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NORTH COAST, Calif. – On Sunday four more victims of the wildland fires in Sonoma County were identified.

A total of 36 people have died in the wildland fires in Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa counties this past week, officials said.

Most who have been named have been elderly.

Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano said his department has so far identified 14 of the 22 people who have died so far in his county from the fires.

The latest victims identified are Santa Rosa residents Sharon Rae Robinson, 79, Daniel Martin Southard, 71, and Carmen Colleen McReynolds, 82; and Lee Chadwick Roger, 72, of Glen Ellen.

Those previously identified as having died in Sonoma County’s fires include Santa Rosans Carol Collins-Swasey, 76, Lynne Anderson Powell, 72, Arthur Tasman Grant, 95, Suiko Grant, 75, Valerie Lynn Evans, 75, and Veronica Elizabeth McCombs, 67; Larkfield residents Donna Mae Halbur and Leroy Peter Halbur, both age 80; Carmen Caldentey Berriz, 75, of Apple Valley; and Michael John Dornbach, 57, of Calistoga.

Area officials report that they are continuing the process of searching for missing persons from the fires.

Giordano reported that he continues to run 300 people on every shift in the effort to keep the fire-impacted communities safe.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire said Saturday night that firefighters did another good day’s work on containing the fires in the Mendocino Lake Complex, while at the same time the acreage estimate for the Sulphur fire was reduced.

The Mendocino Lake Complex is composed of the Sulphur fire, burning since Monday morning in Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks, and the Redwood fire, which also began Monday morning in Redwood and Potter Valleys.

On Saturday night, Cal fire said significant progress had been made over the previous 24 hours in the effort to contain both of the fires in the complex.

The complex’s size reached just over 37,200 acres by nightfall Saturday with 32-percent containment, Cal Fire said.

As part of that overall number, the Sulphur fire’s size was reduced from 2,500 acres to approximately 2,207 acres to reflect more accurate mapping, with the fire’s containment up to 70 percent, Cal Fire said.

The Redwood fire’s acreage was at 35,000 acres, with containment at 30 percent. Cal Fire said the Redwood Fire continues to present challenges as resources actively mop up and
extinguish hotspots around structures. However, officials said the fire’s southwest perimeter continues to hold.

The number of deaths in the Redwood fire remains at eight, Cal Fire said.

Eight hundred structures are still threatened, Cal Fire said, while 410 single-family residences have been destroyed. Of those, 136 are in Lake County, according to a local damage assessment report.

Cal Fire said the resources assigned to the complex on Saturday included 2,415 personnel, 143 engines, 31 water tenders, 16 helicopters, 69 hand crews and 50 dozers.

As of Saturday night, Cal Fire said there were approximately 2,000 evacuees from the Redwood Fire, while the last of the evacuation orders in Lake County were lifted on Friday.

The entire complex is expected to be contained by Nov. 1, Cal Fire said.

Officials said the cause of the complex’s fires remains under investigation.

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.
Posted On

Advisory: Evacuation advisory for Spring Valley, Clearlake Oaks has been lifted.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office has issued an advisory notice that all evacuation notices for Spring Valley in Clearlake Oaks have been lifted.

New Long Valley Rd remains restricted to one way traffic until all fire apparatus can be removed.

Fire crews will remain on scene in the area throughout the night.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Air Quality Management District said smoke and haze that has made its way into Lake County’s air basin over the past week due to local and regional wildland fires dissipated on Sunday as a result of favorable wind conditions.

Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the smoke from the Tubbs fire in Napa and Sonoma counties, the Pocket fire in Sonoma County and the Redwood fire in Mendocino County has not settled into the basin since Friday night.

Gearhart said the “good” to “moderate” air quality forecast with a chance of “unhealthy” air quality results from the variable weather conditions experienced in Lake County and the region.

As containment improves on the fires, conditions should improve. Gearhart said smoke from these fires is likely to continue to impact the county with winds from the west being forecast for Tuesday.

Gearhart said current particulate levels in Lake County range from “good” in the Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake areas to the “good” range in the northern portions of the county.

South winds are forecast to cause smoke to increase again in the Lake County Air Quality basin, though the transition to an east wind overnight is expected to help clear out the county for Monday, Gearhart said.

All areas of the county may experience “unhealthy” air quality at times when conditions become unfavorable, though overall conditions are improving. Gearhart said the smoke is expected to intermittently impact all of Lake County through the week.

With air quality forecast to be in the “good” to “moderate,” all areas of the county should remain prepared for “unhealthy” conditions if conditions change, Gearhart said.
Posted On

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As firefighters make progress on containing the region’s wildland fires, law enforcement officials have continued the tragic task of recovering and identifying the dead, with the death toll from the fires rising again on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, the Sonoma County Coroner’s office reported that five more deaths had been confirmed from the fires, raising that county’s deaths to 22.

The identifications and notifications to next of kin were being made on Saturday, with more name to be released on Sunday, officials said.

The 22 deaths confirmed by Sonoma County officials so far come from the 94,370-acre Central LNU Complex, composed of the Tubbs, Pocket, Nuns and Oakmont fires.

The complex’s latest count of destroyed structures rose to 3,462 on Saturday evening, with 36,746 still threatened, according to Cal Fire.

The Central LNU Complex’s growing damage assessment has pushed it to the top of the list of the most damaging wildland fire in the state’s history.

It has surpassed the 2,900 homes destroyed in the 1991 Tunnel fire, a rekindle of the Oakland Hills fire in Alameda County, although so far that fire remains the deadliest incident, with 25 deaths attributed to it.

The 2015 Valley fire in Lake County, with 1,955 structures destroyed and four confirmed deaths, remains in the top four most damaging fires in the state’s history.

The Redwood fire in Mendocino County, which is being managed along with the Sulphur fire as the Mendocino Lake Complex, has claimed eight lives, according to Cal Fire. No deaths have been reported as a result of the Sulphur fire.

On Saturday the fire-related death toll also was confirmed to have risen In Napa County.

The Napa County Sheriff’s Office said two more bodies were found at a residence in the 1900 block of Soda Canyon Road, bringing the total to six.

It’s believed that the two victims are 90-year-old Sally Lewis, the homeowner, and her caretaker 50-year-old Teresa Santos, but the sheriff’s office said positive identifications have not yet been made.

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.
Posted On

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Firefighters have stopped the forward progress of a wildland fire that began early Saturday morning in Spring Valley.

The Long fire began on Spring Valley Road off of Highway 20, five miles east of Clearlake Oaks, was first reported just before 5 a.m., as Lake County News has reported.

By late Saturday morning, Cal Fire reported that firefighters had stopped the fire’s forward progress.

Just before 11 a.m., the fire was 100 acres, with containment at an estimated 10 percent, Cal Fire said.

That acreage estimate was rolled back to about 41 acres just before noon, according to reports at scene.

Initially resulting in an evacuation notice to residents of Spring Valley and New Long Valley, at about 9 a.m. Saturday the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Spring Valley was no longer in immediate danger.

As a result, the mandatory evacuation and shelter in place orders have been lifted, according to Lt. Corey Paulich.

Residents of Spring Valley as well as residents located to the west of New Long Valley Road to Highway 53 are currently under an evacuation advisory, Paulich said. An evacuation advisory is not a mandatory evacuation.

He said residents are advised to gather their medications, pets and important papers. Residents should be prepared to leave the area with little notice. If the situation worsens the sheriff’s office will issue a mandatory evacuation notice.

Paulich said it’s anticipated that New Long Valley Road will be reduced to one-way controlled traffic for most of the day.

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.
Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While Middletown schools are anticipated to remain closed on Monday, other schools and colleges around Lake County are reporting that they expect to resume classes.

Due to a continuing evacuation advisory for the Middletown area as a result of the Central LNU Complex that’s burning in neighboring Napa and Sonoma counties, the Middletown Unified School District reported on Sunday evening that there will not be classes on Monday.

Middletown and several other districts had suspended classes last week because of the regional fires as well as the Sulphur fire in Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks, as Lake County News has reported.

Kelseyville Unified and Konocti Unified, which also had been closed last week, reported on Sunday that they also expected to be back in session on Monday.

Kelseyville Unified said it is monitoring the wildfire and air quality situations closely and will inform families about any possible changes to the school schedule.

The district also reported that buses will run their regular routes and school will start at all campuses at their regular times.

Lakeport Unified, Upper Lake Unified and Lucerne Elementary are also expected to be in normal session on Monday. Of those districts, only Lucerne Elementary had reported a closure early last week.

The community colleges serving Lake County also will resume classes on Monday.

Executive Dean Annette Lee confirmed to Lake County News on Sunday evening that the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College will be open and back in session as regularly scheduled on Monday.

Lee said the school’s offices also will be open.

Mendocino College classes will reopen Monday at the main Ukiah Campus, the North County Center in Willits, the Lake Center in Lakeport and Coast Center in Fort Bragg, according to spokeswoman Jessica Silva.

Additionally, Silva said the Mendocino-Lake Community College District has opened it facilities to the Red Cross and will officially be the Ukiah shelter location for residents of Potter and Redwood valleys that have had to evacuate due to the Redwood fire, which is part of the Mendocino Lake Complex.

Mendocino College Ukiah Campus facilities also continue to be open for public use daily, Silva said.

Bathrooms and showers are available in the Mendocino College Athletic Building. Silva said towels, shampoo, soap, and other hygiene items are provided.

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.
Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Air quality conditions that had degraded around Lake County over the past week due to the local and regional wildland fires are continuing to improve.

On Saturday the Lake County Air Quality Management District said the smoke and haze visible through areas of Lake County this week have dissipated as a result of the moderate northeast winds.

The smoke from the Tubbs fire in Napa and Sonoma counties, the Pocket fire in Sonoma County, and the Redwood Complex fire in Mendocino County has not settled into the basin since Friday night, according to Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart.

Gearhart issued a “good” to “unhealthy for everyone” air quality alert on Saturday due to the variable weather conditions experienced in Lake County and the forecast for extended smoke impacts.

As the winds associated with the red flag warning subside, the smoke from these fires is expected to return to Lake County with a potential for unhealthy conditions, Gearhart said.

Gearhart said Saturday that particulate levels in Lake County are in the range from “good” in the Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake areas to “good” range in the northern portions of the county.

With the subsiding of the northeastern winds, the smoke levels in the county are expected to increase. As a result, Gearhart said all areas may experience “unhealthy” air quality at times, though overall conditions are improving.

The smoke is expected to remain in Lake County through the weekend, though there may be periods of improved or degraded air quality as the winds shift through the next few days, he said.

With air quality forecast to be in the “good” degrading to potentially “unhealthy” conditions, people are recommended to use caution when the smoke is present, avoid strenuous activity, avoid outdoor activities when possible, and reduce other sources of air pollution (such as smoking, use of aerosol products, frying or broiling meats, burning candles, vacuuming, etc.) and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions, according to Gearhart.

He said localized areas of very unhealthy or hazardous air quality, regional haze, and particulate from these fires can be expected until the regional fires are fully contained and the weather pattern shifts to clear the smoke. Take appropriate measures until the smoke clears.
Posted On

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A new wildland fire began early Saturday morning in the Spring Valley community.

The Long fire on Spring Valley Road off of Highway 20, five miles east of Clearlake Oaks, was first reported just before 5 a.m., according to reports from Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

About an hour after dispatch, the sheriff’s office ordered residents in the Spring Valley and New Long Valley areas to evacuate to the Spring Valley Community Center, located on Wolf Creek Road, or to shelter in place because of the fire.

Cal Fire Division Chief Greg Bertelli said significant resources have been assigned to the fire and that they are making good progress.

However, he said they are not out of the woods yet on the firefighting effort.

The sheriff’s office said at around 7:20 a.m. that the fire is burning west and away from the Spring Valley community, with several fire units on scene fighting the fire.

At that point, the sheriff’s office was continuing to order residents in the area to shelter in place.

Early estimates put the fire at about 20 acres, but Bertelli estimated at around 7:45 a.m. that the fire potentially was going to be more than 50 acres.

He said wind speeds in the area are expected to peak at about 9 a.m. Saturday.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

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.
Posted On


THE GEYSERS, Calif. – The work of thousands of firefighters around the North Coast is beginning to bring major wildland fires in neighboring counties under control and is preventing them from progressing to Lake County’s borders.

This week, in addition to responding to the Sulphur fire in Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks, and then the Long fire in Clearlake on Saturday morning, county supervisors have been doing their best to keep south county residents calm due to the proximity of the Tubbs and Pocket fires.

Cal Fire is managing the Tubbs, Pocket, Nuns and Oakmont fires under one incident, the Central LNU Complex, with total size at 94,370 acres.

On Saturday night, Cal Fire said containment on the Tubbs fire, at 35,470 acres, rose to 50 percent, with the Pocket fire at 11,246 acres and 15-percent containment, the Nuns fire at 47,106 acres and 15-percent containment; and the Oakmont fire, at 550 acres and 10-percent containment.

The Central LNU Complex has destroyed 3,462 structures and killed 22 people, officials said Saturday night.

Resources assigned to the complex on Saturday had grown, with total personnel increasing to 3,439, along with 343 engines, 43 water tenders, seven helicopters, seven air tankers, 68 hand crews and 80 dozers.

Firefighters slowed the rate of spread of both fires on Saturday, with the Tubbs fire growing by 200 acres and the Pocket fire burning another 250 acres, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said the most active portion of the Tubbs fire is still the northeastern portion around Red
Hill and Mount Saint Helena, where the fire continues to make short uphill runs around to the north side of the peaks.

While the incident has crept closer to the Lake County line, on Saturday night Cal Fire Division Chief Greg Bertelli confirmed that it was not yet within Lake County.

On the Pocket fire, Cal Fire said the incident continues to the east, with crews continuing their progress in increasing containment.

District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon and District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown have been leading the effort in responding to concerns about the fire and working to dispel fears that have arisen because of posts on social media that in some cases have panicked south county residents.

Simon said he’s in constant communication with Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

He’s also personally put eyes on the Tubbs fire every day to assess its distance to southern Lake County.

While the Middletown area remains under an evacuation advisory issued on Wednesday, he said the fire lines are holding.

“I think Mother Nature is cooperating,” he said in a Saturday evening interview with Lake County News.

If evacuations are necessary, the message would come out through the appropriate channels, including the sheriff’s Nixle alerts, which Simon urged people to continue to keep an eye on at this time.

While social media is good, Simon said it’s better to have information directly from officials.

Brown was on the ground in Spring Valley on Saturday morning when firefighters stopped the forward progress of the Long fire, which began shortly before 5 a.m.

The last size report on the fire from the scene on Saturday afternoon put the fire’s size at 41 acres, as Lake County News has reported.

In an effort to better illustrate the distance of the fires Tubbs and Pocket fires from Lake County, on Saturday afternoon, Brown and Calpine Director of Engineering Tim Conant hosted Lake County News on a tour through The Geysers geothermal steamfield, which stretches across 45 square miles in southern Lake County and Northern Sonoma County.

From the ridges in the steamfield, the smoke from both fires was clearly visible, with tankers flying through the Pocket fire area.

Both Brown and Conant explained that the Pocket fire would have to turn around, cross several ridges, hillsides and creeks, and the burn scars or both the Valley fire and last year’s Sawmill fire to reach Lake County.

In the case of the Tubbs fire, the winds were blowing the smoke and the fire away from Lake County.

In the video above, they explain the situation and point out the fires’ locations in relation to Lake County.

After driving a circuit from Bottle Rock Road through The Geysers, Highway 101 and then back over the Hopland Grade, it became clear that the fire remained several miles away from Lake County and that the wind is blowing to the east and away from the county.

“It is highly unlikely that Lake County will be at risk,” said Brown, agreeing with Cal Fire’s assessment of the situation.

Cal Fire said the Central LNU Complex is expected to be fully contained on Oct. 20.

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.
Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. –  I want to provide an update for District 1 residents who remain concerned about reports that the Tubbs Fire may move north toward Middletown.
 
I was able to put eyes on the Tubbs Fire last night, with the help of the tremendous people from CAL FIRE.  Right now, the lines and the plans they have in place are holding well, and the winds are cooperating.
 
As District 1 Supervisor, please know that I am in constant communication with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and CAL FIRE.  Currently, we remain under an Advisory, which is not a full evacuation.  Response teams are using every resource available to them to ensure these fires do not advance.  
 
With Mother Nature’s help, we are optimistic the Tubbs Fire will be contained, and never reach our side of the mountain.
 
We are deeply appreciative and grateful for the outstanding work of so many over the past week.  Our firefighters have been truly remarkable.
 
If evacuation is required, please rest assured that we will get the word out through appropriate channels.
 
Please continue to focus your attention on Nixle, CAL FIRE, the Lake County Office of Emergency Services and Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook posts, and other reliable communications.  
 
Again, CAL FIRE Chief Greg Bertelli consistently reminds us, “There is a difference between information and intelligence.”
 
I will personally continue to monitor the best intelligence available, and any need to evacuate will be communicated in a timely manner.
 
If evacuation is ultimately required, we ask that you proceed in an orderly fashion, and follow the specific instructions of your emergency response officials.
Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Friday authorities lifted the remaining Sulphur fire evacuations for residents of Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks as firefighters continued their push to fully contain the incident.

Cal Fire’s end-of-day report on the fire, burning since early Monday morning, put the containment up to 60 percent, with the size remaining at 2,500 acres.

Conditions had improved enough in the Sulphur fire area on Friday afternoon that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the city of Clearlake were able to lift the remaining evacuations hours ahead of schedule.

The Sulphur fire is being managed by Cal Fire’s Incident Management Team 4 as part of the Mendocino Lake Complex, which also includes the Redwood fire in Redwood and Potter valleys.

Cal Fire said the Redwood fire, which also began on Monday, was at 34,000 acres with 20 percent containment on Friday night. Eight deaths have been confirmed in that incident so far.

One thousand structures remain threatened on the complex, and 314 homes and 167 minor structures have been destroyed by both fires, according to Cal Fire.

Officials have reported 168 structures – including 136 residences – were destroyed in the Sulphur fire alone, as Lake County News has reported. A map of the destroyed properties is below.

Cal Fire said resources assigned to the entire two-county complex include 2,230 personnel, 134 engines, 24 water tenders, 15 helicopters, 64 hand crews and 40 bulldozers.

The entire Mendocino Lake Complex is expected to be contained by Nov. 1, Cal Fire said.

Other large fire incidents continue to actively burn in neighboring Napa and Sonoma counties.

The Southern LNU Complex in Napa and Solano counties has burned 48,228 acres and is 45-percent contained. Cal Fire said it has destroyed 234 structures and is threatening another 5,000.

Resources committed to the Southern LNU Complex include 1,724 personnel, 172 engines, 18 water tenders, 21 helicopters, 24 hand crews and 23 dozers.

The Central LNU Complex burning in Napa and Sonoma counties since Sunday night has burned 92,370 acres and resulted in 17 deaths, according to Cal Fire.

That incident includes the Tubbs fire, 35,270 acres and 44-percent contained; the Pocket fire, 10,996 acres and 5-percent contained; and the Nuns fire, 46,104 acres and 10 percent contained.

Cal Fire said that group of fires is threatening 33,943 structures and has so far destroyed 2,107.

There are approximately 2,901 firefighting personnel, 321 engines, 43 water tenders, 12 helicopters, six air tankers, 59 hand crews and 62 dozers working that complex, Cal Fire reported.

Full containment on the Central LNU Complex is estimated to take place by Oct. 20, based on Cal Fire’s Friday report.

The causes of all of the region’s fires remain under investigation, Cal Fire said.

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.


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