Friday fire results in estimated $1.5 million in damage at High Valley Ranch

Print
HIGH VALLEY – A large fire early Friday destroyed three buildings and did major damage to the main old ranch house at High Valley Ranch outside of Clearlake Oaks.


Fire officials estimated the total damages to be about $1.5 million at PSI World, the retreat center which makes its home at High Valley Ranch.


Destroyed were two bunkhouses and a laundry building, said Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Pat Brown.


Brown said firefighters were dispatched just after 3 a.m. Friday to a possible structure fire west of High Valley Road.


The first unit on scene reported three to four structures were fully involved and others were threatened, he said.


Brown added that alert tones were activated to warn firefighters of downed power lines and to request mutual aid.


Fire personnel were able to stop the fire halfway into the ranch house, where they prevented it from entering the second floor, Brown said. Also saved was a mobile home in front of the ranch house.


Heavy water use from multiple engines overwhelmed the hydrant system of High Valley Ranch and a water tender shuttle was set up to pull water from Brassfield Estate Winery, he said.


A total of 22 firefighters responded to the scene, Brown said.


Northshore Fire sent three engines from its Clearlake Oaks, Nice and Lucerne stations, along with two water tenders from Clearlake Oaks and Upper Lake, and a medic ambulance and two battalion chiefs, he said. Lake County Fire Protection sent one engine and one water tender.


No injuries to fire personnel were reported.


Brown said Northshore Fire, Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff's Office are continuing the investigation into the fire's cause.


Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .