CLEARLAKE, Calif. – With the Clayton fire approaching, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake has been closed and patients are being evacuated, and authorities have closed a stretch of Highway 29 near Lower Lake.
The Clayton fire was at 2,000 acres, with 5-percent containment Sunday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.
Hospital officials confirmed Sunday afternoon that the facility – located on 18th Avenue in Clearlake – had been closed due to the fire.
“All patients are being transferred to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport. St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake will remain closed until further notice,” the hospital said in a statement.
Radio reports indicated that about 16 or 17 patients needed to be transported from the hospital, with not enough fire resources available to have the patients and staff shelter in place. Due to stretched resources, authorities were calling for ambulances from around the county to help with the transports.
Shortly after the hospital confirmed the evacuation, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said that, due to the fire activity in Lower Lake, Highway 29 was closed between Spruce Grove North and Bell Park, with traffic rerouted.
On Sunday the fire's growth – it was jumping roads and containment lines – necessitated an increasing number of evacuations in and around Lower Lake as well as part of the Avenues area in Clearlake.
Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin also declared an emergency due to the fire, as Lake County News has 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.
Clayton fire: St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake closed; portion of Highway 29 shut down
- Elizabeth Larson
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