MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A fire that broke out on Monday afternoon northeast of Middletown has been fully contained.

Cal Fire said the Grade fire, which began shortly after noon in the area of Jerusalem Grade and Canyon Road, was fully contained at 22 acres as of Tuesday evening.

The agency said one residence – which previously had been identified as an outbuilding – was destroyed at the beginning of the incident, but firefighters successfully protected the remainder of the estimated 20 structures that had been threatened, according to cal Fire.

Officials also said the fire resulted in two minor injuries.

Cal Fire said an engine and three firefighters remain assigned to the incident, and will continue patrol on the fire area through Wednesday.

The fire's remains under investigation, 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.

California’s Republicans and Democrats agree that income inequality is worsening in the United States, but disagree on the problem’s causes and what to do about it, according to a new brief from the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies.

According to a review of 2014 polling by an IGS team published on the institute’s Web site, the two parties are in accord that declining manufacturing in the United States, a failure of public schools to prepare students to succeed in the modern economy and the need for a college degree to land a well-paid job are key factors in the widening income gap.

Meanwhile, disagreement between Republicans and Democrats begins with how much the problem can be attributed to immigration, government regulation and taxes on businesses and the wealthy.

‘System is rigged’

Most Democrats say the American economic system is unfair, while Republicans disagree that the system unfairly favors the wealthy.

“A majority of Californians feels the system is rigged,” says the IGS brief, noting 62.5 percent of all those surveyed expressed that opinion.

More Republicans than Democrats view immigration as worsening income inequality, while substantially more Democrats than Republicans see the wealthy not paying enough taxes as a key contributor to the problem.

The biggest split between parties comes in answer to polling on whether to tax the total wealth of those with more than $1 million in financial assets, with 64.3 percent of Democrats favoring the idea and 51.4 percent of Republicans opposing it.

Immigration policy

“Despite these differences in opinion across party lines about the causes of inequality, some consensus exists as to real policies that could be enacted to reduce inequality,” the brief says.

The researchers found that more than 55 percent of Democrats and Republicans support a policy to give more preference to immigrants with the educational attainment and skills most needed in the American economy.

The IGS team – comprised of Berkeley political science professors Gabriel Lenz and Laura Stoker, IGS associate director Ethan Rarick, Ph.D. candidate in political science Douglas Ahler and undergraduate political science major Beckett Kelly – said the IGS public opinion polling supplements abundant data on economic trends and provides a clearer explanation of the partisan dispute around possible policy solutions to economic inequality.

The polling involved online surveys of 3,232 respondents between July 8 and July 13, 2014.

Kathleen Maclay writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.

THE GEYSERS, Calif. – A moderate earthquake shook The Geysers area on Sunday morning and was felt not just around the county but in other parts of Northern California.

The 3.8-magnitude quake occurred at at 10:41 a.m. Sunday, according to the US Geological Survey.

It was centered six-tenths of a mile northeast of The Geysers geothermal steamfield, 13 miles south southwest of Clearlake and 13 miles north northeast of Healdsburg, at a depth of 2.5 miles, the US Geological Survey reported.

More than 110 shake reports from 27 zip codes were filed with the US Geological Survey as of late Sunday night.

Responses came from numerous Lake County locations including Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Middletown, as well as from Sonoma and Napa counties, the greater Bay Area and from 200 miles away in Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz County – not to be confused with the Scotts Valley area near Lakeport.

The last earthquake measuring magnitude 3 or above in Lake County was a 3-magnitude quake just west of Cobb on July 21, the survey reported.

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.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Firefighters saved homes and gained containment on a wildland fire that led to advisory evacuations northeast of Middletown on Monday afternoon.

The Grade fire was first reported shortly after noon in the area of Jerusalem Grade and Canyon roads, as Lake County News has reported.

Cal Fire said it's a new fire that started a couple of miles west of the existing Jerusalem fire, which began Aug. 9, and as of Monday night was at 99-percent containment.

Fire officials said the Grade fire burned approximately 25 acres and was 50-percent contained by Monday evening.

Firefighters in the air and on the ground hit the fire quickly, with personnel and equipment being pulled from the Peterson fire in Kelseyville, according to Cal Fire Capt. Sean Jerry.

By day's end resources assigned to the Grade fire included 105 personnel along with five overhead or command staff, 11 fire engines, five water tenders, three fire crews, three bulldozers, two helicopters and one volunteer company, Cal Fire said.

The fire was located near homes, with Cal Fire estimating that as many as 20 structures were threatened.

Due to the fire's close proximity to residences, the Lake County Sheriff's Office issued an advisory evacuation order for Jerusalem Grade from Spruce Grove Road east to Canyon Road, and Spruce Grove Road from Jerusalem Grade Road north to Noble Ranch Road, including all of Black Bass Pass and East Road.

Nearby, people were gathering with horse trailers and watching as firefighters continued to gain ground on the blaze, working on a hillside amidst trees where the fire had appeared to move after scorching a flatter section of ground closer to homes and barns.

A short distance from the fire, a number of Cal Fire engines were staged near homes and barns – as well as corrals filled with horses – in the event that the fire moved closer.

An additional five Cal Fire engines and a Lakeport Fire water tender were staged on Spruce Grove Road, waiting to be called in if they were needed.

While the fire did destroy one building, Cal Fire credited both the aggressive efforts of firefighters as well as good defensible space established by homeowners for helping save the rest of the threatened structures.

The agency said additional damage inspection is under way.

The fire's cause is under investigation, Cal Fire said.

As part of that investigation, two firefighters removed a riding lawn mower from the fire area. They loaded it into the back of a pickup and drove away, stopping on Jerusalem Grade Road to look the mower over before leaving the scene.

Cal Fire said crews were to continue working through the night to mop-up hot spots.

Jerusalem Grade Road remained closed to the general public but is open to residents in the fire area, fire officials 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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Firefighters on Monday pushed the Peterson fire near Kelseyville much closer to full containment.

Cal Fire reported that the fire, burning since Saturday evening off of Peterson Lane, was holding at 215 acres on Monday evening, with containment doubling to 60 percent during the course of the day.

With the Peterson fire no longer threatening structures and containment rising, firefighters have begun the mop up phase of the incident, while also continuing to increase the containment lines, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire Capt. Sean Jerry of Glen Ellen was on the scene of the fire on Monday afternoon, one of the command personnel overseeing that mop up and continued containment work.

With fires continuing to pop up around Northern California, firefighters like Jerry have been working long assignments.

Over the past month he's worked on the Jerusalem fire northeast of Middletown and the Wragg fire near Lake Berryessa.

“Everything is beyond dry,” which is contributing to the nonstop fire season, said Jerry.

Cal Fire said that by Monday the majority of air resources had been released from Peterson fire, with just one helicopter still assigned.

Jerry said the helicopter on Monday wasn't being used for water drops, which had ended the previous day.

Instead, he said the helicopter was used to fly over the fire area to check the size, finding no growth and no smoke.

“We're looking better and better,” Jerry said.

A firefighter who walked the fire perimeter arrived early in the afternoon to tell Jerry that he also had not found any smoke on the fire.

Resources on the Peterson fire on Monday were reduced significantly, particularly regarding personnel, the number of which Cal Fire said dropped to 252, from close to 1,000 on Sunday.

Other resources committed going into Monday evening included 20 engines, 15 overhead personnel, 10 fire crews, four bulldozers, and two water tenders, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said the fire's cause remains under investigation.

Jerry said some of the firefighters and engines that had been working the Peterson fire had been redirected to the Grade fire, which was reported shortly after noon on Jerusalem Grade and Canyon roads near Lower Lake.

That fire had burned an estimated 25 acres and was 50-percent contained by Monday evening.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Three adult cats are ready and waiting for new homes this week at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

The three cats include two males and a female, ranging from an orange and gray tabby to a Siamese mix.

In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

Male orange tabby

This male orange tabby cat has a short coat.

He's in cat room kennel No. 15, ID No. 3020.

Female domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix has a brown and gray tabby coat.

She's in cat room kennel No. 78, ID No. 2984.

Siamese mix

This male Siamese mix has a short white coat with gray markings, blue eyes and a pink nose.

He's in cat room kennel No. 98, ID No. 3042.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As two new wildland fires burned in Lake County on Monday, fire officials reported that they were nearly finished with their task of fully containing the Jerusalem fire.

Cal Fire said the incident was at 99-percent containment on Monday evening, and holding at 25,118 acres.

The fire broke on on the afternoon of Aug. 9 in the Jerusalem Valley area northeast of Middletown, eventually destroying six homes and 21 outbuildings, according to Cal Fire.

Officials said the fire's cause 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.

This article has been updated.

Lake County, Calif. -- A wildfire North East of Middletown consumed approximately 20 acres Monday afternoon.

Forward progress was halted before 2:30 p.m Monday, according to Cal Fire.

The fire is in the area of Jerusalem Grade Road near June Bug Drive and was identified as the 'Grade' fire by Cal Fire.

Cal Fire reports that as of four p.m., crews have achieved 50% containment.

As many as 20 structures were threatened and one structure had been found destroyed, Cal Fire said.

The fire was reported shortly after noon. Forward progress of the fire was stopped by ground and air crews. 

The Lake County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation advisory Monday afternoon during the fire to warn residents of the possiblity for evacuations.

In addition to three fire crews Calfire utilized four helicopters and had called upon two C-130 air tankers which were not utilized. 

A total of 150 personnel are fighting the Grad fire including 20 fire engines, five water tenders, one volunteer company, three fire crews, four helicopters,  five overhead personnel, five bulldozers and four air tankers.

Roads remain closed in the area as crews will be working through the night to mop-up hot spots.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Firefighters throughout the day on Sunday made more progress on the Peterson fire burning near Kelseyville, raising containment and holding it to limited growth.

The fire, burning on Peterson Lane since about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, had burned 215 acres and was 30-percent contained by the time of Cal Fire's Sunday evening report.

Cal Fire said structures remained threatened, but not had been destroyed.

The agency said there were no road closures or evacuation orders in effect in the fire area, and no injuries.

More than 300 personnel were added to the team fighting the fire on Sunday, bringing the total number of personnel to 989, along with 45 overhead or command personnel, 41 engines, 41 fire crews, 10 bulldozers, nine water tenders and three helicopters, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said air resources and ground crews throughout Sunday were aggressive in battling the fire, which is located in steep terrain that's covered heavily in brush and is difficult access.

Firefighters will continue their work tonight to gain additional containment and control, Cal Fire said.

The Peterson fire's cause, according to Cal Fire, remains under investigation.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Association of Realtors reported that distressed home sales were down in July, with the county's median sales price up that month.

Distressed homes are defined as those that are sold after foreclosure or for less than what was owed.

Such sales in Lake County declined to 6.42 percent of July sales for single-family residences, the association reported.

At one time during the recent recession, distressed sales made up more than 70 percent of the residential sales in the county, according to the association's report.

“It is good to see homeowners getting back above water,” said LCAOR President Yvette Sloan. “With the market returning to a more normal state people feel more comfortable about purchasing a home.”

The median sales price for July rose to $211,000, up slightly from the June median price of $209,900.

The July 2015 median sales price was 25.6 percent higher than the July 2014 median sales price of $168,000. 

The number of units fell from 109 sold in June to 82 units in July. Year over year, July 2015 compared to July 2014, the number of units sold increased by 3.8 percent.

On the financing front, cash buyers accounted for about 21 percent of the deals, which was down from 37.6 percent of the deals in June and down from 39.2 percent in July 2014.

Nearly 44 percent of the sales used conventional loans to finance the sales. FHA and CalVet/Vet loans each made up 9.76 percent of financing of sales.

Inventory levels rose to six months of inventory after dipping to four months in June. July 2014 also had six months of inventory, which is considered “normal” for the real estate market. 

Looking ahead to August sales, Sloan noted, “At this point it is difficult to tell if the Rocky and Jerusalem fires will have an effect on the market.”

She said insurance carriers wait until after fires are contained before issuing new policies, “and that could slow things down temporarily.”

NUMBERS AT A GLANCE

Lake County – July 2015
Median price:  $211,000
Median days to sell: 90
Units Sold: 82

Lake County – June 2015
Median price:  $209,900
Median days to sell: 61
Units Sold: 109

Lake County – July 2014
Median price:  $168,000
Median days to sell: 56
Units Sold: 79

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Firefighters quickly contained a small wildland fire that broke out in the city on Sunday afternoon.

The fire was reported at around 2 p.m. Sunday, initially in the area of Highway 53 and 18th Avenue, but dispatch indicated later that the fire was in the area of Dam Road Extension between the Masonic Lodge and the Sears store.

Lake County Fire Protection District and Cal Fire firefighters arriving shortly thereafter reported that power lines were down, the fire had a rapid rate of spread and structures were threatened, with the Masonic Lodge being evacuated.
 
Shortly before 2:30 p.m., radio reports from Cal Fire officials indicated that the fire was about two acres, with forward progress stopped.

Multiple power lines were reported to be down with one power pole sheared and Pacific Gas and Electric asked to respond to the scene, as firefighters were having trouble fully accessing all areas of the fire due to the downed lines, according to scanner reports.

A power outage resulting from the downed lines was reported to have closed Walmart temporarily, based on witness reports.

PG&E reported that the outage occurred just after 2 p.m. – at about the same time as the fire was reported – and was caused by trees being in contact with electrical equipment.

That account matched radio reports that had indicated that the fire may have been sparked with a tree branch hit power lines, however, the cause of the incident has not yet been confirmed with fire officials.

PG&E estimated that the particular outage in the fire area was not expected to be resolved until 6 a.m. Monday.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Firefighters overnight gained some partial containment on a wildland fire burning near Kelseyville.

Cal Fire reported Sunday morning that firefighters made good progress through the night on the 200-acre Peterson fire, increasing containment from zero to 17 percent and putting in more containment lines.

The fire was first reported at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the 9000 block of Peterson Lane at Adobe Creek Road, near Highland Springs between Kelseyville and Lakeport.

While structures in the area remain threatened, none so far have been destroyed, Cal Fire said in its Sunday morning report.

Resources on the fire increased significantly overnight.

On Sunday morning, the number of firefighting personnel had more than tripled to 675, with 50 engine companies, 26 fire crews, 25 overhead personnel, 15 bulldozers, nine water tenders, four air tankers and three helicopters assigned, Cal Fire said.

Radio traffic on Sunday morning indicated both air and ground resources were at work on the fire.

Cal Fire said the fire is located in rough, rocky terrain that has heavy brush and steep, difficult access.

No anticipated date for full containment has yet been given by Cal Fire.

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.