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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters at the scene of the Ranch fire near Upper Lake gave an update on conditions on Wednesday evening.

The fire is part of the Mendocino Complex, which by Wednesday night had topped 94,000 acres.

The video by John Jensen of Lake County News offers information about location and conditions.
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Air tanker working on Eel fire near threatened structures in Covelo, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Mendocino National Forest.


MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Firefighters are continuing efforts to control a fast-moving wildland fire near Covelo.

The Eel fire began on Tuesday in the Mendocino National Forest’s Covelo district.

Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore said the fire is located approximately 15 miles east of the town of Covelo, off County Road M1 and Mendocino Pass Road.

The latest report from Moore on Wednesday put it at 1,000 acres.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office has issued mandatory evacuations of all residences between Black Butte River, Anthony Peak, Forest Service Road M4, and Forest Service Road M1 to mile marker 10.

Forest Highway 7 remains open at this time, but be aware that the situation could change quickly, Moore said.

Resources assigned to the incident include six engines, four water tenders and several aircraft including two helicopters and air tankers as needed. The fire is moving east, southeast on the forest, according to Moore.

Moore said the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Health & Human Services Agency of Mendocino County reported that it opened a shelter on Wednesday afternoon at Round Valley Elementary School, on the corner of Howard Street and Airport Road in Covelo. The Round Valley Elementary School Shelter will have cots, blankets and food available to those evacuees displaced by the fires.

For more information about the Round Valley Elementary School Shelter, please call the Fire Call Center at 707-467-6428.

The Rodeo Arena, located at 22320 Airport Road, Covelo, is accepting large animals that need lodging due to the fires. They are not accepting small animals at this time. For more information, please call Lourance Hall at 707-972-3637.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The state’s chief justice has approved a closure until next week for the Lake County Superior Court’s Lakeport office due to the impacts of the Mendocino Complex, which triggered a mandatory evacuation of the city of Lakeport, where the courts are headquartered.

With law enforcement needed to protect evacuated areas, and many court staff, local attorneys, members of the public and even some judges themselves forced from their homes, Lake County Superior Court Presiding Judge Andrew Blum requested and received an emergency order from California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, who also chairs the California Judicial Council.

The general order issued late Monday night implements emergency relief, and deems Monday, July, 30 to Friday, Aug. 3, as court holidays.

That’s important to the courts, because the law establishes timelines for filing paperwork and holding hearings and other court proceedings.

The order said no hearings will be held or filings accepted at the Lakeport courthouse, located at 255 N. Forbes St., through Friday, and that all cases set for this week will be rescheduled.

“All parties will be notified by mail,” according to the notice accompanying the order.

While the Lakeport court remains closed, the court’s Clearlake offices and courtroom calendars will still be held as scheduled, the notice said.

Cantil-Sakauye’s order notes that, in appropriate cases, any judge of the court can extend time frames for specific types of cases because of the emergency conditions.

In one of the examples cited by the emergency order, it explains that a judge may extend the time period provided in the penal code within which a defendant charged with a felony offense must be taken before a magistrate from 48 hours to five days, but only in cases where that deadline would have expired between July 30 and Aug. 3.

The document also offers time extension guidelines for a variety of other cases, from temporary restraining orders, to preliminary hearings, trials and cases involving minors.

Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier told Lake County News that the Lake County Superior Court’s most recent disaster-related closure was for the Clearlake courthouse due to a mandatory evacuation for the Rocky fire in 2015.

“We’ve had to close Lakeport for a partial day here or there over the years but I do not recall ever closing the main Lakeport courthouse for multiple days due to a disaster and I’ve been there for 14 years,” She said. “This is an unprecedented disaster with the majority of the Northshore under mandatory evacuation.”

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. – Authorities are continuing to make arrests of individuals found in the areas ordered evacuated due to the Mendocino Complex.

The newest round of arrests occurred on Tuesday and included individuals who couldn’t offer good explanations for their presence in the evacuated areas and some who had drugs, burglary tools or other items in their possession that didn’t belong to them.

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.

The following reports came from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lakeport Police Department.

Brian Ward Taffi, 41, of Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

Brian Ward Taffi, 41, of Lakeport

At about 9 a.m. law enforcement officers contacted Brian Ward Taffi, 41, walking in a closed area in north Lakeport.

Taffi had been contacted twice before walking around in a closed area and advised to leave.

Taffi's girlfriend was also contacted and told the officers Taffi was enroute to Del Lago marina to steal a boat.

Taffi was placed under arrest and booked into jail for unauthorized entry into a closed emergency area.

Steven Elliott. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

Steven Elliott

At about 11:30 a.m. law enforcement officers conducted a vehicle stop on Steven Elliott after seeing him drive away from Anastasia Drive in Lakeport.

Upon contact with Elliott it was determined he did not live in the area and had no reason for being there.

Elliott was placed under arrest for unauthorized entry into a closed emergency area.

Burglary tools police said they found in possession of Steven Elliott on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, in Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

During a search of his vehicle officers located a bag containing bolt cutters, pliers and a large knife.

Elliott was additionally charged with possession of burglary tools and booked into jail.

William David Lyons, 31, of Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

William David Lyons, 31, of Lakeport

At about 10:30 a.m. law enforcement officers contacted William David Lyons, 31, of Lakeport at the end of 1350 S. Main St. by the boat docks.

Officers determined Lyons was on probation and conducted a search of his person and located suspected methamphetamine.

Lyons was placed under arrest and booked into jail for possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized entry into a closed emergency area and violation of probation.

Roberto Carlos Torres, 39, of Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

Roberto Carlos Torres, 39, of Lakeport

At 12:50 p.m. Tuesday, officers patrolling the evacuated area contacted Roberto Carlos Torres, 39, of Lakeport near Winter Avenue in Lakeport.

Torres told officers he had gone to Clear Lake High School to wet his hair and he could not provide a clear reason why he was walking around the evacuated area.

Shaved keys found in the possession of Roberto Carlos Torres, 39, of Lakeport, Calif., on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, in Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.


Officers located two shaved keys in Torres’ backpack. Shaved keys are commonly used in burglaries and thefts. Torres could not provide a good reason for having the keys.

Torres was arrested for unauthorized person in an evacuation area and possession of burglary tools and later released with a citation after being escorted from the evacuation area.

Gary Neal Mayhood, 59, of Nice, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

Gary Neal Mayhood, 59, of Nice

At 4:30 p.m. officers contacted Gary Neal Mayhood, 59, of Nice near the Len Lee Trailer Resort in Nice.

Officers observed Mayhood pushing a dirt bike out of the trailer park. Mayhood told officers he was retrieving the dirt bike from a friend.

Methamphetamine and money found in the possession of Gary Neal Mayhood, 59, of Nice, Calif., on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, in Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers located approximately 27.5 grams of methamphetamine in Mayhood’s pocket. He told officers the methamphetamine was for personal use. He also said that he provided it to people who had evacuated. Mayhood had $940 on his person.

Mayhood was arrested and booked into custody for unauthorized person in an evacuation area, sales of controlled substance, and transportation of a controlled substance.

From left, Francisco Valdez Corona, 30, of Kelseyville, Calif.; Juan Carlos Corona, 26, of Kelseyville, Calif.; and Alfredo Corona Ramirez, 30, of Finley, Calif. Photos courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Francisco Valdez Corona, 30, of Kelseyville; Juan Carlos Corona, 26, of Kelseyville; and Alfredo Corona Ramirez, 30, of Finley

At 6:45 p.m., officers stopped a tan sedan on Blue Court in Kelseyville and contacted the driver, Francisco Valdez Corona, 30, of Kelseyville and passengers, Juan Carlos Corona, 26, of Kelseyville and Alfredo Corona Ramirez, 30, of Finley.

The driver’s license for Corona was suspended. The males told officers they were evacuating, but they did not have any property in their vehicle.

They also told officers they were delivering water to a friend on Blue Court. They did have a case of water in the trunk.

A records check revealed Alfredo Corona was on Post Release Community Supervision probation for felony evading.

When officers attempted to verify the explanation that they were delivering water to a friend, the three men admitted they had lied and could not provide a reason for why they were driving in the evacuation area.

All three males were arrested for unauthorized person in an evacuation area and later released with a citation after being escorted from the evacuation area.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As firefighters on Wednesday continued to try to hold the Mendocino Complex’s growth in check, officials said the number of structures the incident has destroyed more than tripled following rapid fire runs near Lakeport over the past day and a half.

The Mendocino Complex grew by about another 4,000 acres on Wednesday, hitting a total of 94,912 acres, with containment remaining at 24 percent and 12,200 structures remaining threatened, according to Cal Fire.

The Ranch fire is up to 61,514 acres and 15 percent containment while the River fire reached 33,398 acres and 38 percent containment, Cal Fire said.

The number of structures destroyed and damaged has increased on the incident, following the brutal run the fire made into the Scotts Valley area on Tuesday.

An updated Cal Fire damage assessment listed 38 structures – 14 homes and 24 others – destroyed. There also have been 15 damaged structures, eight residences and seven others.

The assigned resources have grown on the Mendocino Complex. Cal Fire said 3,069 personnel, 373 engines, 51 water tenders, 15 helicopters, 48 hand crews and 50 dozers are now working the fires.

Cal Fire’s Wednesday evening report said firefighters had some success during the course of the day improving containment lines on the complex while continuing to build and improve contingency lines ahead of the it.

Both the Ranch and River fires continue to have rapid growth when aligned with fuels, topography and wind. High temperatures, low humidity and afternoon winds coupled with critically low fuel moistures are contributing to large fire growth, Cal Fire reported.

The northwest portion of the Ranch fire is continuing to move deeper into the Mendocino National Forest and continue to establish itself in the drainage's south of Lake Pillsbury. Officials have reported little fire suppression effort in the forest so far due to lack of resources.

Cal Fire said that on Wednesday it joined in unified command on the Ranch fire with the US Forest Service.

Reports from the River fire on Wednesday evening indicated firefighters are again working to protect structures in and around Scotts Valley and the Hendricks Road area, where spotting and winds have continued to be an issue.

The situation has kept the city of Lakeport and its immediate surroundings under mandatory evacuation.

However, “It has not gotten into the city,” said Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram on Wednesday night.

He said the city also had gotten reports that the River fire had started to settle down for the evening in the Scotts Valley area.

Ingram said air quality is still not good in the city, although it’s better than it has been in the last few days.

He and numerous city administrative and police staff continue to monitor the fire activity at an emergency operations center at Lakeport City Hall. The public is invited to call the center around the clock at 707-263-5683.

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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This story is being updated with new evacuation orders and information.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several Lake and Mendocino County communities remain under mandatory and advisory evacuations due to the Mendocino Complex of fires.

The following is a summary of the current evacuation orders and advisories on Wednesday, Aug. 1, along with updated information on sheltering for humans and animals, road closures, reconnecting with friends and family after an evacuation and where to donate.

EVACUATIONS

MANDATORY

Lake County

• Bartlett Springs Road, north to Twin Valley Road in the Mendocino National Forest and east to the western border of the High Valley Ranch, and extending east to the western side of Indian Valley Reservoir. This does not include the communities of Lucerne, Paradise Cove, Glenhaven, Clearlake Oaks, Spring Valley and Double Eagle Ranch.

• Western Lake County, north of the Lake-Mendocino County line and Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Lake-Mendocino County line, south of the Ranch Fire, and west of Highland Springs Road, Big Valley Road and Bartlett Springs Road to include the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley and Saratoga Springs.

Mendocino County

• Highway 20 area from one mile south of Highway 20, east of Potter Valley Road, south of MeWhinney Creek, and west of Mendocino-Lake County line.

• Pine Avenue area of Potter Valley north of Burris Lane, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 10511 Eastside Potter Valley Road, and west of the Lake-Mendocino County line.

• Midmountain Road area, north of 10551 Eastside Potter Valley Road, east of Eastside Potter
Valley Road, south of 11385 Eastside Potter Valley Road, west of Mendocino-Lake County
Line.

ADVISORIES/WARNINGS

Lake County

• Kelseyville, Finley and Big Valley Rancheria.

• Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera, portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb. The advisory includes all residents living north of Lake-Sonoma County Line, east of Bottle Rock Road, south of Clear Lake and west of Soda Bay Road, Red Hills Road, and Highway 175, including the subdivisions of Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, and Clear Lake Riviera west of Soda Bay Road.

• Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County.

• Lake Pillsbury basin and surrounding areas.

• North of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn
County line, and west of Lake-Colusa County line.

• Lucerne and Paradise Valley areas, north of Clear Lake, east of the Ranch fire, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of Paradise Valley Drive.

Mendocino County

• North of 8000 block of Old River Road to Yokayo Tribe Ranch Road.

• North of Highway 175, east of the Russian River, south of 8000 Old River Road and west of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175.

• Potter Valley community; all areas north of Highway 20, east of the fire edge, to the
Mendocino-Lake County line, south of Burris Lane to MeWhinney Creek and east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, to include feeder roads utilizing Burris Lane east to the Mendocino-Lake County line.

• Hopland area north of Highway 175, east of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175, south of the fire and west of the Mendocino-Lake County line.

ROAD CLOSURES

Lake County

• Highway 175, at Highway 29 to westbound traffic
• Elk Mountain Road at Middle Creek Road
• Highway 20 at Highway 29 to westbound traffic
• Highway 20 at Bartlett Springs Road to westbound traffic
• Big Valley Road at Soda Bay Road
• Highway 29 at Highland Springs Road to westbound traffic
• Highland Springs Road at Argonaut Road
• Highland Springs Road at Merritt Road
• Bartlett Springs Road at Highway 20

Mendocino County

• Highway 175 at mile post 5.6 to eastbound traffic (residents with ID allowed)
• Midmountain at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Mill Creek Road, half a mile east of Old River Road
• Pine Avenue at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Highway 20 at Potter Valley Road to eastbound traffic
• Elk Mountain Road south of Pillsbury Road

EVACUATION SHELTERS

Evacuation shelters offer overnight accommodations.

• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.
• Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road.
• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown

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.

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.

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/.
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The ASPCA and Lake County Animal Care and Control are partnering to rescue and shelter animals impacted by the Mendocino Complex in Lake County, Calif. Photo courtesy of the ASPCA.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County is getting much-needed help in the fire relief effort, including assistance to help impacted pets and livestock.

At the request of the Lake County Animal Care and Control and its animal disaster response team Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, or LEAP, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is on the ground leading field rescues and assisting local agencies with emergency sheltering for nearly 50 animals displaced by the wildfires in Lake and Mendocino counties, including cats, dogs, birds and livestock.

The ASPCA deployed nearly a dozen responders to assist and will be sheltering displaced animals in its 30-foot disaster response trailer customized to house animals in the event of an emergency.

The ASPCA’s wildfire response efforts have been made possible thanks to the Lewyt Rescue Fund, which was generously established by the Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust to support the ASPCA’s anti-cruelty and disaster response efforts.

The Lewyt Rescue Fund was created in memory of the Trust’s founders, the late Alex and Elisabeth "Babette" Lewyt, who were instrumental in saving the lives of countless animals, both through philanthropy and hands-on work.

“Rescuing animals in desperate need of assistance during emergency situations like the wildfires burning through California is exactly why the Lewyt Rescue Fund was established,” said Wendy McColgan and Thomas Amlicke, trustees of the Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust. “This donation is continuing to put into action the Lewyts’ life mission to protect animals from harm, and we are proud to support the ASPCA’s lifesaving work.”

“The wildfires in Northern California are putting pets and their owners in tremendous risk, and we’re proud to support Lake County Animal Care & Control to help rescue and care for those animals,” said Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA. “We’re also grateful for generous support from the Lewyt Rescue Fund that enables this lifesaving work.”

LEAP and ASPCA responders are checking individual residences for pets and livestock left behind, as well as conducting wellness checks requested by pet owners to provide food and water for their animals.

Animals rescued by LEAP and the ASPCA are being examined and treated by veterinarians at a former SPCA of Lake County facility located at 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville.

Pet owners looking to report lost pets or rescue needs should contact the Lake County Animal Care & Control at 707-263-0278.

“We are grateful for the continued support we receive from the ASPCA during disasters,” said Bill Davidson, director of Lake County Animal Care and Control. “The level of experience the ASPCA brings to the table is immeasurable, and our community is grateful for the assistance they’ve provided so far in helping animals impacted by the wildfires in Lake County.”

In 2017, the ASPCA assisted more than 37,000 animals displaced by disaster situations, including wildfires in California’s Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team deploys nationwide to assist in relocation, search-and-rescue, sheltering and placement of animals during disaster situations including wildfires, tornadoes and floods.

In addition, they work closely with local agencies across the country to help enhance their animal response capabilities through grants and training opportunities.

A kitten rescued from the Mendocino Complex in Lake County, Calif. Photo courtesy of the ASPCA.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Fire officials will host a meeting on Wednesday to update the community on the Mendocino Complex.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.

The unified commanders, Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service will host the meeting to discuss the current situation of the Mendocino Complex.

Officials will give an operational overview briefing, highlighting the current actions firefighters are taking on the fires, and will be available to answer questions.

Current maps of the fire will be available, as well as other informational handouts.

Community members are asked to arrive early, as the meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m.

If you have questions about the meeting, please call the Mendocino Complex Fire Information Line 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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This story will be updated on a rolling basis until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This is the Mendocino Complex general information update for Thursday, Aug. 2.

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 has issued an air quality alert for Lake County due to heavy smoke that has resulted in “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” conditions.

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

• Long Valley, High Valley and Spring Valley (issued 4:33 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2).

• Bartlett Springs Road, north to Twin Valley Road in the Mendocino National Forest and east to the western border of the High Valley Ranch, and extending east to the western side of Indian Valley Reservoir. This does not include the communities of Lucerne, Paradise Cove, Glenhaven, Clearlake Oaks, Spring Valley and Double Eagle Ranch.

• Western Lake County, north of the Lake-Mendocino County line and Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Lake-Mendocino County line, south of the Ranch Fire, and west of Highland Springs Road, Big Valley Road and Bartlett Springs Road to include the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley and Saratoga Springs.

• Bartlett Springs Road at Hwy 20 East along the National Forest boundary to High Valley Road, Southeast to the 5 Star Fish Farm, Southeast to the north side of Hwy 20, East to New Long Valley Road, extending North to the West side of the Indian Valley Reservoir, North to Bartlett Springs Road, East to the LakeColusa County Line, North along the Lake-Colusa County Line extending to Forest Service Road 18N40 (west of the Lake-Colusa-Tehama County Line), and West to the western National Forest boundary in Lake County.

Mendocino County

• Highway 20 area from one mile south of Highway 20, east of Potter Valley Road, south of MeWhinney Creek, and west of Mendocino-Lake County line.

• Pine Avenue area of Potter Valley north of Burris Lane, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 10511 Eastside Potter Valley Road, and west of the Lake-Mendocino County line.

• Midmountain Road area, north of 10551 Eastside Potter Valley Road, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 11385 Eastside Potter Valley Road, west of Mendocino-Lake County Line.

ADVISORIES/WARNINGS

Lake County

• North Lakeport.

• Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County.

• Lake Pillsbury basin and surrounding areas.

• North of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn County line, and west of Lake-Colusa County line.

• Lucerne and Paradise Valley areas, north of Clear Lake, east of the Ranch fire, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of Paradise Valley Drive.

• Areas east of Paradise Valley and west of Sulphur Bank Road on Hwy. 20. This includes all residents living in Glen Haven and Clearlake Oaks.

Mendocino County

• North of 8000 block of Old River Road to Yokayo Tribe Ranch Road.

• North of Highway 175, east of the Russian River, south of 8000 Old River Road and west of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175.

• Potter Valley community; all areas north of Highway 20, east of the fire edge, to the Mendocino-Lake County line, south of Burris Lane to MeWhinney Creek and east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, to include feeder roads utilizing Burris Lane east to the Mendocino-Lake County line.

• Hopland area north of Highway 175, east of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175, south of the fire and west of the Mendocino-Lake County line.

Western Colusa county

• East of the Lake-Colusa County Line (Bartlett Springs Road/Brim Road) to Leesville-Lodoga Road,

• North to Lodoga

• West to the National Forest boundary

• North along the National Forest boundary to the Colusa-Glenn County Line

• West to the Colusa-Lake County Line.


EVACUATION SHELTERS

Evacuation shelters offer overnight accommodations.

• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.
• Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road.
• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown

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.

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

• Highway 175, at Highway 29 to westbound traffic
• Elk Mountain Road at Middle Creek Road
• Highway 20 at Highway 29 to westbound traffic
• Highway 20 at Bartlett Springs Road to westbound traffic
• Big Valley Road at Soda Bay Road
• Highway 29 at Highland Springs Road to westbound traffic
• Highland Springs Road at Argonaut Road
• Highland Springs Road at Merritt Road
• Bartlett Springs Road at Highway 20

Mendocino County

• Highway 175 at mile post 5.6 to eastbound traffic (residents with ID allowed)
• Midmountain at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Mill Creek Road, half a mile east of Old River Road
• Pine Avenue at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Highway 20 at Potter Valley Road to eastbound traffic
• Elk Mountain Road south of Pillsbury Road

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE – MAIL DELIVERY

Lake County residents normally served by Post Offices in Lakeport, Nice and Upper Lake can pick up their mail at the Clearlake Post Office, 14500 Olympic Drive. Pick up times are 1 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Photo identification will be required.

The Kelseyville and Finley Post Offices have resumed normal service.

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.

Below is a list of open pharmacies, any of which will be able to accommodate emergency requests. Please call the pharmacy directly for hours of operation and more information:

– Lake Pharmacy, 15230 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, 707-994-3141.
– Moran’s Pharmacy, 15175 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, 707-994-6440.
– Rite Aid Pharmacy, 15025 Olympic Drive, Clearlake, 707-994-8677.
– Walmart Pharmacy, 15960 Dam Road, Clearlake, 707-994-1671.
– Coyote Valley Pharmacy, 18990 Coyote Valley Road, Suite 2, Hidden Valley Lake, 707-987-8502.
– Kelseyville Pharmacy, 3720 Main St., Kelseyville, 707-279-1561.
– Lucerne Pharmacy, 6244 East Highway 20, Lucerne, 707-274-6643.

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. – The Mendocino Complex grew again by thousands of acres after wind shifts on Tuesday drove the River fire into homes and properties in the Scotts Valley area outside of Lakeport, where structures were reported to have been lost.

In its five-day run, the Mendocino Complex has burned 90,912 acres and is 24-percent contained. The acreage grew by more than 10,000 acres since Cal Fire’s Tuesday night report.

The Ranch fire continues to outpace the river fire, burning largely uncontrolled in publicly held lands. It was up to 59,014 acres and 15-percent contained.

The River fire is 31,898 acres and 38-percent contained, and continues to threaten Lakeport, resulting in a citywide mandatory evacuation.

Overall, Cal Fire officials have considered the complex’s structure loss to be minimal, and believe they can fully control the complex by Aug. 7.

Tuesday brought some victories such as the mandatory evacuation order being lifted for the Kelseyville, Finley and Big Valley Rancheria areas, which were reduced to advisory evacuations. Potter Valley in Mendocino County also was allowed to repopulate.

But more dramatic were the setbacks, which came in the form of winds that kicked up ferociously, particularly in the afternoon, pitting firefighters against dramatic walls of flame in the Scotts Valley and Hendricks roads areas that were estimated to be more than 100 feet high in some areas.

Fire photographer Stuart Palley, who was on the scene Tuesday, called the situation on social media, “Some of the most intense wildland urban interface firefighting I’ve seen in 100 fires. Fire behavior I saw today is terrifying, there is little to stop it other than fire front following.”

At the same time, new fires – including the Eel in Covelo and the Whaleback fire in Lassen County – required air resources be shifted off the Mendocino Complex on Tuesday, while many resources still remain devoted the state’s biggest incident, the nearly 115,538-acre Carr fire, which reached 35-percent containment on Wednesday morning. It has destroyed 1,465 structures – 1,018 of them homes – and damaged 248 others.

Based on the reports from firefighters at the scene, Tuesday is likely to turn out to be the most destructive day so far for structures on the Mendocino Complex. By nightfall, the fire had burned along orchards and into properties, where a number of structures were reported to have been destroyed.

Cal Fire’s Wednesday morning report put the total number of destroyed structures so far at 11, 10 residences and one outbuilding, while two homes and one other structure have been damaged.

It was not clear if those numbers included the Tuesday night damage. Into early Wednesday morning, strike teams working around the areas of Dessie Drive, Hendricks Road and Scotts Valley Road were tallying the number of structures lost during the fire fight on Tuesday.

Cal Fire has assigned a growing force of 2,677 firefighters, 326 engines, 47 water tenders, 16 helicopters, 43 hand crews and 47 dozers.

Still, with the situation remaining both dangerous and uncertain, the entire city of Lakeport and its surrounds remained under mandatory evacuation as Wednesday arrived.

Late Tuesday night, the city of Lakeport’s administrative and police staff continued to track the situation from the emergency operations center, which they are staffing around the clock.

Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said they had been monitoring the flareups on Scotts Valley Road, located outside of the city limits. “That’s been our concern this evening.”

The fire had made its way to the edge of the city’s water infrastructure wells at the Green Ranch in the Scotts Valley area, he said. “Those are OK now,” he said, with no reported damage.

Fire mapping early Wednesday showed that both fires appear are most active on their northern edges, with the Ranch fire appearing to move more to the east and northeast and deeper into the Mendocino National Forest, where so far resources haven’t been available to try to stop it. However, each fire also contains numerous interior areas where new active fire activity is taking place.

Pacific Gas and Electric said about 1,300 customers in both Lake and Mendocino counties are still out of power because of the complex.

Cal Fire and the US Forest Service will host a meeting to update the community on the complex at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.

The perimeters of the Ranch and River fires, which form the Mendocino Complex, in Lake and Mendocino counties in Northern California. Image courtesy of Cal Fire.


Shifting winds lead to dangerous conditions

Firefighters over the radio at around 2 a.m. Tuesday had first begun noting wind shifts on the River fire, when a light wind started to push it.

At that point, they reported a shift in the breeze toward Dessie Drive, more from the north than the south.

There had also been continued concerns throughout the day for the Highland Springs area. On Tuesday morning Supervisor Rob Brown said the River fire was to the north and west of Highland Springs Reservoir toward the Mendocino County line.

Firefighters were sent in for structure protection in the Highland Springs area where some residents also were preparing to defend their homes.

By the afternoon, the situation near Scotts Valley was reported to be changing swiftly and becoming increasingly dangerous.

The fire began to make runs at dozer line at around 4:30 p.m., and with concerns that containment lines wouldn’t hold, crews were ordered to go into structure defense mode. Minutes later, it was reported that a retardant drop on the fire had “zero effect.”

Dozers reportedly had success putting line in around the Red Mountain area, while planes worked around Scotts Valley.

At around 5:30 p.m., firefighters were moving to the Hendricks Road area, where homes and structures were reported to be threatened, according to radio traffic.

Just before 7 p.m. firefighters reported that the main fire front was running into the Scotts Valley area, where a barn was on fire.

At that time, only two air tankers were left on the fire as the rest had been diverted to the rapidly growly Eel fire in Covelo.

With the fire running over the road and into power poles, the situation was reported to be compromised, as engines were requested to respond to Scotts Valley and Hendricks roads.

Minutes after 7 p.m., the fire was reported to be running down toward Hendricks Road and the headwaters of Hendricks Creek, with the fire going down the creek north of Dessie Drive.

At about 8:30 p.m., all of the aircraft had left the scene for the night, leaving ground crews to continue to contend with the fire making its run through grass.

By 11 p.m., crews were directed to do a primary search and count of structures that had burned in the afternoon and evening. There were concerns about dropping power lines, but incident command confirmed that PG&E had deenergized the lines.

Late Tuesday, the radio reports indicated that the weather was not cooperating with a firing operation, so water tenders were asked to water down roads up to a campground in the Cow Mountain area.

The situation seemed to have settled down after midnight early Wednesday morning, at which point more structure protection protection was set up for two houses located on Dessie Drive.

Progress made on the Ranch fire; officials remain vigilant

On the Ranch fire, officials reported that in the last few days firefighters have made progress protecting homes while a large portion of the fire has made its way into the Mendocino National Forest, which remains under evacuation on the Lake County side.

Operations Manager John Messina of Cal Fire Incident Management Team 2 said at the Board of Supervisors’ special meeting on Tuesday morning that, due to lack of resources, firefighters haven’t been able to do much to stop the Ranch fire as it moves up into the Mendocino National Forest above Upper Lake.

The fire crossed Elk Mountain Road in the forest area and has continued burning out of control, but Messina said they have a plan they’ll pursue once they have more resources available.

On Tuesday evening, when the Ranch fire’s size was just over 51,000 acres, Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Punky Moore said that 30,000 acres had burned on the forest.

So far, the fire has not advanced down the Northshore farther than Upper Lake, although Nice remains under evacuation and an advisory evacuation was issued for Lucerne.

Back in Lakeport, on the River fire side of the complex, Rasmussen said police and Public Works staffers are manning barricades to keep the city safe. Police are continuing to make arrests of individuals caught in the evacuation area, including subjects found with burglary tools and a man who admitted he was in town to steal a boat.

Rasmussen said his officers arrested three more subjects on Tuesday. He estimated there had been 19 arrests in all of the county’s evacuation areas.

“The cops have been doing a really good job of stopping everything that moves,” he said.

Rasmussen and all of his police staff are evacuated from their homes and working long shifts; by that time, he’d already been on the job for close to 15 hours, after a six-hour break that followed a 36-hour shift.

The Lakeport emergency operations center, where the public is welcome to call around the clock at 707-263-5683, has been getting “a fair amount of calls” from the public, with many people asking about when they can go home, according to Rasmussen.

He said they would be there all night and beyond. “We’re going to be 24/7 until our city is repopulated.”

With the entire city and its surrounding areas evacuated, Rasmussen said, “We’re just worried. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

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.
Posted On

Wildland fires in Lake County, Calif., and elsewhere around Northern California, continue to produce thick smoke as seen here on Tuesday, July 31, 2018. The red area at the top of the image is the Carr fire near Redding in Shasta County, Calif., with the red dots at the bottom the Ranch and River fires, part of the Mendocino Complex in Mendocino and Lake counties. Satellite image courtesy of NASA.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Air Quality Management District said smoke from the Mendocino Complex has continued to cause smoke impacts hazardous to residents.

Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart issued another air quality alert due to the complex, which has resulted in “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” air quality.

Gearhart said smoke levels have exceeded the air quality index maximum range.

With particulate levels this high, Gearhart said everyone needs to take steps to protect themselves from exposure.

If you cannot leave the smoky area, good ways to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke include staying indoors and reducing physical activity, he said.

Wearing an air purifying respirator can also help protect your lungs from wildfire smoke, Gearhart said. Air purifying respirators, such as N-95 or P100 filtering face pieces, may be effective in reducing some of the harmful particulate matter, but they also increase the work of breathing, can lead to physiologic stress, and are not recommended as a general protective measure.

Dust masks are not protective against the ultra fine particulate, which is the pollutant most detrimental to health caused by wildfire smoke, Gearhart said.

Gearhart recommended people use caution, avoid strenuous activity, avoid outdoor activities, reduce other sources of air pollution and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions.

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