LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The fire that began Thursday afternoon and moved at a fast rate in the Clearlake area ultimately was controlled before it could destroy any structures, while authorities arrested a woman on suspicion of setting the fire.

The Ogulin fire, first dispatched just before 1 p.m. Thursday in the area of Highway 53 and Ogulin Canyon Road, prompted evacuations along Highway 53 south of Ogulin Canyon Road, and closed a portion of Highway 53 for several hours.

The fire, driven by the wind, grew at what fire officials called an “extreme rate of spread,” quickly going from less than an acre in 10 acres within minutes, according to reports from the scene.

By early evening, the fire had been contained at 17.2 acres, evacuations were called off and the roads reopened.

Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta said the fire agencies that responded included Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Northshore Fire, South Lake County Fire and the United States Forest Service.

“Everybody jumped in,” said Sapeta.

At one point there were 14 engines on scene, Sapeta said. That’s in addition to the numerous air tankers, helicopters and air attack from Cal Fire that were part of an aggressive response.

Sapeta said the city of Clearlake sent a water tender, as did Lake County Public Services, whose director, Lars Ewing, sent the truck from the landfill. That was important because the fire area had no water supply.

He said everyone did an amazing job on the ground and in the air, fighting a fire in an area with so much vegetation for fuel.

As a result of the response, Sapeta said no structures were damaged or destroyed, and only one power pole might need to be replaced.

“It’s nice that we live in a county where there's that high level of cooperation” and response, said Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White.

White said the response was seamless, with everyone working together.

White’s agency was on scene and receiving help from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly after firefighters arrived, sheriff’s deputies also got to the scene, where they were in contact with 41-year-old Angela Smith of Clearlake, who made statements about starting the fire.

White said Smith was found to have what were believed to be drugs in her possession and she was making erratic comments. She had mentioned the fire had started due to her lighting a cigarette.

During the encounter with police she invoked her right to counsel, White said.

White said a Cal Fire investigator and Clearlake Police detective took over the investigation and interviewed witnesses.

He said Smith was arrested for unlawful burning of forestland, arson of forestland during a state of emergency — in this case, due to drought conditions — and possession of a controlled substance.

Back on the fire lines, work continued overnight to monitor the fire area, Sapeta said.

“We’ll have crews on it all night,” and hit it again first thing Friday morning, Sapeta told Lake County News Thursday evening.

While fire crews did a good job of overhaul, Sapeta said there were areas within the interior that were still smoldering.

This summer, there have been several close calls with small fires that could have grown to be destructive and devastating, had they not been quickly spotted by community members of volunteers at the Mount Konocti fire lookout — as happened with the 21-acre Main fire in Lower Lake July 8 — and had a strong response from firefighters.

Sapeta acknowledged that the county has been lucky, with firefighters being very aggressive and bringing all of their resources to the fight early.

“We’re stopping them,” he said of the fires.

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.