Middletown, Calif -- FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, District Supervisors Jim comstock and Rob Brown provide local disaster assistance info and Sheriff Brian Martin provides update about dog shooting. Entire press conference follows.

SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters held the Valley fire to no growth on Tuesday, while gaining additional percentage points on the containment side.

The fire remained at 76,067 acres on Tuesday night, with containment inching up to 79 percent.

The number of total structures destroyed remained at 1,910, as Cal Fire said final damage assessments take place to confirm the conclusions of an initial survey.

Cobb is the last area remaining community under evacuation. Structures still under threat in Cobb total 3,043, Cal Fire said.

Officials said Tuesday at a press briefing that Cobb remains under evacuation while fire suppression activities continue, with utility companies dealing with downed lines and damaged poles, and hazards continuing to be cleared.

Cal Fire said firefighters continue their work to strengthen and hold existing perimeter lines and put out hot spots across the fire area.

County Supervisor Jim Comstock told Lake County News that on his Middletown ranch, much of which burned in the first days of the fire, a smoldering oak tree lit up on Monday night, which resulted in him leaving a meeting and joining firefighters to see that it was put out.

Cal Fire said plans also are under way to do landscape rehabilitation in order to return control lines – as much as possible – to the condition they were in before the incident broke out on Sept. 12.

Resources continued to be scaled back on Tuesday, according to Cal Fire.

Total personnel had dropped to approximately 3,303, with 288 engines, 84 hand crews, 47 water tenders, 25 dozers and 10 helicopters also assigned, Cal Fire said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday morning fire officials reported more growth had occurred on the Valley fire, with no change in containment.

The fire grew by nearly 300 acres overnight, reaching 76,067 acres, with containment remaining at 75 percent, according to Cal Fire.

The count of destroyed structures on Tuesday morning remained at 1,910, including 1238 single-family homes, 23 multi-family homes, 64 commercial structures and 585 other structures, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said approximately 3,861 firefighters are assigned to the incident today, along with 372 engines, 93 hand crews, 67 water tenders, 34 dozers and 10 helicopters.

Resources are continuing to mop up and secure perimeter lines in order to fully contain the incident, Cal Fire said.

Damage assessments also are continuing, with Cal Fire reporting that a followup survey is under way to confirm the findings of the first.

No estimate for full containment has been given on the fire, the cause of which 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.

ANDERSON SPRINGS, Calif. – Residents of Anderson Springs who were forced to leave their homes due to the Valley fire will get to go home starting Thursday evening, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said the mandatory evacuation order denying access to the community of Anderson
Springs will be lifted on Thursday at 5 p.m.

Municipal water services are not yet available, Cal Fire said. For information regarding water supplies, contact the Lake County Office of Emergency Services at 1-888-565-2787.

To support the return of residents to their homes, the following road closures will be revised as of 5 p.m. Thursday, Cal Fire said.

– Big Canyon Road, south of Perini Cut-off;
– Highway 175, south of Rockys Road;
– Harrington Flat Road, south of Sulphur Creek Road;
– Bottle Rock Road, south of High Valley Road;
– Big Canyon Road at Harbin Springs Road;
– Highway 175, south of Socrates Mine Road.

No additional evacuation orders are being lifted at this time, Cal Fire said.

The agency said that the cancellation of additional evacuation orders are being evaluated based on a variety of factors, including potential fire behavior and the reestablishment of crucial infrastructure.

The public is reminded to stay vigilant on current fire conditions. Please continue to adhere to road closures and any evacuation warnings or advisories.

If you see electrical wires on the ground, stay clear and contact Pacific Gas and Electric immediately at 1-800-743-5002.

Trees and poles with deep charring, particularly if still smoking, should be considered hazardous. Please drive slowly as emergency personnel operate in the area.

As you re-enter your property and evaluate damage, be aware that hazardous conditions may exist, particularly if a residence or out-building has burned.

Hazards may include asbestos, heavy metals, by-products of plastic combustion and various other chemicals.

For additional information on returning home after a wildfire, go to http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/PGE_ReturningHomeAfterAfterAFire_print.pdf .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) on Tuesday announced a $2 million Emergency Relief grant for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways and roads on federal lands that have suffered serious damage as a result of the Valley fire.

The funds come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, or FHA.

“The Valley fire is the third worst fire in California’s history and has caused untold amounts of damage to critical infrastructure,” said Thompson. “There is a lot of rebuilding and recovery ahead of us, and repairing our roads is a big part of that process. I commend the FHA for their swift approval of these funds. They will help greatly as our community works to gets back on its feet.”

Emergency Relief funds are awarded to a state after the president or the governor issues a formal emergency declaration and the state files a request for Emergency Relief for the cost of damages to its eligible highways.

Eligible repair work includes emergency repairs needed to restore essential traffic, minimize the extent of damage, or protect the remaining facilities as well as permanent repairs necessary to restore the highway to its predisaster condition.

The Valley fire, which started on Sept. 12, has burned more than 76,000 acres and is currently 79-percent contained.

Thousands of people have been displaced, and 1,238 homes, 68 commercial properties and 642 outbuildings have been destroyed, officials reported.

The Valley fire has caused significant damage to area highways. The highway damage involves pavements, signs, guardrails and safety features, destabilized slopes and embankments, and debris from trees and burned structures.

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A crash early Tuesday knocked down a power pole, with a power outage reported shortly afterward.

Just before 12:45 a.m. firefighters were dispatched to 1095 Big Valley Road for a report of a minor-vehicle crash involving a power pole, according to radio reports.

The crash also was reported to have resulted in a small vegetation fire due to downed lines.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they found the driver had minor injuries and that the pole was knocked down, radio reports indicated.

At about the same time as the crash occurred, Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s online outage center reported that power was out to approximately 2,411 customers in the Lakeport and Kelseyville areas, with crews en route to evaluate.

PG&E gave no time estimate for power restoration.

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.

COBB, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office said that human remains found Tuesday night may be those of a Cobb man reported missing after the Valley fire began.

Lt. Steve Brooks said the remains are believed to be those of 66-year-old Robert Taylor Fletcher.

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday deputies and detectives from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and fire personnel were checking areas and conducting searches within the burn area of the Valley fire when they found the human remains in the Cobb area, Brooks said.

He said official identification of the remains is pending.

However, based on the location and evidence found at the Cobb location where the remains were discovered, they are presumed to be those of Fletcher, Brooks said.

Fletcher was reported missing on Sept. 16. He had last been heard from by a family member on Sept. 10, as Lake County News has reported.

Authorities have looked for 15 people reported as missing since the fire began Sept. 12, Sheriff Brian Martin said Tuesday.

With the discovery of what are believed to be Fletcher's remains, four of those people have been discovered deceased and authorities continue to look for one more, 61-year-old Robert Edward Litchman of Lower Lake.

If anyone has been unable to locate friends or family members since the Valley fire, they are encouraged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690 so a missing person's report can be made.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – County and state officials shared the latest developments on the Valley fire response and recovery efforts at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

The briefing was held at Library Park in Lakeport.

Speakers included District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown; Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Smith of Incident Management Team 3; Sheriff Brian Martin; Lake County Health Officer Karen Tait; Coastal Deputy Regional Administrator Ryan Arba, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services; and county public information officer, Jill Ruzicka.

An American Sign Language interpreter also has been added to the briefings in order to facilitate sharing the updates with the hearing impaired.

Video of the full press conference is featured above.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Monday, Beckstoffer Vineyards announced its donation of $50,000 to the #LakeCountyRising fundraising campaign.

“We’re part of the community,” said Andy Beckstoffer, founder, chairman, and owner of Beckstoffer Vineyards. “We have major vineyard holdings in Lake County, and many of our people live in Lake County.”

“On behalf of the Lake County community, we are grateful for the generosity we’re seeing from across the region,” said Debra Sommerfield, president of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, one of three organizations who have partnered to establish the #LakeCountyRising fundraising effort.

#LakeCountyRising is a fundraising effort to support community rebuilding in the areas ravaged by the Valley Fire with a focus on livelihood, housing and community needs.

The effort was initiated by three Lake County organizations: Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Winery Association, and Lake County Wine Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that will manage the collection and distribution of tax-deductible donations.

“This generous donation by the Beckstoffer family is a wonderful example of how the wine industry is coming together with significant support,” Sommerfield said.

Beckstoffer Vineyards farms more than 1,300 acres in the Red Hills of Lake County, in addition to its 1,000 acres in the Napa Valley and 1,300 acres in Mendocino County.

“We hope this will motivate other people to give,” Beckstoffer said.

#LakeCountyRising‬ aims to raise significant funds over the coming weeks and months to help members of the Lake County community cope, adjust, and rebuild after the Valley Fire.

#LakeCountyRising is working with local organizations and government agencies to identify the most pressing community needs.‬‬‬‬

To donate, visit the Lake County Rising page on Facebook, www.facebook.com/LakeCountyRising , to make a donation online using PayPal, or send a check made payable to Lake County Wine Alliance, memo “Lake County Rising Fire Relief Fund,” to Lake County Wine Alliance, P.O. Box 530, Kelseyville, CA 95451.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is hosting a community meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. at the Middletown High School football field.

Residents, homeowners and contractors are invited to attend the community meeting.

Federal, state and local representatives in attendance will include:

● District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown;
● District 1 Supervisor Jim Comstock;
● Rick Coel, director of the Lake County Community Development Department;
● Mark Dellinger, Special Districts administrator;
● Scott De Leon, director of the Lake County Department of Public Works;
● Sean Smith, recovery liaison for the California Office of Emergency Services;
● Keith Woods, North Coast Builders Exchange;
● Environmental Health;
● Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

United Policyholders will provide resources and information. The nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization is dedicated to providing disaster recovery relief, with a mission of providing trustworthy and useful information for consumers with all types of insurance.

United Policyholders will be available to guide Valley fire victims through the entire claims process.

The North Coast Builders Exchange (NCBE) is a member-operated nonprofit association serving the construction industry in the California North Coast area. NCBE is committed to providing quality services and training to members, promoting professionalism and ethics in construction, and helping to create a high quality of life in the communities they serve.

NCBE Online is a service of the North Coast Builders Exchange dedicated to assisting NCBE members and providing helpful information and assistance to the public and the construction industry at large.

Middletown High School is located at 20932 Big Canyon Road.

For more information on United Policyholders visit www.unitedpolicyholders.org .

For more information on North Coast Builders Exchange visit www.ncbeonline.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A day after Gov. Jerry Brown sought a presidential major disaster declaration to aid the Valley fire recovery effort, President Barack Obama granted the request, an action that makes federal assistance available to those hit hardest by the incident.

The president's Tuesday declaration immediately opens up the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Individuals and Households Program to help eligible Lake County residents begin the recovery process, the agency reported.

FEMA said the Individuals and Households Program provides financial help or direct services to those who have necessary expenses and serious needs if they are unable to meet the needs through other means.

To date, the Valley fire is listed as the third most damaging in California's history. It has burned more than 76,000 acres and during its course has displaced thousands of residents of communities including Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown.

Three deaths have been confirmed so far, and as of Tuesday officials reported the destruction of more than 1,900 structures, including more than 1,200 homes.

“These much-needed funds will help families in our community begin the rebuilding and recovery process,” said Congressman Mike Thompson. “So many people lost so much that can never be replaced but this assistance will go a long way towards helping folks return their lives to normal. I thank President Obama and FEMA for making this money available so quickly.”

On Monday Thompson – who has been in Lake County touring the fire area and working with local officials over the past several days – wrote to Obama in support of the disaster declaration.

He then returned to Washington, DC on Tuesday and had conversations with the White House and Regional Administrator for FEMA Region IX Robert J. Fenton Jr. about the need to quickly expedite the approval of the assistance.

State Sen. Mike McGuire also applauded the president's action.

“This federal declaration will provide the victims of the Valley fire with the additional support they need to help recover, rebuild and reinvigorate our communities that were devastated when the blaze tore through Cobb, Middletown, Hidden Valley Lake and surrounding neighbors,” McGuire said.

“The state has come in with unprecedented levels of support to help in the immediate aftermath – and we look forward to continuing our work together on the local, state and federal level to ensure Lake County comes back stronger than ever and thrives,” McGuire added.

McGuire said the state will be active in managing the roll-out of the FEMA assistance, which will provide financial help, temporary housing, funding for housing repair and other individual needs like cleanup items, moving expenses, clothing and more.

Individuals can register with FEMA the following ways:

– Apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov .
– Apply via smartphone at m.fema.gov .
– Constituents may call the registration phone number at 1-800-621-3362; those who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
– FEMA also encourages applicants to call their insurance agents to file a claim at the same time.

As a result of the declaration, Hazard Mitigation funds also were made available. Thompson's office said these funds provide assistance to the state for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

FEMA previously approved the state of California’s request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration for the Valley fire.

That grant covers 75 percent of the cost of fire suppression, safety and recovery needs, and allows for the mitigation, management and control of fires burning on publicly or privately owned forest or grasslands which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – In danger of being canceled a second time as a result of major fire events in the area, 'Power the the Youth' went on as rescheduled on Sunday at Austin Park in Clearlake.

The event featured skateboard and BMX biking competitions and demonstrations as well as an array of children's activities, games, horseback rides and other sporting competitions.

It gave the community a chance to escape from the stresses caused by the Valley fire in the south county.

This was the fifth annual event, which is put on by the Lake Community Pride Foundation.

Email reporter Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .