LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With residents of the evacuated areas of Lake County waiting to hear if their homes have been damaged or destroyed by the Valley fire, officials said assessments are getting started.
The Lake County Office of Emergency Services said that teams began rolling out on Monday to assess the homes and structures, noting the assessment could take up to five days.
In the meantime, the Red Cross Safe and Well Web site can help people notify friends and family who are concerned for their well being.
You can list yourself at the Safe and Well website by clicking the "List Myself as Safe and Well" button at the Red Cross Safe and Well Web site, https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php .
If you need to search for loved ones you can click the “Search Registrants” button on the Web site to view your loved one's first name, last name and a brief message.
Evacuated residents that need to check on the status of pets and other animals can call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
If you have been evacuated and are in need of critical medication there are registered nurses and licensed mental health providers at all Red Cross and County of Lake operated shelters who can provide three-day prescriptions that can be filled at nearby pharmacies.
The listing of pharmacies, along with other resources, is available on the Lake County Local Assistance Center Web site, www.lakecountylac.com .
At this time Lake OES is assessing the need for volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the Valley fire you can register online with North Coast Opportunities at www.ncoinc.org .
Click on “Lake County Valley Fire Volunteer” under “Most Recent Opportunities” and then hit “Apply.” You will be contacted when a volunteer need arises that meets your availability and skillset.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Valley fire has made another run on acreage, with authorities also confirming on Monday that the fire has claimed its first human life.
Cal Fire said that the fire – burning since Saturday afternoon across the south county, and into Napa and Sonoma counties – had reached 61,000 acres by Monday, with 5 percent containment.
Thousands of county residents remain under evacuation due to the fire, and Cal Fire said approximately 9,000 structures are threatened.
Cal Fire also reported that several hundred structures have been destroyed, including 400 homes.
Five injuries also have been reported, according to Cal Fire.
Monday also brought with it the confirmation from the Lake County Sheriff's Office that an elderly, disabled woman unable to evacuate from her home had died in the fire.
Lt. Steve Brooks said the sheriff's Central Dispatch had received the first report of the Valley fire at approximately 1:22 p.m. on Saturday. Cal Fire asked for the sheriff's office to start emergency evacuates at exactly 1:50 p.m., and deputies immediately responded to begin helping people from their homes.
At that time, the sheriff’s dispatch center started to become flooded with calls reporting the fire, and citizens asking for assistance with evacuations. Brooks said those calls also included family members who were requesting law enforcement to check on relatives believed to be in the fire area.
He said both fire and law enforcement first responders reported to numerous requests for evacuation assistance in the Cobb and Loch Lomond areas. Hundreds of homes were evacuated during the first few hours.
A phone call for a request to assist an elderly, disabled female at a residence on Hot Springs Road came into Central Dispatch at 7:12 p.m. Saturday. Brooks said that just before 7:30 p.m. officers and deputies responded to the area, but were unable to reach the subdivision as it had already been engulfed by flames.
He said the woman was apparently unable to get out of the home on her own and responders couldn't make it to her home before the fire engulfed the structure.
After the fire subsided enough for crews to respond, personnel arrived at the burned down residence on Hot Springs Road to find the remains of a deceased person, he said.
The woman's identity is being withheld until positive identification and next of kin notification can be made.
“The sheriff’s office and all first responders express their condolences to those who have been affected by this disaster,” Brooks said. “We are hopeful that the fire does not claim any more lives.”
On Monday Assemblyman Bill Dodd (D-Napa), whose district includes Lake County, thanked first responders and concerned citizens for helping with the response.
“Our region has been particularly impacted by wildfires this season, and the recent Valley fire is the worst in our recent history,” he said.
California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds told Lake County News that closures of Highway 29 in and around the fire area remain in effect for the general public, including evacuees.
Reynolds said that Highway 29 from Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville to Lower Lake is closed, as is Highway 29 from the Highway 53 intersection in Lower Lake to Tubbs Lane in Napa County. These closures are being enforced and Reynolds said people will not be let through.
Other road closures resulting from the fire include Highway 29 at Bottle Rock Road, Highway 29 at Highway 175 in Kelseyville, Highway 29 at Red Hills Road, Highway 29 at Highway 281, Butts Canyon Road at Aetna Springs Road.
Mandatory evacuations remaining in effect cover the entire communities of Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake, Loch Lomond, Middletown and Seigler Canyon, Clear Lake Riviera and Riviera West; the intersection of Highway 29 to Highway 281; north on Highway 281 to the intersection of Soda Bay Road and Riviera West Drive; all roads off of Soda Bay Road south of the intersection of Riviera West Drive; Bottle Rock Road, High Valley Road, Highway 175/Cobb, Point Lakeview Road to Highway 281;
Highway 29/Highway 53 in Lower Lake to Highway 29 at Tubbs Lane in Calistoga in Napa County; Butts Canyon Road to the Napa County line, including Berryessa Estates; and Butts Canyon Road to Pope Valley, according to Cal Fire.
Advisory evacuations also are in effect for Soda Bay Road and Riviera West Drive, the Riviera West subdivision, Pine Flat Road (addresses 5000 and above), Geysers Road out of Healdsburg (addresses 6000 and above) and Geysers Road out of Geysers Road (addresses 9400 and above), Cal Fire said.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District reported Monday afternoon that air quality – which has been heavily impacted by smoke from the fire was improving across the county.
The report said that air quality levels in Lake County are “good” in most areas, compared to the “unhealthy” and “hazardous” levels on Sunday.
However, the district urged residents to be aware of rapidly changing conditions that could cause conditions to suddenly worsen.
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. – Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Sunday issued an emergency proclamation for Lake and Napa counties due to the effects of the Valley fire.
By Sunday morning the fire had burned 40,000 acres, forced thousands of residents to evacuate, and caused damage to highways and other infrastructure.
Gov. Brown's proclamation also incorporates provisions from an executive order issued last month to expedite the debris removal process and waive fees to replace documents such as birth certificates for those affected by the fire.
The full text of the proclamation is below.
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS on September 12, 2015, the Valley Fire started in Lake County and spread into Napa County, and has rapidly burned thousands of acres of land and continues to burn; and
WHEREAS this fire has destroyed multiple structures, including homes, and continues to threaten hundreds of homes, necessitating the evacuation of residents; and
WHEREAS this fire has damaged and continues to threaten critical infrastructure, and has forced the closure of major highways and local roads; and
WHEREAS a Federal Fire Management Assistance Grant has been requested and approved for the Valley Fire burning in Lake and Napa counties; and
WHEREAS on January 17, 2014, I declared a State of Emergency based on the extreme drought that has caused millions of trees to die, and increased the severity and spread of the fires throughout the State; and
WHEREAS as a result of the Valley Fire, combined with the drought conditions and other wildfires burning in the State, California's air quality has significantly deteriorated and impacted public health; and
WHEREAS the circumstances of this fire by reason of its magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist in California due to this fire.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, section 8625 of the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Lake and Napa counties.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. All agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan. Also, all citizens are to heed the advice of emergency officials with regard to this emergency in order to protect their safety.
2. The California National Guard shall mobilize under California Military and Veterans Code section 146 (mobilization in case of catastrophic fires) to support disaster response and relief efforts and coordinate with all relevant state agencies, including the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and all relevant state and local emergency responders and law enforcement within the impacted areas.
3. The Orders and provisions contained in Executive Order B-33-15, dated August 27, 2015, remain in full force and effect and apply to Valley Fire in Lake and Napa counties.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 13th day of September 2015.
_____________________________ EDMUND G. BROWN JR. Governor of California
ATTEST:
_____________________________ ALEX PADILLA Secretary of State
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Salvation Army has deployed multiple canteens – or mobile kitchens – to the Valley fire.
Teams are on the scene to serve meals for first responders and evacuees in both disaster sites.
Canteens from various Salvation Army locations – Auburn, Napa, San Rafael and Santa Rosa – are in the affected area:
· Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.
· Clearlake Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave.
· Clearlake Walmart, 15960 Dam Road.
· Napa County Fairgrounds, 1435 N Oak St, Calistoga.
So far, more than 900 meals have been served, the Salvation Army reported.
Along the meal service, the Salvation Army also will provide emotional and spiritual care to residents seeking that assistance.
Monetary donations are only needed at this time. The Salvation Army uses 100-percent of disaster donations in support of local disaster relief operations.
To give, visit www.gosalarmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769) and designate “Northern California Fires.”
Donations by mail may be designated “Northern California Fires” and sent to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 348000, Sacramento, CA 95834.
In-kind donations are not currently being accepted outside the disaster area. However, these gifts are vitally important to your local Salvation Army.
To give items locally, visit www.SATruck.com or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Thousands more burned acres, additional evacuations, the first damage assessments and the report of a death in the fire area were among the latest developments on Sunday arising from the devastating Valley fire that has swept through Lake County.
Daylight on Sunday brought a clearer picture of the devastation wrought by the Valley fire, which was sparked on Saturday afternoon on High Valley Road in Cobb before burning into Middletown and Cobb.
By day's end, Cal Fire's damage assessments had revealed that 400 homes had been destroyed by the fire – which at that point was 50,000 acres with no containment – and an unknown number of other types of structures also burned.
There also was a report of a civilian fatality in the fire area that Cal Fire said law enforcement is investigating.
On Sunday morning, Gov. Jerry Brown issued declared a state of emergency for Lake County because of the fire, as Lake County News has reported.
The fire resulted in an estimated 10,000 people being evacuated by early Sunday, with thousands more evacuated from the Clear Lake Riviera and Riviera West later on Sunday morning.
Fire conditions prompted all of Lake County's public schools to close on Monday, citing the priority of keeping students, families, teachers and staff safe, according to the Lake County Office of Education.
The sky over Lake County continued to be darkened with a heavy gray haze due to the fire's smoke, which for much of the day had an almost twilight appearance.
The smoky conditions prompted the Lake County Air Quality Management District to issue an air quality alert of hazardous air conditions.
Conditions from Sunday afternoon into Monday were reported to be unhealthy or hazardous, according to Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart.
“With the size of this fire, all areas of Lake County are affected by these conditions,” Gearhart said.
Areas closer to the fires may experience hazardous or worse air quality due to the high levels of fine particulates from the smoke, Gearhart said.
With so many people evacuated from their homes and dispersing to shelters or the homes and families and friends, there was confusion and rampant speculation about the extent of the damage in the communities where the fire burned.
A drive through the fire area on Sunday offered a glimpse of how much damage the fire had done, but it also make clear what areas of the south county had survived the fire.
Highway 29 between Lower Lake and Hidden Valley Lake had spots of fire burning alongside of it on hillsides and in trees.
Closer in to Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown, there were sagging and burning power lines, transformers hanging by lines and broken poles.
Along the highway, no active flames were seen on Sunday afternoon in the Hidden Valley Lake area. Earlier in the day, radio reports had indicated that officials were letting in Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District staff to turn back on the community's water hydrants.
At least a half-dozen burned out vehicles were to be seen along the highway between Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown.
Along Highway 175 from Middletown to Cobb, a dead sorrel horse laid on the roadside, where it appeared to have been hit. A man was crouching over it, taking pictures.
In Middletown itself, the downtown appeared largely undamaged except for a florist's shop.
The campuses at Middletown High School and Minnie Cannon Elementary appeared unharmed, and the Lake County International Charter School was unscathed, standing across from the historic Middletown United Methodist Church, which also was undamaged.
However, the residential areas a few blocks on either side of the downtown and Highway 29 had widespread damage.
In some areas, blocks of homes were all right, in other areas, such as Wardlaw at Jackson, numerous homes were reduced to haunting, smoky, jagged ruins.
From Middletown to Cobb, the damage also was substantial, with homes along Highway 175 burned, and trees and power poles also damaged and leaning or falling along the roadway.
The damage off the highway appeared to lessen in areas such as Maple Shadows and Whispering Pines, and in Cobb there was good news – the business district appeared unscathed.
Hardester's Market, the Brick Oven, the Village Pub, the post office and fire station, Mountain High Coffee, the gas station and a host of other businesses in the area were still standing.
Down the road, Cobb Elementary School also had been spared.
And then there was Hoberg's Resort, its historic main lodge – which over the last several years had been undergoing renovation – burned to the ground.
Plumes of smoke still rose off of the pile of ash and stone that had once been a premier Northern California resort, hosting the likes of actor Clark Gable, musician Tommy Dorsey and a line of California governors.
“My prayers go out to everyone in Lake County who has lost their homes. The historical Hoberg's Resort is no longer and all of us who spent years in planning and developing the resort for a grand opening beginning of next year are devastated by its loss,” Dan Nelson, the resort’s vice president, told Lake County News.
“We are dedicated to rebuilding Hoberg's and providing Lake County and Cobb Mountain with a new resort that everyone can be proud of in the future,” Nelson said.
Across the highway from the resort, homes had burned, and further down the highway homes on Summit and Sugar Pine drives were destroyed.
Loch Lomond fared better, with the Loch Lomond Roadhouse, the nearby firehouse and other buildings intact.
The area from Loch Lomond down to Highway 29 also appeared undamaged.
On Highway 29 at Highway 281, the intersection was controlled traffic.
Sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers were staged in the area throughout the day following the evacuations of the Rivieras earlier in the day.
Lt. Chris Chwialkowski of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said the Valley fire at that point had not moved into the Rivieras, but instead was staying in the area of Seigler Mountain.
Due to the possibility that the fire could reach the Rivieras, he said it had been important to get residents out of the area ahead of time, otherwise it could have been chaotic trying to move so many people out in a short period of time.
“It flowed out of here really nice,” he said of the traffic.
Gretchen Wildman and her husband, Darryll Fletcher, were among those evacuated that morning.
Wildman said she was awakened by a phone call from her sister, telling her they needed to evacuate.
“That's when I heard the sheriffs,” she said, recounting sheriff's deputies driving through the neighborhoods with a PA system to tell residents they needed to leave their homes.
She said they grabbed their dog Daisy and some belongings and left, ending up spending much of the day at Kit's Corner.
Wildman said Sunday evening they were planning to stay there as long as they could. “We're just going to wait it out and see when we can go home.”
Nearby, Ukiah resident Scott Freeman said he had waited for several hours to see if he could help evacuate area residents.
Freeman said he didn't know anyone living in the Rivieras, but had come over to offer his assistance.
He brought with him his pickup, a trailer, water and his dog, Buddy.
Chwialkowki said the sheriff's deputies who had been staged at Kit's Corner on Sunday were preparing to move to a command post at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport, where he said Cal Fire, the Lake County Office of Emergency Services and other agencies would be stationed.
Cal Fire said resources assigned to the fire on Sunday included 1,448 personnel, 157 engines, 53 water tenders, 40 hand crews, 16 dozers, 10 helicopters and four air tankers.
As of late Sunday night, evacuations remained in effect for Bottle Rock Road, High Valley Road, Highway 175 in Cobb, Highway 29 from Tubbs Lane in Napa County to the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 53 in Lower Lake, Butts Canyon Road to the Napa County line including Berryessa Estates, as well as the communities of Cobb, Seigler Canyon, Loch Lomond, Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake.
Road closures remained in effect for Highway 29 at Bottle Rock Road, Highway 29 at Highway 175 in Kelseyville, Highway 29 at Red Hills Road, and Highway 29 from the intersection with Highway 53 in Lower Lake to Tubbs Lane in Calistoga.
In response to the fire, county officials have launched an online fundraising campaign to help those affected by the fires. Donations can be made at http://www.lakecountylac.com/donate-now.html .
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. – Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Sunday issued an emergency proclamation for Lake and Napa counties due to the effects of the Valley fire.
By Sunday morning the fire had burned 40,000 acres, forced thousands of residents to evacuate, and caused damage to highways and other infrastructure.
Gov. Brown's proclamation also incorporates provisions from an executive order issued last month to expedite the debris removal process and waive fees to replace documents such as birth certificates for those affected by the fire.
The full text of the proclamation is below.
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS on September 12, 2015, the Valley Fire started in Lake County and spread into Napa County, and has rapidly burned thousands of acres of land and continues to burn; and
WHEREAS this fire has destroyed multiple structures, including homes, and continues to threaten hundreds of homes, necessitating the evacuation of residents; and
WHEREAS this fire has damaged and continues to threaten critical infrastructure, and has forced the closure of major highways and local roads; and
WHEREAS a Federal Fire Management Assistance Grant has been requested and approved for the Valley Fire burning in Lake and Napa counties; and
WHEREAS on January 17, 2014, I declared a State of Emergency based on the extreme drought that has caused millions of trees to die, and increased the severity and spread of the fires throughout the State; and
WHEREAS as a result of the Valley Fire, combined with the drought conditions and other wildfires burning in the State, California's air quality has significantly deteriorated and impacted public health; and
WHEREAS the circumstances of this fire by reason of its magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist in California due to this fire.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, section 8625 of the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Lake and Napa counties.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. All agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan. Also, all citizens are to heed the advice of emergency officials with regard to this emergency in order to protect their safety.
2. The California National Guard shall mobilize under California Military and Veterans Code section 146 (mobilization in case of catastrophic fires) to support disaster response and relief efforts and coordinate with all relevant state agencies, including the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and all relevant state and local emergency responders and law enforcement within the impacted areas.
3. The Orders and provisions contained in Executive Order B-33-15, dated August 27, 2015, remain in full force and effect and apply to Valley Fire in Lake and Napa counties.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 13th day of September 2015.
_____________________________ EDMUND G. BROWN JR. Governor of California
ATTEST:
_____________________________ ALEX PADILLA Secretary of State
ACCUWEATHER GLOBAL WEATHER CENTER – AccuWeather reports after a week of relentless heat across the West, a much-needed cooldown is on the horizon.
A trough of low pressure is expected to dive into the western half of the United States this week sending a much-cooler air mass into the region, one that will drop high temperatures 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit in most places when compared to this past week.
While temperatures will end the weekend on a warm note, the majority of the West will experience some form of cooldown by the middle of this week.
“Cooler weather will spread south across the West through Tuesday,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyson Hoegg said.
Folks in Seattle; Sacramento; Los Angeles; San Diego; Boise, Idaho; Missoula, Montana; Salt Lake City; and areas in between will all see a temperature drop through Wednesday.
“Cities along the I-5 corridor, such as Seattle, Portland, and Medford, Oregon, will see daytime highs similar to those of mid-October,” Hoegg said.
California, devastated with wildfires, will get some relief. Thermometers that read in the 100s across the Central Valley are expected to read in the lower 80s, certainly a noticeable and welcome change.
Last week and this week will have quite the contrast in the West, with temperatures dipping below average for the first time since the beginning of September in some locations.
Exceptional drought and the recent stretch of scorching heat has caused problems, including turning California into a tinder box.
Many fires are currently raging across the state, including the Butte fire, which exploded in growth early on Friday, and the Valley fire, which began on Saturday afternoon.
The Valley Fire began on Saturday afternoon and had burned 62,000 acres and 10-percent contained by Monday night. Mandatory evacuations were in place for parts of Napa and Lake counties.
Four firefighters were sent to the hospital Saturday with second-degree burns, according to Cal Fire.
According to the USDA Forest Service, 40 large fires are currently burning across the West. Five states are dealing with these dangerous blazes and they include California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
The Rough fire east of Fresno is threatening to sweep through an ancient grove of Giant Sequoia trees, according to the Associated Press. This lightning-caused fire is only at 36 percent containment as of late Sunday as firefighters rush to get it under control.
While the weekend will end warm, the drop in temperature this week will help firefighters battling the blaze in some ways, but also could hurt efforts in other ways.
The unsettled weather may bring some rain to parts of the West, although thunderstorms could cause more wildfire problems due to lightning.
“Anytime a cold front pushes through the west during the fire season, problems ensue,” AccuWeather Meteorologist and firefighter Evan Duffey said.
Duffey noted that cold fronts usually bring stronger and sometimes unpredictable winds that could rapidly spread fire, making it hard for incident managers to position teams.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Emergency Services has issued an updated list of shelters that are ready to accommodate the thousands of people who have had to evacuate due to the Valley fire.
The following shelters are open to affect county residents. The shelters have food, water, clothing and personal care items.
All shelters listed are able to accept small pets, with some allowing accommodations for larger animals, RVs or travel trailers.
County of Lake operated
Clearlake Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake
Big Valley Rancheria Gymnasium, 1002 Osprey Court (off Soda Bay Road), Lakeport There is space for parking of self-contained RVs outside the shelter.
Red Cross operated
Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St., Kelseyville
Napa County Fairgrounds, 1435 N Oak St, Calistoga
Mendocino OES Health and Human Services operated
Redwood Empire Fairgrounds, Fine Arts Building, 1055 North State St., Ukiah They have facilities for shelter of small animals and can also house some large animals.
Independently operated
Calvary Chapel of Clearlake, 14330 Memory Lane, Clearlake
Moose Lodge 2284, 15900 E Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks
New Hope Fellowship Church, 305 Peckham Court, Lakeport
Seventh Day Adventist Church of Lakeport, 1111 Park Way, Lakeport Space for self-contained RVs.
Cole Creek Equestrian Center, 4965 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville With or without livestock. Space for self-contained RVs, trailers and tents.
Lakeport Auto Movies, 52 Soda Bay Rd, Lakeport Space for self-contained RVs, trailers and campers only.
Donations of clothing, blankets, personal hygiene items, canned or packaged food and pet food can be brought to the United Methodist Church at 14521 Pearl Ave. in Clearlake this Sunday through Friday, between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
United Christian Parish also announced that it will be open all week – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with expanded hours possible upon demand – as a drop-in shelter for anyone who has been evacuated by the fire.
Services the church can provide include making computers available to check email; WiFi; a bank of cell phone chargers; an indoor play area for children; hot meals from noon to 6 p.m. and food to go if needed; gas vouchers; clothes sorted for men, women and children; air conditioned facilities; and staff ready to help evacuees find other resources as needed. All are welcome.
United Christian Parish is located at 745 N. Brush St. in Lakeport, telephone 707-263-4788.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A fire that has forced thousands of Lake County residents to leave their homes continued to grow overnight, with more evacuations ordered on Sunday morning.
In less than 18 hours the Valley fire has burned 40,000 acres, with zero containment, according to Cal Fire.
The fire – the cause of which is under investigation – first broke out just before 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of 8040 High Valley Road in Cobb.
The fire has burned both in a southeast direction from Cobb toward Middletown and Hidden Valley as well as to the northeast, from near Loch Lomond to Seigler Canyon Road, Cal Fire said.
Sunday dawned with skies over Lake County colored a brownish gray, the pall the cause of thick smoke the fire has generated.
Overnight Sheriff Brian Martin had estimated than 10,000 people were impacted by evacuation orders.
More orders were issued early Sunday morning, with the sheriff's office ordering mandatory evacuations for all residents in the Clear Lake Riviera and Riviera West.
Also placed under evacuation was Highway 29 at Highway 175 in the Kelseyville area, south on Highway 175 toward Cobb; Red Hills Road to Highway 29; and Highway 29 at Highway 175, south to Seigler Canyon Road on the south side of Highway 29, according to Cal Fire.
Remaining under mandatory evacuation are the communities of Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake, Loch Lomond, Middletown and Seigler Canyon; Highway 29/Highway 53 in Lower Lake to Highway 29 at Tubbs Lane in Calistoga in Napa County; Butts Canyon Road to the Napa County line, including Berreyssa Estates; and Butts Canyon Road to Pope Valley, authorities said.
Advisory evacuations are in effect for Livermore Road, Summit Lake Road and north of the community of Angwin, according to the sheriff's office.
Cal Fire said it has not yet confirmed the number of structures that the fire has destroyed.
More than 5,000 residences remain without power because of the fire, the agency said.
Residents are advised to gather their medications, pets and important papers and leave the fire area.
Evacuation centers have been set up at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church at 5340 Church St.; Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.; and the Clearlake Senior Center at 3245 Bowers Ave, Clearlake, the sheriff's office said.
Another shelter at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga was reported to be sheltering hundreds of Lake County residents, according to Martin.
Road closures remaining in effect on Sunday included High Valley Road at Bottle Rock Road, Highway 29 at Highway 175 in Kelseyville, Highway 29 at Red Hills Road, Highway 29 at Seigler Canyon Road, and Highway 29 from the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 53 in Lower Lake to Highway 29 at Tubbs Lane in Kelseyville, officials said.
Cal Fire said more than 1,000 firefighters and 105 overhead or command personnel are assigned to the fire as Sunday began, along with 125 engine companies, 30 fire crews, 16 bulldozers, 15 water tenders, five volunteer companies and four air tankers.
Four firefighters were injured Saturday but are reported to be in stable condition.
Early Sunday, the California Office of Emergency Services reported that overnight Director Mark Ghilarducci had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure the availability of resources needed to fight the Valley fire.
Cal OES reported that the grant also will enable local, state and tribal agencies to recover eligible costs in the firefighting effort.
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. -- The Lake County Office of Education reports there will be some school closures this week due to the Valley Fire.
According to LCOE, to ensure the safety of students, families, teachers and staff all Lake County public schools will be closed on Tuesday, September 15.
Middletown Unified School District, Konocti Unified School District and Kelseyville Unified School District will remained closed for the rest of the week.
Due to the devastation in the Middletown and Cobb area, it is unknown when Middletown schools will reopen.
Lakeport, Upper Lake, and Lucerne schools are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, September 16 unless there are significant changes to the emergency situation.
LCOE will provide updates as conditions change and extends gratitude to firefighters, emergency personnel and all first responders.
Lake County, Calif -- Sunday afternoon Cal Fire reports new evacuation areas and that the #ValleyFire has grown to 50,000 acres. No containment has been achieved.
A new mandatory evacuation includes Point Lakeview to Soda Bay (Hwy 281).
Existing mandatory evacuations include –Hwy 29 (Kelseyville) at Hwy 175 south on Hwy 175 towards Cobb, Red Hills Road to Hwy 29, Hwy 29 X Hwy 175 south to Seigler Canyon Road (south side of Hwy 29), Hwy 29 Tubbs Lane (Calistoga, Napa County) to Hwy 29/Hwy 53 (Lower Lake, Lake County) Butts Canyon Road to Napa County Line, including Berreyssa Estates, Butts Canyon Road to Pope Valley. Communities of Cobb, Seigler Canyon, Loch Lomond, Middletown and Hidden Valley Lakes.
Road closures in effect include Hwy 29 X Bottle Rock, Hwy 29 X Hwy 175 (Kelseyville), Hwy 29 X Red Hills Road, Hwy 29 X Seiglar Canyon Road and Hwy 29 from Hwy2.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several hundred firefighters continued working through the night on the front lines of a massive wildland fire burning across the south county.
Starting just before 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the High Valley Road area on Cobb, in about nine hours the Valley fire burned 25,000 acres in a path of destruction stretching down into Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake.
There was no reported containment on the fire late Saturday.
During the initial attack on the fire four members of Cal Fire Copter 104's crew suffered burn injuries and were transported to UC Davis Medical Center. Authorities said all four were in stable condition with second-degree burns.
Sheriff Brian Martin told Lake County News early Sunday that an estimated 10,000 Lake County residents had been impacted by mandatory evacuation orders issued by his agency.
Residents were ordered to evacuate homes in the communities of Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake, Middletown, Loch Lomond and Berryessa Estates, Harbin Hot Springs Resort, and on Highway 29 south of Clearlake all the way to Tubbs Lane in Napa County. Advisory evacuations were issued late Saturday for the Twin Lakes area near Lower Lake.
Early Sunday morning, Cal Fire said a new mandatory evacuation order had been issued for Butts Canyon Road to Pope Valley.
An advisory evacuation order also was issued at that time for the north side of the Napa County community of Angwin, Cal Fire said.
At 3 a.m., Cal Fire issued another advisory order – for Livermore Road and Summit Lake Road at the Napa/Lake County line.
Cal Fire said an unconfirmed number of structures were destroyed by the fire.
Martin said that he also did not have information about the extent of damage the fire had caused so far.
A video posted on social media showed burning homes and structures all along Wardlaw Street in Middletown.
Another video appeared to show an exploding building – reported to be a gas station – near Hidden Valley Lake.
The Lake County Office of Emergency Services said the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church at 5340 Third St. and the Napa County Fairgrounds at 1435 Oak St. in Calistoga opened as evacuation centers.
At about midnight the American Red Cross reported that the Highlands Senior Center at 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake had begun receiving evacuees as well.
There also were reports early Sunday morning that efforts to set up additional shelters were under way, including one at Kelseyville High School.
Martin said the Napa County Sheriff's Office had reported that 400 Lake County residents were taking refuge at the Calistoga shelter. He did not have estimates of how many were at the in-county shelters overnight.
On social media, many evacuees reported that they had not gone to shelters but instead had sought refuge with family and friends.
More resources to fight the fire were being brought into the county through the night, with dozers staging to go into the fire area.
Road closures remaining in effect late Saturday included High Valley Road at Bottle Rock Road, High Valley Road at Highway 175, Highway 29 at Highway 175 in both Kelseyville and Middletown, Highway 29 at Red Hills Road and Highway 29 at Loch Lomond, and Highway 29 at Lower Lake.
California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds said late Saturday that Highway 29 at Spruce Grove Road was closed to all southbound traffic, while the highway northbound was open to evacuate the area.
Highway 29 was closed to all northbound traffic at Tubbs Lane in Napa County, and southbound was open to evacuate the area, Reynolds said.
Reynolds also urged people who don’t need to be in the fire area to stay out for their own safety, and to drive safely and follow the rules of the road.
“The last thing we need right now is a major traffic collision,” he said.
Due to the fire, power was cut to about 6,000 Pacific Gas and Electric customers in the Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake area, the company reported on its online outage center.
Authorities said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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.
