normal schedules.

If you need help with your account, need to use the public wifi or computers, or just need to pick up a book to read contact any of the open branches. Even with libraries closed, you can check your account online. For more information call 263-8817.

None of the libraries was damaged during the fires but mandatory evacuations forced some of the libraries to close for the duration. Upper Lake Library will reopen as conditions permit.

County librarian Christopher Veach says that the last thing people need to worry about is overdue fines.

The library has extended the due dates on thousands of items checked out from Lakeport Library and Upper Lake Library to Aug. 28.

All late fines and fees for those affected by the fire will be waived. Your safety is more important than returning library books when you are displaced.

Participants in the summer reading program can still have points logged through August 11.

The library’s summer reading program award parties have been rescheduled as follows.

Middletown Library’s kids’ party will be Aug. 14 at 11:30 a.m. Lakeport Library’s kids’ party will be Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. The Redbud Library kids’ party will be August 18 at 10 a.m. Upper Lake Library’s kids’ party will be August 23 at 2 p.m.

If you are waiting for requested items, the pick-up period has been extended as well.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary.

Jan Cook is a technician with the Lake County Library.
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The updated Mendocino Complex evacuation map for portions of Lake and Colusa counties, Calif., issued on the morning of Wednesday, August 8, 2018, by Cal Fire. Areas with red boundaries remain under mandatory evacuation, while yellow area are in advisory evacuation status.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This is the Mendocino Complex general information update for Wednesday, Aug. 8.

This story will be updated on a rolling basis until 11:59 p.m. with important new information, including acreage and containment estimates, and evacuation developments.

The Mendocino Complex on Wednesday morning reached 300,086 acres and 47 percent containment. The Ranch fire is 251,166 acres and 46-percent contained, and the River fire is 48,920 acres and 81-percent contained.

With a large increase in containment, the mandatory evacuations for the communities of Upper Lakes, Nice, Lucerne, Pepperwood Grove, Paradise Valley, Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks was lifted as of 11 a.m. Wednesday. Those areas remain under advisory evacuation, but residents may return home.

With the changes in evacuation status, a number of road closures were modified. See list below.

The following summary includes updated information on sheltering for humans and animals, air quality, road closures, reconnecting with friends and family after an evacuation, where to donate and volunteer, prescriptions and important information numbers, including how to contact local emergency operation centers.

To suggest additions to this resource and information list, please contact Editor and Publisher Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-274-9904.

AIR QUALITY

The Lake County Air Quality Control District issued an “unhealthy” air quality alert for the portions of Clearlake and all of the Northshore results from the heavy smoke conditions expected from the burn areas. All other areas of Lake County are forecast to have “moderate” to “unhealthy” conditions depending on the wind and fire conditions.
 
Conditions in the South County (Middletown, Hidden Valley, and Cobb) are “unhealthy” and Lakeport and Kelseyville were “moderate” on Tuesday morning, though conditions worsened to “unhealthy” by midday.  When particulate levels reach “unhealthy” levels, everyone needs to take steps to protect themselves from exposure.

All areas of the County are likely to have periods of “good” to “moderate” air quality as the winds shift through the next few days, but the potential for periods of "unhealthy" air quality continues through the work week.

All areas of the county may experience “unhealthy” air quality as smoke settles into the basin in the overnight and morning hours.  The smoke typically lifts by mid day into the evening resulting in “good” to “moderate” air quality later in the day.

Current air quality information can be found here: https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_state&stateid=5&mapcenter=0&tabs=0.


A thick haze of smoke continues to cover Lake County and Northern California due to wildland fires, as seen in this satellite photo from NASA on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. Clear Lake is in the bottom center next to the large smoke plume from the Mendocino Complex. The Carr fire is the large smoke plume to the north.



EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTERS/PUBLIC INFORMATION

County of Lake Emergency Operations Center: 707-263-3450

City of Lakeport Lake Emergency Operations Center (24/7): 707-263-5683

Cal Fire Public Information Line: 707-574-8261

Caltrans: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi; 800-427-7623

Pacific Gas and Electric online outage center: https://m.pge.com/#outages.

EVACUATIONS

MANDATORY

Anyone who remains in the areas under mandatory evacuation orders must remain on their property. Any unauthorized person who willfully and knowingly enters a disaster area and who willfully remains within the area after receiving notice to evacuate or leave shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Lake County

 • Portions of Spring Valley, all of the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision, Walker Ridge area (see map).

Mendocino County

• South of Eel River, west of the Mendocino-Lake County line, east of 10500 block of Mid Mountain Road, and north of Pine Avenue. Note: Houses on Pine Avenue are not affected.

Colusa County

• South of the Glenn-Colusa County line, east of the Lake-Colusa County line, north of Highway 20, and west of Bear Valley/Leesville Lodoga Road/Sites Lodoga Road/County Road 401.

ADVISORIES/WARNINGS

Lake County

• Upper Lakes, Nice, Lucerne, Pepperwood Grove, Paradise Valley, Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks (CHANGED TO ADVISORY FROM MANDATORY AT 11 A.M. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8).

Mendocino County

• Mendocino County north of Mid Mountain Road, south of the Eel River, west of the 10500 block of Mid Mountain Road and east of East Potter Valley/Eel River roads.

• The Bureau of Land Management closure remains in effect for the Cow Mountain Recreation Area.

Glenn County

• North of the Glenn County/Colusa County line, west of County Road 306, south of County Road 308, east of the Mendocino National Forest boundary.

EVACUATION SHELTERS

Evacuation shelters offer overnight accommodations.

• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown
• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown
• Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road (AT CAPACITY)
• Middletown Middle School, 15846 Wardlaw St.
• Mountain Vista Middle School, 5081 Konocti Road in Kelseyville
• Colusa County Veterans Hall, 108 E. Main St., Colusa

CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AFTER EVACUATIONS

The Safe and Well locating service from the American Red Cross is now active.

Visit https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php to list yourself as safe, using the Mendocino Complex Fire-July 2018 Disaster Event.

If you’re looking for someone, use the same link and click on “Search Registrants.”

ANIMAL EVACUATIONS

Lake County

Large livestock can be taken to Cole Creek Equestrian Center, 4985 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville, telephone 707-279-0915; or to Helen Owens’ A1 Horse Programs, 18585 Guenoc Lane, Hidden Valley Lake, telephone 707-355-0121.

Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection has been activated and is still offering animal evacuation support services. Call Lake County Animal Care and Control Department at 707-263-0278. Phones are answered by staff between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.; requests can be made to check on animals that were left behind.

The Animal Care and Control Shelter is not accepting pets at this time.

The SPCA of Clear Lake, 8025 Highway 29, is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and is accepting senior pets, or pets with medical issues and/or heat distress.

If you can keep your pets with you, please do so. Pet supplies are delivered to all open evacuation shelters regularly.

Mendocino County

Redwood Riders Arena, 8300 East Road, Redwood Valley is accepting horses.

Mendocino County Animal Care, 298 Plant Road, Ukiah is accepting small animals.

ROAD CLOSURES

Lake County

• Elk Mountain Road at Middle Creek
• Clover Valley Road at Clover Drive (Upper Lake Cemetery)
• Bartlett Springs Road at Highway 20
• Old Long Valley Road at Highway 20
• New Old Long Valley Road at Highway 20
• High Valley Road, half a mile north of High Valley Ranch Road

Mendocino County

• Mill Creek Road, half a mile east of Old River Road
• Eel River Road at County Road M6 (20N01)

Colusa County

• Northbound Bear Valley at Highway 20
• Leesville at Bear Valley Road
• Southbound Leesville-Lodoga Road at Sites-Lodoga Road
• Sites-Lodoga Road north of Maxwell Sites Road                           
• County Road 306, half a mile north of the county line

PUBLIC LAND AND PARK CLOSURES

Cache Creek Management Area

The Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office is temporarily closing the Cache Creek Management Area, which includes Cowboy Camp, due to the potential risk to public safety from the nearby Mendocino Complex Fire.

Included in this temporary closure are the Cowboy Camp Equestrian Area; Blue Ridge, Cache Creek Ridge, Frog Pond, Fisk Creek, High Bridge, Judge Davis, Langs Peak, Perkins Creek Ridge and Redbud trails; Cache Creek; Cache Creek Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas; and the Buck Island Rafting Area. The BLM has also closed the Cow Mountain Recreation Area and Indian Valley, which are actively burning. Public lands on Walker Ridge are also closed to all access.

The Ukiah Field Office has increased fire restrictions, which prohibit recreational target shooting and ban all campfires and open flame.

Read more at https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-ukiah-increases-fire-restrictions-limits-shooting-Aug2018.

A complete listing off all fire restrictions on BLM-managed public lands in California is available at https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/california/fire-restrictions. For specific questions, please contact the Ukiah Field Office, Monday through Friday, at 707-468-4000.

Highland Springs Recreation Area and Mt. Konocti County Park

Highland Springs Recreation Area, Mt. Konocti County Park and regional trails are closed until further notice, action the county of Lake took on July 27 due to concerns about fire danger and the availability of local fire resources. The River fire also had moved toward Highland Springs at one point.

Indian Valley Management Area

On Aug. 2 the Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office temporarily closed the Indian Valley Management Area in eastern Lake and western Colusa counties for public safety due to the proximity of the Mendocino Complex Fire.

Mendocino National Forest

Mendocino National Forest officials have issued two orders for closures on the forest due to the Ranch fire.

Forest Order No. 08-18-12 closes the area, roads and trails in the vicinity of the Ranch fire.

Forest Order No. 08-18-13 closes roads, trails and campgrounds in a large area due to the Ranch Fire on the Upper Lake ranger district. The purpose of the closure is to provide safety to the public and for the firefighters on the incident.

The closure will remain in place until hazards to the public are diminished.

The details are posted on the forest Web site at https://tinyurl.com/yapyxxpm.

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE – MAIL DELIVERY

The Lakeport Post Office reopened on Friday, with normal hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Kelseyville and Finley Post Offices are open with normal hours of operation.

Customers served by the Upper Lake, Nice, Lucerne, Glenhaven, and Clearlake Oaks Post Offices can pick up their mail at the Clearlake Post Office between the hours of 1 and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m., The Clearlake Post Office is located at 14500 Olympic Dr., Clearlake.

Photo identification required. Change of address forms for temporary mail forwarding are available at the post office.

PRESCRIPTIONS

State law allows for residents in declared emergency areas to fill prescriptions at available pharmacies, even if it is not where your prescription is on file.

Please bring your medication bottle(s) and/or the actual medication with you to help the pharmacist fill your prescription. The pharmacist will contact your physician for confirmation.

In addition, California Pharmacy Law (Section 4054) provides that pharmacists may in good faith furnish a “reasonable” supply of medications or devices to patients in emergency conditions without a prescription.

Patients who need to obtain prescription medications or devices on an emergency basis should go to an open pharmacy and bring their original prescription containers or be able to provide their physician’s name.  

Before filling the prescription, the pharmacist should make every reasonable effort to contact the original prescriber, and should make an appropriate record. That record must include the basis for proceeding under this section.

It is important to remember that the prescriber will not have any liability as a result of refilling a prescription under this section of law. The law was designed to offer this protection during states of emergency.

Any questions or concerns about this section of California Pharmacy Law that may arise should be referred to the Lake County Emergency Operations Center, 707-263-3450.

HOW TO DONATE

The county of Lake is unable to accept in-kind donations, such as clothing, household goods and other supplies, in the fire recovery effort. In-kind donations require significant time and financial resources to distribute.
 
Cash donations are most helpful at this time; such donations allow those supporting disaster relief efforts to direct assistance where it is most needed.
 
Donations can be made to the fire fund established by North Coast Opportunities, https://www.ncoinc.org/.

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is immediately seeking volunteers to assist with disaster response in Lake County. Help is needed with shelters, feeding, logistics and administrative tasks.

For general inquiries about volunteering, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To apply online visit https://tinyurl.com/MendoComplexVol.

Organizations and agencies seeking volunteers can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be added to this list.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – North Coast Opportunities Inc. announced that it has reopened its wildfire relief fund to support those impacted by the 2018 Lake and Mendocino County wildfires.

All major credit cards are being accepted via PayPal at www.ncoinc.org, or by mail and in-person at 413 N. State Street, Ukiah CA, 95482.

In 2015, NCO worked with other area organizations in response to Lake County’s Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fires.

In 2016, NCO opened the fund in response to Lake County’s Clayton fire, and again in 2017 for the Redwood Fire in Mendocino County and the Sulphur fire in Lake County.

The fund is now open with hopes to support those impacted by the Pawnee, Ranch and River fires.  

The Wildfire Relief Fund is dependent on community donations. Relief will be disbursed by committee determination or through NCO’s Disaster Case Managers.

Those with the greatest needs, like residents who experienced a total loss, are given priority.

One hundred percent of donated funds will be returned to the community, directly to 2018 Lake and Mendocino County fire survivors.

Applications to apply for assistance will soon be available at www.ncoinc.org.

While the Wildfire Relief Fund supports longer term needs, like housing repairs, hundreds of residents are still evacuated. Many people need immediate assistance with everyday basics, like gas, food, diapers, loss of wages and more.

“The best way to help people immediately is by donating visa gift cards,” says NCO Executive Director Patty Bruder. “We can immediately disperse gift cards to those who need it most.”

During evacuation many residents experienced loss of power. As they repopulate, they will return home to spoiled food. Visa gift cards can help with food replacement and cover the extra housing and transportation costs incurred while being evacuated.

 “Soon we’ll begin accepting applications from fire survivors who need assistance,” added Bruder. “Once we’ve determined how much we’ve collected, we can begin defining the scope of disbursement, from eligibility, to recovery needs.”

NCO is the community action agency that supports Lake and Mendocino counties as well as parts of Humboldt, Sonoma, Del Norte and Solano counties.

NCO remains a committed partner during disasters that impact Lake and Mendocino counties. This year NCO celebrates 50 years of service through community action.

Those interested in donating should contact NCO at 707-467-3200. Fire survivors in Mendocino County may contact Disaster Case Managers at 707-621-8817. Lake County Disaster Case Managers may be reached at 707-994-2910.  

For more information or to donate please visit www.ncoinc.org.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County officials are urging residents impacted by the Mendocino Complex to use extreme caution around ash and burn debris.

Debris and ash from residential and other structural fires may contain toxic substances due to the presence of synthetic and hazardous materials. Many building materials contain asbestos, and older buildings often contain lead.

Household hazardous waste such as gasoline, cleaning products, pesticides, and other chemicals may have been stored in homes, garages, or sheds that may have burned in the fire.

These materials can become concentrated in ash and soil following a fire. Health officials said it is important not to expose yourself, your family or others to any of these materials.

Exposures can occur by sifting through and/or moving ash and debris, causing ash to become airborne and inhaled or ingested.

Lake County is working to secure assistance from state agencies that will ensure proper handling and disposal of debris and ash from the fire.

In the meantime, in order to protect your health and the health of your neighbors and your community, property owners are strongly recommended to not begin cleanup activities at this time. In addition our Local Landfill is not currently prepared to accept fire debris.

Lake County is also working with state agencies to safely collect and dispose of household hazardous waste products from burned buildings

Because ash and debris generated in the fire may be considered hazardous waste, do not transport ash or debris to landfills and transfer stations at this time. It is recommended that debris and ash from burned structures remain undisturbed until further instructions are issued.

This recommendation is in place to protect the health of anyone who may come into contact with the waste, including solid waste facility employees, solid waste haulers, and the public.
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LAKE COUNTY Calif, -- Ranch fire containment more than doubled Tuesday night to 46 percent. Acreage increased more than 7,000 acres ending the night at 251,166 acres.

The northern portion remained active overnight, moving further into the Mendocino National Forest transitioning into dense stands of mixed conifer, According to Cal Fire.
Overnight fire crews worked the southern and south-east edges to increase containment and continue to work towards the threat to the surrounding communities in those areas.

The River Fire had no overnight movement while containment gains increased three percent to 81 percent with acreage remaining at 48,920.

Totals for the Mendocino Complex are 300,086 acres and 47 percent total containment.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service will host a virtual meeting to update the community on the Mendocino Complex on Wednesday.

The meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m.

The meeting can be viewed on the Cal Fire Mendocino Unit Facebook page, the county of Lake’s Facebook page and PEG TV Channel 8, or listened to live on KPFZ 88.1 FM.

Cal Fire and the Forest Service are in unified command on the incident, which is burning in the State Responsibility Area as well as federally managed lands and privately held property.

They will give an update on the situation on the complex, now the largest wildland fire incident in California’s history, as well as an operational overview and discuss the current efforts by firefighters.

Questions will be taken via Facebook.

For more information, call the Mendocino Complex Fire Information Line at 707-574-8261.

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.
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LUCERNE, Calif. -- Mandatory evacuation orders for much of the Northshore were reduced to advisory Wednesday. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft roared through smoky skies over the town to continue fighting the Ranch Fire in areas nearby but not affecting the towns of the Northshore which remain under advisory evacuation orders after being removed from mandatory evacuation status.

Some residents returned home after being evacuated to find the Salvation Army and Cal Water set up with distribution sites for meals, snacks, and water.

Shannon McGovern of Cal Water and staff members were ready to distribute Wednesday until 8:00 p.m. and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. till 1:00 p.m. "We're prepared to serve between three and five hundred people, although the water is up and safe to drink we do have a limited supply of bottled water for folks who need it," she said.

Cal water has two locations, one at the First Lutheran Church located at 10th and Country Club and across from the Cal Water offices at 6125 State Hwy 20 in Lucerne, Shannon said.

In Lucerne Harbor Park the Salvation Army are prepared spaghetti meals, snacks and water for as many as 500 people arriving home.

Lt. Larry Carmichael who servers as the Salvation Army officer in Marin county came to Lucerne with a meal truck and is "helping to get people a hot meal as they return home". "For the last week we've been in Lake County helping at the shelters with food service and in the parks for the last couple days," when the evacuation changed to advisory Carmichael and his staff put the canteen truck in place in Lucerne Harbor park, he said.

The Salvation Army canteen truck will be in the park Thursday until out of supplies beginning with an initial 500 meal supply and capability to cook more if need be and will asses the need for returning.
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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – At a special Tuesday morning meeting, the Upper Lake Unified School District Board of Trustees decided to set the start of the new school year back by one week in response to the Mendocino Complex.

The complex, now the state’s largest wildland fire incident, began on July 27. It has led to evacuations of tens of thousands of Lake County residents in areas including Upper Lake and the rest of the Northshore.

Cal Fire has pushed back the date the complex is expected to be fully contained from Aug. 15 to Sept. 1.

With part of the district still under evacuation – including the schools themselves – on Tuesday the board and staff held the special meeting at the Lake County Office of Education headquarters in Lakeport.

Superintendent Dr. Giovanni Annous told Lake County News that the board decided to delay the start of school by one week, putting the target start date at Aug. 22 so evacuees can focus on their families and returning home.

Annous said the board is scheduled to meet again next Tuesday to reevaluate that target start date if necessary.

The good news is that no school facilities were damaged by the fire, Annous said. “We have no damage whatsoever.”

However, Annous said the district is using a specialized disaster cleanup company to thoroughly clean district buildings due to concerns about smoke, just as the Lakeport Unified School District is doing.

Annous said the district is trying to put its main focus on the wellness of staff and students.

“This is a very challenging time,” he said, noting that, so far, they’ve found out that two employees lost homes in the fire.

However, he said they will keep pushing ahead, with the district planning to come together to support its community through the recovery process.

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.
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California State Senator Mike McGuire, at right, met with New South Wales Legislative Council leaders in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. Courtesy photo.


NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Tuesday, State Sen. Mike McGuire met with leaders from a legislative delegation representing New South Wales, Australia, with topics of the discussion including fire emergency response.

The group, led by John Ajaka, president of the Legislative Council – equivalent to the State Senate – met with Sen. McGuire to discuss firefighting efforts, emergency management and fire recovery.

This week, a group of 13 New South Wales firefighters were deployed to assist state and federal firefighters battling wildfires in the Western United States.

They are among the 150 firefighters and emergency professionals from across Australia and New Zealand here in the Golden State (and throughout the West) to attack the Mendocino Complex fires, the Carr fire and other wildfires throughout Northern California and Oregon.

“We are so grateful for the firefighting support that has been deployed from New South Wales and across Australia and New Zealand,” McGuire said. “These hard working men and women are on the ground ready to help fight the Carr Fire, the Mendocino Complex fires and blazes throughout the West. Thousands of emergency responders have come together to keep our communities safe and fight these devastating blazes on all fronts and we are so thankful for their partnership.”

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