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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office has issued an update on the deadlines to file to run for a number of local special district, fire district and school board seats in November.

Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley said the nomination period to file for candidacy for certain elective offices for the upcoming Nov. 6 Statewide General Election has been extended for all qualified persons other than the incumbent officeholders until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15.

The nomination period has been extended due to the nonfiling of incumbent officeholders of the following districts.

The impacted seats are as follows.

– Mendocino-lake Community College District, Trustee Area No 5 (Lake and Mendocino Counties): One vacancy, four-year term.

– Lake County Board of Education: Trustee Area No. 3, four-year term.

– Kelseyville Unified School District: Two vacancies, four-year terms.

– Konocti Unified School District: Three vacancies, four-year terms.

– Lakeport Unified School District: Two vacancies, four-year terms; one vacancy, two-year unexpired term.

– Middletown Unified School District: Three vacancies, four-year terms.

– Upper Lake Unified School District: Five vacancies.

– Lake Pillsbury Fire Protection District: Five vacancies.

Interested persons desiring information regarding filing for any of the elective offices that have been extended advised to contact the Lake County Registrar of Voters office, located in Room 209 on the second floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, telephone 707-263-2372, during regular business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. prior to the extended filing deadline of Aug. 15.
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The Mendocino Complex’s boundaries as of the morning of Saturday, August 11, 2018. The black boundaries are completed fire line, while the red line indicates uncontrolled fire edge. Map courtesy of Cal Fire.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As firefighters raise containment on the Mendocino Complex, the incident has continued to grow, with its record-breaking acreage total edging up again by Saturday morning.

The Mendocino Complex reached 325,226 acres, with total containment up by 7 percent to 67 percent, according to Cal Fire.

The Ranch fire, the portion of the complex where new fire growth is taking place, is now 276,306 acres and 58-percent contained, while the River fire remains at 48,920 acres with containment up to 92 percent, Cal Fire reported.

The latest damage assessment numbers released on Saturday showed an increase in both the count of structures destroyed and those damaged.

The count of destroyed structures is now 258: 139 residences, 119 other structures. Structures damaged total 37, of which 13 are residences and 24 are other buildings.

Officials said 1,525 structures remain threatened.

There are approximately 3,521 firefighters assigned to the complex, which officials said includes 41 firefighters from Australia and New Zealand. An additional 200 active duty military firefighters from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion arrived Friday and are going through basic firefighting field training for the next two days.

Other resources include 293 engines, 92 water tenders, 20 helicopters, 65 hand crews and 80 dozers, Cal Fire reported.

With the River fire portion of the complex nearly fully contained, the main push of the firefighting effort is now taking place on the Ranch fire, and a lot of fire suppression work is taking place Mendocino National Forest. As a result, the U.S Forest Service and Cal Fire are in unified command on the complex.

The Ranch Fire grew has grown approximately 20,000 acres in the last 24 hours, according to a Saturday report from Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore.

She said fire activity increased in the northwest corner of the fire near the Pine Mountain Project, Potato Hill area and Little Sullivan Ridge on Friday.

Columns of smoke could be seen from the surrounding communities; Lake County residents saw a smoke plume from that fire activity on Friday afternoon. Moore said air tankers and helicopters were used to help slow the fire’s advance.

The Ranch Fire continued to spread into the Snow Mountain Wilderness, burning past Letts Lake Friday afternoon. Moore said the Ranch fire also burning in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.

Due to increased fire activity, firefighters had to suspend construction of the dozer line
along McLeod Ridge from Lake Pillsbury towards Rice Valley. Moore said they were able to hold and improve the portion of the dozer line that has already been constructed.

She said crews continued to cut fireline in the steep canyons near Clover Valley in the southern portion of the fire. Helicopters were also used to suppress hot spots and flare-ups. Good progress was made constructing contingency dozer lines in the Potter Valley area and along Bushy Camp and Noel Ridges.

Dozer operators will continue constructing dozer line along Gilmore Ridge and north through the 2012 Mill Fire scar toward Davis Flat. Moore said that is meant to secure the fire’s northeast corner to keep the fire west of Stonyford and Century Ranch.

Construction of a contingency dozer line along Noel Springs Ridge and Bushy Camp Ridge as an extra precaution is continuing Saturday, she said.

Firefighters are continuing to work around structures in the Lake Pillsbury area Saturday, clearing and improving lines around the residences. Reinforcing the dozer line running from the Eel river northeast to south of the community will continue, according to Moore.

Moore said crews will improve and hold the dozer line along McLeod Ridge on Saturday. Fire managers are looking for opportunities to build fireline between Split Rock and Potato Hill
Crews also will improve fireline in the steep canyons near Clover Valley in the southern portion of the fire.

Engines will mop-up and patrol the areas around Long Valley and Spring Valley, she said, while firefighters improve the roads around the northern and western edges of the Pine Mountain Project in order to contain the fire’s spread to the north and west near Potter
Valley. Crews will improve the contingency dozer line around Potter Valley.

The date for estimated full containment remains Sept. 1, 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.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office is reopening the Cache Creek Management Area, which includes Cowboy Camp, Indian Valley Management Area and Walker Ridge since there is no longer a public safety risk in these areas from the Mendocino Complex fire.

The BLM is reopening 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 Indian Valley Management Area and Walker Ridge are also being reopened to the public after being temporarily closed due to the proximity of the Mendocino Complex Fire.

The Cow Mountain Recreation Area sustained heavy fire damage, and along with BLM-managed public lands on the fire perimeter, remain closed to all access.

The public is reminded to please avoid recently burned areas as fire may still be actively burning inside trees and roots, weakened trees or limbs may unexpectedly fall and burned stump holes may give way.

Scorched trails may now be obstructed or hard to follow and ash can stir up during windy conditions.

As of Friday night, fire officials reported that the Mendocino Complex, made up of the Ranch and River fires, has burned more than 312,000 acres, including more than 59,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands, and is approximately 60 percent contained. Current information is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6073/.

Due to high fire danger, the Ukiah Field Office has increased fire restrictions, which temporarily prohibit recreational target shooting and ban all campfires.

Use of firearms for hunting is still allowed. 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.
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The fireworks show you watched in July most likely lasted 20 minutes. But in August, you can watch some celestial fireworks that will last hours and hours.

This is the Perseid meteor shower. with a clear sky, observers will be able to see up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak.

The Perseid meteors are produced by debris from a comet known as 109P/Swift-Tuttle. With a nucleus of about 16 miles (26 kilometers), it’s the largest object known to repeatedly swing by Earth and will appear again in 2126.

In the meantime, Earth will pass through the dust left by previous passes of the comet from July through August, with the peak taking place on the night of Aug. 12 into the morning of Aug. 13.

A meteor is the streak of light visible in the sky as dust particles burn up high in the atmosphere.

Mark your calendars now because this night is when you’ll see the highest rate of meteors as they radiate from the constellation Perseus.

Astronomer Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, offerED this insight: "This year the Moon will be near new moon. It will be a crescent, which means it will set before the Perseid show gets underway after midnight. The Moon is very favorable for the Perseids this year, and that'll make the Perseids probably the best shower of 2018."

The speed of a firework rocket is about 150 miles per hour (241 km/h). By comparison, the speed of a particle that makes a Perseid meteor is about 132,000 miles per hour (212,000 km/h). That means that even a small amount of dust from the comet will burn brightly and colorfully as it disintegrates in Earth’s atmosphere.

Being icy bodies, Perseid meteors are moving far too fast to survive the heat of ablation; very few survive to an altitude of 45 miles.

According to Bill Cooke, the key to seeing a meteor shower is "to take in as much sky as possible. Plan ahead by locating a viewing area that’s away from the bright lights of a city or town. Ideally, you want as few lights around you as possible.

Next, take a sleeping bag, air mattress, or comfortable chair for viewing as you’ll need to wait about 30 minutes after you arrive for your eyes to adjust to the dark.

Avoid looking at your cell phone, as the bright display can prevent your eyes from adapting. If you need a light, use one with relatively low intensity and a red filter.

Be prepared to be amazed as you view an average of a meteor a minute for hours and hours. The show starts around 10 p.m. local time, with rates gradually increasing as the night gives way to dawn.

The Perseid meteor shower, peaking on Aug. 12 and 13. For the backyard astronomer in all of us, this is truly nature’s best firework show.

For more information on this and other meteor showers, soar over to http://science.nasa.gov.
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Michael Ergo sets up mobile veteran's center in Lucerne Harbor Park Saturday

LUCERNE, Calif. -- The North Bay Vet center has set up in Lucerene Harbor Park to provide counseling and resources for Veterans.

"We're up here to provide service in Lucerne to any vet, if we can't provide counseling we'll point them wehere they need to go," Michael Ergo executive director of the North Bay Vet Center said Saturday, "whatever they need, we can connect them."

Ergo plans to move te mobile unit into the First Lutheran parking lot Sunday to provide veteran's services closer to the Local Assistance Center located in the Lucerne Senior Center.
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Officer Kirk Griess. Photo courtesy of the California Highway Patrol.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The governor and the commissioner of the California Highway Patrol on Friday honored a CHP officer killed earlier that day while on duty.

Officer Kirk Griess, 46, was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Fairfield on Friday when he was fatally struck by a pickup truck.

Officer Griess was a 19-year veteran of the CHP, serving in communities throughout the Bay Area during his career. He was also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

“Today we mourn the loss of a father of three – Officer Griess – who lost his life while protecting his community. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, his friends and his many California Highway Patrol colleagues for their devastating loss,” said Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Officer Griess is survived by his wife, Keri; adult daughters, Kadi and Kaci; and son, Kole, 14.

In honor of Officer Griess, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.

“It is an unbelievably sad day for the family of Officer Kirk Griess, the California Highway Patrol, and the State of California. Officer Griess was a valued member of the CHP family and a dedicated officer and public servant, who gave his life serving the people of California. The loss of an officer protecting our community is truly devastating,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. ““We ask for the public’s continued prayers, support, and trust as we go through this incredibly difficult time.”

Stanley added, ““We will be forever grateful for the support of the public, the first responders, and the Good Samaritans who rendered assistance to our officer at the scene. We would also like to thank the medical personnel at NorthBay Medical Center following today’s tragic event.”

In the CHP’s 89-year history, 229 heroes have lost their lives while courageously serving the people of California.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Officials said the Mendocino Complex continued to challenge firefighters on Saturday, with acreage edging up once more.

The complex burned another 3,000 acres – all of it on the Ranch fire – for a day’s-end total of 328,226 acres. Containment remained at 67 percent, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said the River fire continued on Saturday to be held at 48,920 acres and 92-percent containment, with suppression repair and patrolling under way, while the Ranch fire grew to 279,306 acres and 58-percent containment.

All on its own, the Ranch fire is one of the largest fires in California history.

In its Saturday evening report, Cal Fire said the northwest corner of the Ranch fire remained very active throughout the day. The northeast corner of the fire remained active as well,
and both northern corners are proving to be very challenging.

Cal Fire said hot weather and wind are adding to the challenge for firefighters, continuing to drive the fire north in both directions. The heavy smoke from active fire and terrain limit the ability to find access points for direct attack on the fire front.

For fire officials, the Ranch fire’s northern fire front will continue to be a priority for fire suppression resources.

Air attack also will continue to fly as visibility and weather permits, Cal Fire said. The thickness of the smoke has caused some aircraft to be curtailed over the past two weeks.

Helicopters continued to work along the Northshore on Saturday, hauling buckets on long lines between the lake and the fire area.

Assigned resources were rolled back slightly on Saturday as demands for firefighters and engines continued around California because of other wildland fire incidents.

The destroyed structure count remains at 258 (139 residences, 119 other structures), and the structures damaged tally also is unchanged at 37 (13 residences, 24 other buildings).

Cal Fire said 3,422 firefighters, 281 engines, 87 water tenders, 20 helicopters, 61 hand crews and 76 dozers are working the incident.

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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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents have endured four years of some of the worst fires in California’s history.

Wildfire has ravaged significant portions of the county and since 2015, 1,785 Lake County residents have lost their homes to wildfires. Unfortunately, with the Mendocino Complex fire – the largest wildland fire in state history – that number is still growing.

These fires have been incredibly difficult on everyone, but the children of Lake County have suffered tremendously.

State Sen. Mike McGuire is teaming up with North Coast Opportunities to give back to Lake County’s students who have been impacted by the Mendocino Complex.

Together, they're launching the Lake County Students Fire Relief Fund with Redwood Credit Union playing a significant funding role.

“Lake County families have faced unprecedented disasters year after year and the physical and emotional toll these events have had can be overwhelming, especially for kids. We’re proud to team up with North Coast Opportunities and Redwood Credit Union to raise funds for students impacted by the massive Ranch and River Fires,” Sen. McGuire said. “We hope folks will consider pitching in to support our Lake County neighbors in need.”

Working with North Coast Opportunities, which has been the leading nonprofit organization supporting residents after each of the devastating wildland fires that have impacted Lake and Mendocino counties, Sen. McGuire is establishing a dedicated fund to help those students impacted by the Ranch and River Fires and has secured support from Redwood Credit Union as the primary funder.

“Lake County is a resilient community that has faced so many devastating disasters these past few years,” said NCO Executive Director Patty Bruder. “As we’ve done in the past, our team is ready to get to work to help our neighbors in need and we’re proud to partner with Senator McGuire and Redwood Credit Union on the Lake County Students Fire Relief Fund.”

With a history of partnering with Sen. McGuire on fire relief over the past several years, Redwood Credit Union stepped up with immediate support for the student fund.

“Knowing that the impact of these fires can deeply affect kids and teens, we want to support Lake County students and get them back into a routine and into the stability of a classroom,” said Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union. “All of us at Redwood Credit Union are saddened that fires continue to devastate our communities, but we’re committed to helping those in need.”

Contributions to support Lake County students may be made online at www.FireRelief.org.

Checks can be made to Lake County Students Fire Relief Fund
, Memo line: North Coast Opportunities Inc., 413 North State St., Ukiah CA, 95482.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino Complex continues to burn actively across its northern edges, with several thousand more acres added to the fire area on Friday.

As the complex marked its second week on Friday, Cal Fire said in its evening report that the total fire area had reached 312,447 acres, with total containment remaining at 60 percent.

The River fire near Lakeport continues to be held at 48,920 acres and 90-percent containment, with ground crews patrolling the fire area and conducting suppression repair.

On Friday another 5,000 acres burned on the Ranch fire in the north of the county, with its total rising to 263,527 acres and containment unchanged at 53 percent, Cal Fire reported.

The Ranch fire became more active on its northern perimeter on Friday, with aircraft working the area of the Pine Mountain Project south of Lake Pillsbury, as Lake County News has reported.

Cal Fire said fire crews have continued preparations for firing operations around the Pine Mountain Project, and improved flight conditions later on Friday allowed air attack to resume. However, radio reports also indicated air resources were diverted to a new fire threatening homes in Fairfield.

On the north side of the fire, tough terrain and heavy smoke that limit accessibility are continuing to challenge firefighters on the ground, Cal Fire said.

In the southern portion of the Ranch fire area, Cal Fire said containment lines continue to hold and crews are actively patrolling the perimeter, with fire suppression repair crews beginning work in the southwest.

Mapping shows the Ranch fire has not advanced much further north than the edges of Lodoga in Colusa County, although there appeared to be more recent fire activity to the west of that area.

On Friday, officials lifted the mandatory evacuation orders for the area south of the Mendocino National Forest boundary in Lake County and in Colusa County for all areas north of Highway 20, east of the Mendocino National Forest boundary, south of Lodoga, and west of Bear Valley Road/ Leesville-Lodoga Road. In Colusa County, the evacuation order for areas north of Lodoga remain in effect.

Evacuation advisories for the Northshore, which had remained in place after the mandatory evacuations were lifted earlier this week, also were ended on Friday.

Officials said the Mendocino National Forest also remains closed.

The other development officials reported Friday is that the number of structure threatened by the complex dropped from 9,200 to 1,525 by day’s end.

Cal Fire’s current damage assessment remains at 229 structures destroyed, of which 119 are homes, and 27 damaged, including 12 residences.

As containment continues to increase on the complex, and with more fires burning around the state, the resources assigned have begun to be dialed back.

Cal Fire said approximately 3,521 personnel, 293 engines, 92 water tenders, 20 helicopters, 65 hand crews and 80 dozers continue to work the complex, which is expected to be fully contained on Sept. 1.

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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Food and supplies being distributed at the Lucerne LAC.

LUCERNE, Calif. -- After a busy day Friday the Local Assistance Center in Lucerne continued operations Saturday with plans to remain in Lucerne until Friday, August 17.

The center is located at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, at the corner of 10th and Country Club Drive.

Theresa Showen, program manager with Lake County social services described her work "as soon as an area opens up to repopulate we help people to get food and get the resources they need to get back into their homes."

Additionally, information for long term recovery is provided to clients. The LAC will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily with flexible hours as need diminishes.

"If it looks like it may be something ongoing we may extend that time," Showen said. 

Saturday the center was not a shoulder to shoulder crush as it was Friday. "We served over 290 families yesterday in five hours (Friday)," Showen said.

At the LAC people are greeted at the door, damage assessments are taken and people are walked to all agencies they need to talk to and provided meals and food to take home.

Across Tenth street in the First Lutheran Church parking lot, church members continue to dispense dog food and canned cat food until the supplies run out. Passersby are loudly told "welcome home", offered pet food and a kind ear to hear people's stories.

Church members Stan and Josette Kanter with Darquise DelCol sharing a mutual comfort moment with a puppy.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Friday afternoon, Sutter Lakeside Hospital reopened its doors to patients 12 days after the Mendocino Complex fire forced the evacuation of the 25-bed hospital.

As of its Friday reopening, Sutter Lakeside Hospital is again offering full inpatient and emergency care services. Elective procedures will resume at a later date.

Two rural health clinics, Sutter Lakeside Family Medicine Clinic at 5176 Hill Road East and Sutter Lakeside Community Clinic at 5196 Hill Road East, Suite 300, will open Monday, Aug.13 at 8 a.m.

The Sutter Care at Home office at 889 11th St. in Lakeport has been open since Monday, Aug. 6.

“Sutter Lakeside Hospital is a life-saving resource for the region’s most acutely ill patients,” said Dan Peterson, chief administrative officer, Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

The hospital is the only trauma center in Lake County and maintains Level IV designation – the hospital industry’s fourth highest category – for the treatment of auto accidents, burns, falls, etc. The critical access hospital is also the only certified stroke center in Lake County.

“We safely evacuated 20 patients, all our staff and physicians,” said Teresa Campbell, chief nursing executive, Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “Only a small group of us stayed behind to protect the hospital’s resources. We also held our breath – along with the rest of the community– waiting to see what the winds would do.”

While the hospital was closed, patients who needed acute care were transferred to other nearby community hospitals for treatment.

“Because Sutter Health is an integrated health system with services and locations across Northern California, we are able to quickly marshal resources and help provide our patients and this community in need with immediate, ongoing access to medical treatments and services,” said James Conforti, chief operating officer, Sutter Health.

As soon as the evacuation order was lifted, staff worked around the clock to prepare the facility for repopulation.

“We are looking forward to once again delivering care with compassion and excellence,” remarked Peterson.

On July 29, two outpatient care centers, Sutter Lakeside Family Medicine Clinic and Sutter Lakeside Community Clinic, were also closed while accessibility, safety, fire and smoke damage were assessed and abated.

“Together these clinics provide primary care to 10,000 patients a year and allow many more patients to see specialists in the disciplines of cardiology, podiatry, obstetrics and sports medicine,” said Leeann Hadgis, director of Sutter Lakeside ambulatory clinics. “We serve every age group and provide everything from preventative care to chronic disease management here. Our goal is to return to full capacity as quickly as possible so we can help our patients – who are our neighbors – get back to good health.”

In the midst of the fire, Lakeside Home Health branch of Sutter Care at Home continued to care for vulnerable patients.

Despite the closure of their office, located at 889 11th St., Lakeport, home health employees continued to provide services for patients.

Under the most difficult circumstances, the Lakeside home health team worked around the clock to ensure that patients were accounted for and received the critical care that they need, hospital officials said.
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Increased fire activity in the area of the Pine Mountain Project near Lake Pillsbury at the border of Lake and Mendocino counties in Northern California resulted in this smoke column that could be seen from Lucerne, Calif., on the afternoon of Friday, August 10, 2018. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Aircraft are working an area on the northern perimeter of the Mendocino Complex’s Ranch fire that has become more active.

On Friday afternoon, the Ranch fire put up a new and large column of smoke, which rose above the hills over the Northshore and caused alarm for some community members.

Cal Fire told Lake County News that fire activity increased near the Pine Mountain Project, an area in the Mendocino National Forest located to the southwest of Lake Pillsbury.

Aircraft are being used to slow down that area of the fire, which is on the complex’s edge, Cal Fire reported.

Cal Fire said firefighters are going to work through the night to control that area of fire.

The complex on Friday morning reached 307,447 acres and 60-percent containment. At that time, Cal Fire said the Ranch fire was 258,527 acres and 53-percent contained, and the River fire was 48,920 acres and 90-percent contained.

The active area on the Ranch fire’s northern side already was a focus for suppression work on Friday, with Cal Fire explaining that fire crews have been continuing to bring the fire line into the Mendocino National Forest and control the fire south of Lake Pillsbury.

The Ranch fire is approximately three miles from the southern border of Lake Pillsbury, Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore said Friday.

Moore said the Ranch fire has continued to spread to the north and into the Snow Mountain Wilderness, and is just south of Letts Lake.

A National Weather Service red flag warning is in effect for Lake County through 11 p.m. Saturday due to high temperatures, gusting winds and low humidity that create fire weather conditions.

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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