LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters on Friday continued to make progress on a fire that began the day before along Highway 29, with their efforts doubling containment and leading to the lifting of an evacuation order.
The 29 Fire was at 300 acres and 60 percent containment Friday evening, with Cal Fire anticipating full containment by 10 a.m. Saturday.
The fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, was sparked Thursday afternoon near Murphy Springs Road.
Cal Fire said that because its personnel levels are being held to peak staffing through the end of October, personnel and resources were readily available to aggressively battle the 29 Fire when it broke out.
Assigned to the incident Friday evening were 363 personnel, 34 engines, 16 fire crews, three bulldozers and one helicopter, Cal Fire said.
Lake County Deputy Administrative Officer Debra Sommerfield told Lake County News that one residence was destroyed and seven outbuildings were destroyed or damaged.
The aggressive efforts by firefighters had saved 10 homes in the fire’s path near Murphy Springs, and prevented the fire getting to another 50 homes in the Twin Lakes Subdivision, Sommerfield said.
Ten acres of vineyard were destroyed, but Cal Fire said firefighters saved another 90 acres of winegrapes.
In addition, Cal Fire said 11 vehicles and 12 pieces of equipment – the latter ranging from a riding lawn mower to a bulldozer – were destroyed by the fire.
Sommerfield said that as of 3 p.m. the mandatory evacuations for the Murphy Springs area had been lifted. She said Murphy Springs Road was being reopened to residents only.
State and local officials said no injuries have occurred.
Cal Fire said Pacific Gas & Electric is continuing to work on restoring power to residences in the area. Earlier in the day it was estimated that about 30 customers were still without power.
Cooperating agencies include Cal Fire, Lake County Fire Protection, Kelseyville Fire, Lakeport Fire, Northshore Fire, South Lake County Fire, Williams Fire Department, US Forest Service, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, American Red Cross, Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, Lake County Animal Care and Control, the California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Caltrans, Lake County Public Health Department, Lake County Road Department and PG&E.
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.