Mendocino Complex: General incident and community information for Aug. 8
- Lake County News reports
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This is the Mendocino Complex general information update for Wednesday, Aug. 8.
This story will be updated on a rolling basis until 11:59 p.m. with important new information, including acreage and containment estimates, and evacuation developments.
The Mendocino Complex on Wednesday morning reached 300,086 acres and 47 percent containment. The Ranch fire is 251,166 acres and 46-percent contained, and the River fire is 48,920 acres and 81-percent contained.
With a large increase in containment, the mandatory evacuations for the communities of Upper Lakes, Nice, Lucerne, Pepperwood Grove, Paradise Valley, Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks was lifted as of 11 a.m. Wednesday. Those areas remain under advisory evacuation, but residents may return home.
With the changes in evacuation status, a number of road closures were modified. See list below.
The following summary includes updated information on sheltering for humans and animals, air quality, road closures, reconnecting with friends and family after an evacuation, where to donate and volunteer, prescriptions and important information numbers, including how to contact local emergency operation centers.
To suggest additions to this resource and information list, please contact Editor and Publisher Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-274-9904.
AIR QUALITY
The Lake County Air Quality Control District issued an “unhealthy” air quality alert for the portions of Clearlake and all of the Northshore results from the heavy smoke conditions expected from the burn areas. All other areas of Lake County are forecast to have “moderate” to “unhealthy” conditions depending on the wind and fire conditions.
Conditions in the South County (Middletown, Hidden Valley, and Cobb) are “unhealthy” and Lakeport and Kelseyville were “moderate” on Tuesday morning, though conditions worsened to “unhealthy” by midday. When particulate levels reach “unhealthy” levels, everyone needs to take steps to protect themselves from exposure.
All areas of the County are likely to have periods of “good” to “moderate” air quality as the winds shift through the next few days, but the potential for periods of "unhealthy" air quality continues through the work week.
All areas of the county may experience “unhealthy” air quality as smoke settles into the basin in the overnight and morning hours. The smoke typically lifts by mid day into the evening resulting in “good” to “moderate” air quality later in the day.
Current air quality information can be found here: https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_state&stateid=5&mapcenter=0&tabs=0.
EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTERS/PUBLIC INFORMATION
County of Lake Emergency Operations Center: 707-263-3450
City of Lakeport Lake Emergency Operations Center (24/7): 707-263-5683
Cal Fire Public Information Line: 707-574-8261
Caltrans: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi; 800-427-7623
Pacific Gas and Electric online outage center: https://m.pge.com/#outages.
EVACUATIONS
MANDATORY
Anyone who remains in the areas under mandatory evacuation orders must remain on their property. Any unauthorized person who willfully and knowingly enters a disaster area and who willfully remains within the area after receiving notice to evacuate or leave shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Lake County
• Portions of Spring Valley, all of the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision, Walker Ridge area (see map).
Mendocino County
• South of Eel River, west of the Mendocino-Lake County line, east of 10500 block of Mid Mountain Road, and north of Pine Avenue. Note: Houses on Pine Avenue are not affected.
Colusa County
• South of the Glenn-Colusa County line, east of the Lake-Colusa County line, north of Highway 20, and west of Bear Valley/Leesville Lodoga Road/Sites Lodoga Road/County Road 401.
ADVISORIES/WARNINGS
Lake County
• Upper Lakes, Nice, Lucerne, Pepperwood Grove, Paradise Valley, Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks (CHANGED TO ADVISORY FROM MANDATORY AT 11 A.M. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8).
Mendocino County
• Mendocino County north of Mid Mountain Road, south of the Eel River, west of the 10500 block of Mid Mountain Road and east of East Potter Valley/Eel River roads.
• The Bureau of Land Management closure remains in effect for the Cow Mountain Recreation Area.
Glenn County
• North of the Glenn County/Colusa County line, west of County Road 306, south of County Road 308, east of the Mendocino National Forest boundary.
EVACUATION SHELTERS
Evacuation shelters offer overnight accommodations.
• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown
• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown
• Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road (AT CAPACITY)
• Middletown Middle School, 15846 Wardlaw St.
• Mountain Vista Middle School, 5081 Konocti Road in Kelseyville
• Colusa County Veterans Hall, 108 E. Main St., Colusa
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.; requests can be made to check on animals that were left behind.
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.
ROAD CLOSURES
Lake County
• Elk Mountain Road at Middle Creek
• Clover Valley Road at Clover Drive (Upper Lake Cemetery)
• Bartlett Springs Road at Highway 20
• Old Long Valley Road at Highway 20
• New Old Long Valley Road at Highway 20
• High Valley Road, half a mile north of High Valley Ranch Road
Mendocino County
• Mill Creek Road, half a mile east of Old River Road
• Eel River Road at County Road M6 (20N01)
Colusa County
• Northbound Bear Valley at Highway 20
• Leesville at Bear Valley Road
• Southbound Leesville-Lodoga Road at Sites-Lodoga Road
• Sites-Lodoga Road north of Maxwell Sites Road
• County Road 306, half a mile north of the county line
PUBLIC LAND AND PARK CLOSURES
Cache Creek Management Area
The Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office is temporarily closing the Cache Creek Management Area, which includes Cowboy Camp, due to the potential risk to public safety from the nearby Mendocino Complex Fire.
Included in this temporary closure are the Cowboy Camp Equestrian Area; Blue Ridge, Cache Creek Ridge, Frog Pond, Fisk Creek, High Bridge, Judge Davis, Langs Peak, Perkins Creek Ridge and Redbud trails; Cache Creek; Cache Creek Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas; and the Buck Island Rafting Area. The BLM has also closed the Cow Mountain Recreation Area and Indian Valley, which are actively burning. Public lands on Walker Ridge are also closed to all access.
The Ukiah Field Office has increased fire restrictions, which prohibit recreational target shooting and ban all campfires and open flame.
Read more at https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-ukiah-increases-fire-restrictions-limits-shooting-Aug2018.
A complete listing off all fire restrictions on BLM-managed public lands in California is available at https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/california/fire-restrictions. For specific questions, please contact the Ukiah Field Office, Monday through Friday, at 707-468-4000.
Highland Springs Recreation Area and Mt. Konocti County Park
Highland Springs Recreation Area, Mt. Konocti County Park and regional trails are closed until further notice, action the county of Lake took on July 27 due to concerns about fire danger and the availability of local fire resources. The River fire also had moved toward Highland Springs at one point.
Indian Valley Management Area
On Aug. 2 the Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office temporarily closed the Indian Valley Management Area in eastern Lake and western Colusa counties for public safety due to the proximity of the Mendocino Complex Fire.
Mendocino National Forest
Mendocino National Forest officials have issued two orders for closures on the forest due to the Ranch fire.
Forest Order No. 08-18-12 closes the area, roads and trails in the vicinity of the Ranch fire.
Forest Order No. 08-18-13 closes roads, trails and campgrounds in a large area due to the Ranch Fire on the Upper Lake ranger district. The purpose of the closure is to provide safety to the public and for the firefighters on the incident.
The closure will remain in place until hazards to the public are diminished.
The details are posted on the forest Web site at https://tinyurl.com/yapyxxpm.
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE – MAIL DELIVERY
The Lakeport Post Office reopened on Friday, with normal hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Kelseyville and Finley Post Offices are open with normal hours of operation.
Customers served by the Upper Lake, Nice, Lucerne, Glenhaven, and Clearlake Oaks Post Offices can pick up their mail at the Clearlake Post Office between the hours of 1 and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m., The Clearlake Post Office is located at 14500 Olympic Dr., Clearlake.
Photo identification required. Change of address forms for temporary mail forwarding are available at the post office.
PRESCRIPTIONS
State law allows for residents in declared emergency areas to fill prescriptions at available pharmacies, even if it is not where your prescription is on file.
Please bring your medication bottle(s) and/or the actual medication with you to help the pharmacist fill your prescription. The pharmacist will contact your physician for confirmation.
In addition, California Pharmacy Law (Section 4054) provides that pharmacists may in good faith furnish a “reasonable” supply of medications or devices to patients in emergency conditions without a prescription.
Patients who need to obtain prescription medications or devices on an emergency basis should go to an open pharmacy and bring their original prescription containers or be able to provide their physician’s name.
Before filling the prescription, the pharmacist should make every reasonable effort to contact the original prescriber, and should make an appropriate record. That record must include the basis for proceeding under this section.
It is important to remember that the prescriber will not have any liability as a result of refilling a prescription under this section of law. The law was designed to offer this protection during states of emergency.
Any questions or concerns about this section of California Pharmacy Law that may arise should be referred to the Lake County Emergency Operations Center, 707-263-3450.
HOW TO DONATE
The county of Lake is unable to accept in-kind donations, such as clothing, household goods and other supplies, in the fire recovery effort. In-kind donations require significant time and financial resources to distribute.
Cash donations are most helpful at this time; such donations allow those supporting disaster relief efforts to direct assistance where it is most needed.
Donations can be made to the fire fund established by North Coast Opportunities, https://www.ncoinc.org/.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is immediately seeking volunteers to assist with disaster response in Lake County. Help is needed with shelters, feeding, logistics and administrative tasks.
For general inquiries about volunteering, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To apply online visit https://tinyurl.com/MendoComplexVol.
Organizations and agencies seeking volunteers can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be added to this list.