LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With no new acreage increase on the Rocky fire and a steady increase in containment, officials began to allow some evacuees to go home on Thursday, with more displaced residents to be allowed home Friday and area highways to reopen.
Cal Fire's Thursday evening report on the fire said acreage remained at 69,600, with containment up to 45 percent. Full containment is expected on Aug. 13.
On Thursday, the Rocky fire's eighth day, Gov. Jerry Brown visited with officials at the Cowboy Camp Trailhead in Colusa County to get an update on the efforts to fully contain the fire, the largest now burning in California.
There were no reports of any additional structures burned on Thursday, with the total count remaining at 96 structures destroyed – 43 residences and 53 outbuildings – and eight structures damaged.
Improving conditions led officials to report on Thursday night that Highway 20 and Highway 16 are expected to reopen on Friday.
State Sen. Mike McGuire told Lake County News following his Thursday night town hall meeting that Highway 20 was expected to open on Friday at 10 a.m.
On Thursday morning the Lake County Sheriff's Office began its first repopulation of some areas near Lower Lake, as Lake County News has reported.
Those specific areas included Highway 29 to west of the Jerusalem Road and Jerusalem Grade Road intersection, Morgan Valley Road to and including Broken S Ranch Drive, east of Bonham Road, Broken S Ranch Drive, Staehle Lane, Spruce Grove Road, Cantwell Ranch Road, Ridge Road, Lake Ridge Road, North Road, Pine Oak Lane, Noble Ranch Road, Circle L Ranch Drive, Black Bass Pass, Jerusalem Grade to west Jerusalem Road, June Bug Drive, Jerusalem Valley Road, Canyon Road, Quarterhorse Lane, Daly Place, Hale Street, Clayton Creek Road, Ellen Springs Road, Honey Do Ranch Road, Rancho Sendero Way, Diamond Ridge Road and Rocky Trail.
Cal Fire announced on Thursday evening that the second phase of repopulation would begin Friday morning for areas including Spring Valley.
Beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, residents can return to Paradise Canyon, New Long Valley Road, Old Long Valley Road, Salt Canyon, Indian Hill Road, Flaming Hills Lane, Red Rock Road, Red Rock Court, Round Mountain Road, Fern Way, Juniper Way, Holly Way, Golden Red Way, Shasta Road, Cougar Road, Jeep Trail, Smith Lane, Pueblo Trail, Quail Trail, Meadow Creek Road, Cache Creek Road, Wolf Creek Road, Spring Valley Road, Riverview Road, Rocky Ridge, Chalk Mountain Road, Cache Creek Winery, Elm Way, Dogwood, Cedar, Blue Berry, Acacia Way, Acacia Street, Doe Trail, Madrone Way, Peach Way, Quince Way, Redwood Way, Sequoia Way, Tamarack Way, Weeping Willow Way, Yucca Way, Coyote Way, Elk Way and Fox Way.
However, the Double Eagle Ranch and some areas along Highway 20 are remaining under mandatory evacuation, Cal Fire spokesman Dominic Polito said Thursday night.
The full list of remaining mandatory evacuation areas can be found at http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=1161 .
Authorities are working to make sure the evacuated areas are safe for residents in order to accommodate them going home in the quickest, safest way possible. County road crews are clearing roadways, while utility workers are checking trees and power lines.
Residents returning to their homes are told to contact Pacific Gas and Electric immediately if they see electrical wires on the ground. Trees and poles with deep charring, particularly if still smoking, should be considered hazardous.
Cal Fire said conditions on the fire lines are being aided by good humidity recovery, which has contributed to diminished fire activity. Pockets of isolated intense heat still remain near the containment lines.
“There's a few hot spots and there's some interior flare ups that they've been putting in crews to handle,” Polito said Thursday night.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the fire area and a large portion of Northern California on Thursday due to an overnight and morning forecast that includes thunderstorms and little rain.
However, as of shortly before 9:30 p.m. Thursday, the weather was not causing issues, and conditions were looking “really good,” Polito said.
The number of total fire personnel assigned rolled back slightly by Thursday evening, with 3,551 firefighters, 309 engines, 94 fire crews, 40 water tenders, 36 bulldozers, 17 helicopters and four air tankers, according to Cal Fire.
The Lake County Quality Management District reported that weather forecasts indicate degrading conditions which will allow smoke impacts in the Lake County air basin through Friday.
The district said most of Lake County experienced “moderate” air quality intermittently during the late morning and early afternoon on Thursday, with “moderate” to “unhealthy” air quality in areas impacted by smoke.
Similar conditions are expected Friday, when east by southeast winds are forecast, which could bring more smoke into the basin. Slight variations in the wind direction can result in significant smoke impacts, the district 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.