THIS STORY IS BEING UPDATED REGULARLY WITH NEW DETAILS.
COBB, Calif. – Firefighters are on the scene of a wildland fire first reported Saturday afternoon in the Cobb area that has resulted in evacuations and road closures.
The Valley fire in the 8000 block of High Valley Road initially was dispatched just before 1:30 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire reported that mandatory evacuations have been implemented for High Valley Road and Bottle Rock Road, and the community of Cobb.
Just before 3:30 p.m., mandatory evacuations were ordered for Harbin Hot Springs and Big Canyon Road, and Loch Lomond was added to the evacuation order at around 3:45 p.m.
At 6 p.m., Cal Fire reported that mandatory evacuations had been ordered for Hidden Valley Lake, and Highway 29 was being closed. The fire had reportedly just jumped Highway 29 at that point.
Then, just before 6:30 p.m. Cal Fire reported that Middletown had been placed under a mandatory evacuation.
Road closures include High Valley Road at Bottle Rock Road, High Valley Road at Highway 175, Highway 29 at Highway 175 in both Kelseyville and Middletown, Highway 29 at Red Hills Road and Highway 29 at Loch Lomond, and Highway 29 at Lower Lake.
Shortly after dispatch, Cal Fire's Copter 104 arrived on scene to find the fire burning about two acres with one structure threatened.
Incident command subsequently called for additional copters, tankers, hand crews and dozers, reporting a strong west wind was hitting the fire.
Shortly before 2 p.m., incident command called for evacuations of High Valley Road.
A short time later, the fire was reported to be making a strong push and crossing Bottle Rock Road, leading to calls for evacuations along Highway 175, with the possibility that Cobb may have to be evacuated.
Just before 2 p.m. a hard closure of Bottle Rock Road was implemented, with officials prepared to close Highway 175 if necessary.
A call for an in-county strike team of engines went out just before 2:15 p.m., with agencies around the lake responding.
Safety concerns for firefighters also were reported due to power lines being down in the area.
As of 2:30 p.m., the fire was two acres, Cal Fire said, and was burning at a moderate rate of spread in oak and grass woodland. Structures are threatened.
Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said a short time later that the fire size had risen to 50 acres.
Just after 3:30 p.m., the fire was at 400 acres, according to Berlant.
Resources on scene at that point included 139 firefighters, 10 engines, five air tankers, four bulldozers, four fire crews, three helicopters, two water tenders, two overhead/command personnel and one volunteer company, according to Cal Fire.
By 6:45 p.m., Cal Fire said the fire's size had ballooned to 10,000 acres.
At around 2:30 p.m. radio reports indicated there were two patients with burn injuries, with an air ambulance responding.
Berlant later reported that there were four firefighters from Copter 104 that had suffered injuries and were being transported to a burn center. Radio reports indicated they were taken to UC Davis Medical Center.
The Lake County Office of Emergency Services reported that the county's Emergency Operations Center was activated to help coordinate response to the incident.
An evacuation shelter was being set up at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, 5340 Third St., Lake County OES reported.
Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection and Animal Care and Control also were activated to help evacuate animals from the fire area, officials said.
At about 4 p.m., incident command was reporting that Pacific Gas and Electric was planning to deenergize power facilities in the fire area, which was a concern due to the potential impact on fire pumps.
Just before 5:15 p.m., the fire was reported to be making a “significant run” toward Hidden Valley Lake, with the fire anticipated to be at Spruce Grove Road and Highway 29 within the hour.
At 5:25 p.m., Central Dispatch indicated that an advisory evacuation order had been issued for all of Hidden Valley Lake.
A witness reported that a large spot fire had occurred near Hidden Valley Lake a short time before that advisory notification was issued.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
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