Mendocino Complex tops 68,000 acres; special meetings called
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino Complex continued to grow steadily on Monday, whipped by winds through steep terrain that challenged firefighting forces both on the ground and in the air, while local officials called special meetings to approve fire emergency declarations.
On Monday evening Cal Fire said the complex, composed of the Ranch and River fires, has burned 68,487 acres and is 5 percent contained. That was an increase of nearly 13,000 acres since Monday morning.
The Ranch fire is now nearly double the size of the River fire, having burned 45,076 acres. It’s 5-percent contained, as is the River fire, now at 23,411 acres.
Cal Fire said the complex continues to burn aggressively when in alignment with wind – reported to be in the mid 20s on Monday evening – along with fuel and topography. Firefighters also are being challenged by long distance spotting.
Weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as hot, dry and windy conditions persist, Cal Fire said.
Resources increased on the complex on Monday. Approximately 1,999 firefighters, 206 engines, 43 water tenders, 12 helicopters, 38 hand crews and 45 dozers are assigned, Cal Fire said.
Both fires triggered a series of new mandatory and advisory evacuation orders from officials throughout Monday, with Kelseyville ordered to evacuate and an advisory evacuation issued for Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera and portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb due to the River’s advance.
Lucerne was placed under an advisory evacuation because of the Ranch fire.
By Monday evening, the tally of destroyed structures had risen to 10 – seven homes, three outbuildings – with two others, a residence and an outbuilding, said to be damaged, according to Cal Fire. Officials have so far not said where all of those structures are.
The official count of threatened structures remains at 10,200, Cal Fire said.
Throughout the day, radio reports from both fires indicated continued fights to deal with changing conditions that caused both fires to act erratically and burn even more aggressively.
On the Ranch fire, crews worked to protect structures in the Blue Lakes and Saratoga Springs areas.
At the same time, the situation on the River fire sounded chaotic as the fire moved toward homes in the area of George and Mathews roads, as well as in the Scotts Creek area and on Dessie Drive and Hendricks Road.
During the early afternoon, reports from the scene stated the fire made a significant run over Scotts Creek, which resulted in bringing in more units for structure protection.
At around 2 p.m. incident command said the fire was too erratic to successfully use air tankers, and that it was jumping dozer line.
The fire at that point was reported to be making a run toward the rock quarry at the bottom of the Hopland Grade. It also was spotting in multiple locations and reached the top of McGregor Ridge, located southeast of Scotts Mountain.
A four-acre spot fire also burned in the area of Mathews and George roads, and at least two other spot fires also were reported nearby.
Supervisor Rob Brown, who has been monitoring the fire throughout the day from the scene, said the River fire was behind Lampson field Field and hadn’t gotten to Highland Springs.
As the evening continued, dozers were ordered to widen a dozer and retardant line all the way to Highland Springs Reservoir
After 7 p.m., firefighters reported that the River was was making another significant push. Within the hour, plans were being made for a firing operation along Scotts Creek, where shortly after 9 p.m. firefighters were reported to be tied up fighting fires cross the creek by the green bridge.
Throughout the day, Lake County Animal Care and Control’s Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection continued to move through the mandatory evacuation area, rescuing animals. At around 4 p.m. they reported removing three alpacas from harm’s way.
Animal control officials said they are still offering animal evacuation support services; call 707-263-0278. Phones are answered by staff between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.
The big evacuation effort on Monday, however, was for people, taking their animals and belongings and working their way through massive traffic jams that developed on the county’s highways.
Residents forced to evacuate – or those who chose to leave early on the advisory notices – have reported using local shelters, staying with friends in other parts of the county or sheltering outside of Lake County altogether due to concerns more evacuations could result.
The sheriff’s office said there will be no law enforcement escorts for evacuated residents into the evacuation areas for the Mendocino Complex wildfires. The evacuated areas are actively being patrolled by law enforcement personnel.
With a mandatory evacuation order now in effect for Kelseyville, shelters at Kelseyville High, Kelseyville Elementary and Mountain Vista Middle School were closed on Monday, according to Sheriff Brian Martin.
A new shelter is due to open at Coyote Valley Elementary, 18950 Coyote Valley Road in Hidden Valley Lake, which will offer 185 beds, Martin said.
In other fire-related news, on Monday afternoon the Lakeport City Council called a special meeting to ratify an emergency declaration issued on Sunday.
The Board of Supervisors also will host an emergency meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The purpose of the meeting is to ratify Sheriff Brian Martin’s local emergency declaration. Additionally, staff from all agencies cooperating to respond to the Mendocino Complex wildfires will be on hand to provide the public a comprehensive update.
The meeting will be streamed live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lakecountycagov/. County officials will monitor and respond to questions posted to Facebook during the meeting. Lake County PEG TV, Mediacom Channel 8 also will broadcast the meeting live.
An updated summary of incident evacuation, shelter and road closure information is below.
EVACUATIONS
MANDATORY
Lake County
• Kelseyville and Finley areas, north of the Lake-Sonoma-Mendocino County Line, east of Highland Springs Road, south of the Lake and west of Bottle Rock Road and Clear Lake State Park.
• Western Lake County, west of Lucerne at Bartlett Springs Road and Highway 20, south of the fire, east of the fire, and north of the Lake-Mendocino County line to include the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley and Saratoga Springs.
Mendocino County
• Potter Valley community; all areas north of Highway 20, east of the fire edge, to the Mendocino-Lake County line, south of Burris Lane to MeWhinney Creek and east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, to include feeder roads utilizing Burris Lane east to the Mendocino-Lake County line.
• Highway 20 area from one mile south of Highway 20, east of Potter Valley Road, south of MeWhinney Creek, and west of Mendocino-Lake County line.
• Pine Avenue area of Potter Valley north of Burris Lane, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 10511 Eastside Potter Valley Road, and west of the Lake-Mendocino County line.
• Midmountain Road area, north of 10551 Eastside Potter Valley Road, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 11385 Eastside Potter Valley Road, west of Mendocino-Lake County Line.
• Hopland area north of Highway 175, east of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175, south of the fire and west of the Mendocino-Lake County line.
ADVISORIES/WARNINGS
Lake County
• Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera, portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb. The advisory includes all residents living north of Lake-Sonoma County Line, east of Bottle Rock Road, south of Clear Lake and west of Soda Bay Road, Red Hills Road, and Highway 175, including the subdivisions of Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, and Clear Lake Riviera west of Soda Bay Road.
• Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County.
• Lake Pillsbury basin and surrounding areas.
• North of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn
County line, and west of Lake-Colusa County line.
• Lucerne and Paradise Valley areas, north of Clear Lake, east of the Ranch fire, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of Paradise Valley Drive.
Mendocino County
• North of 8000 block of River Road to Yokayo Ranch Road.
• South of 8000 Old River Road, east of the Russian River, north of Highway 175, west of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175.
ROAD CLOSURES
Lake County
• Highway 175, at Highway 29 to westbound traffic
• Elk Mountain Road at Middle Creek Road
• Highway 20, westbound at Highway 29
• Highway 20, westbound at Bartlett Springs Road
• Soda Bay Road at Clark Road
• Highway 29, northbound at Cole Creek
• Bottle Rock Road at Cole Creek Road
Mendocino County
• Highway 175, at Old River Road to eastbound traffic
• Midmountain at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Mill Creek Road, half a mile east of Old River Road
• Pine Avenue at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Highway 20 at Potter Valley Road
• Elk Mountain Road south of Pillsbury Road
EVACUATION SHELTERS
Evacuation shelters offer overnight accommodations.
• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Coyote Valley Elementary, 18950 Coyote Valley Road, Hidden Valley Lake
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.
• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown
CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AFTER EVACUATIONS
The Safe and Well locating service from the American Red Cross is now active.
Visit https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php to list yourself as safe, using the Mendocino Complex Fire-July 2018 Disaster Event.
If you’re looking for someone, use the same link and click on “Search Registrants.”
ANIMAL EVACUATIONS
Lake County
Large livestock can be taken to Cole Creek Equestrian Center, 4985 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville, telephone 707-279-0915; or to Helen Owens’ A1 Horse Programs, 18585 Guenoc Lane, Hidden Valley Lake, telephone 707-355-0121.
Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection has been activated and is still offering animal evacuation support services. Call Lake County Animal Care and Control Department at 707-263-0278. Phones are answered by staff between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.
The Animal Care and Control Shelter is not accepting pets at this time.
The SPCA of Clear Lake, 8025 Highway 29, is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and is accepting senior pets, or pets with medical issues and/or heat distress.
If you can keep your pets with you, please do so. Pet supplies are delivered to all open evacuation shelters regularly.
Mendocino County
Redwood Riders Arena, 8300 East Road, Redwood Valley is accepting horses.
Mendocino County Animal Care, 298 Plant Road, Ukiah is accepting small animals.
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.