Lower Lake, Calif -- According to the Cal Fire a.m. report fire affected acreage stands at 3929 acres with containment rising to 55% and no injuries reported.

Through Wednesday night firefighters continued to mop up and secure more of the fires perimeter while damage Inspection Teams continue to survey the fire area to determine how many structures have been damaged or destroyed. 

Current data indicates that the fire has destroyed 268 structures; including 175 single-family homes, 8 commercial structures, and 85 other structures such as sheds and smaller outbuildings. Structures threatened number 316.

As surveys are completed and additional data is confirmed, the number of structures damaged or destroyed may rise.

Evacuation oreders remain in place for areas within the fire perimeter served by Morgan Valley Road.

Main Street, east of the Highway 29 and Highway 53 junction. Lake Street, south of Dam Road.

Three Evacuation centers remain open: Kelseyville High School Seventh Day Adventist Church Twin Pines Casino, 5480 Main St. 3500 Hill Rd E. 22223 Hwy 29, Kelseyville CA, 95451 Lakeport CA, 95453 Middletown CA, 95461.

Still working the fire are California State Parks and Recreation, California Highway Patrol, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Fire Protection District, Lake County OES, City of Clearlake, Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, USFS, CDCR, PG&E, CCC, Red Cross, BLM, California Fish and Wildlife, ALS ground ambulance providers, and CAL-OES.

Total personnel working the fire number 2131 with 201 engines, 26 water tenders, 12 Helicopters, 59 hand crews and 23 bulldozers.

For more information visit www.fire.ca.gov and www.readyforwildfire.org 

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The #LakeCountyRising fundraising campaign announced that it is accepting donations to support survivors of the Clayton fire.

Lake County’s wine industry is once again coming together to support yet another wildfire in Lake County, this time in the small community of Lower Lake.

The Clayton fire, which started Saturday evening, is estimated to have burned nearly 4,000 acres and destroyed 268 structures. It's expected to be fully contained on Sunday.

#LakeCountyRising was established in September 2015 in the wake of the Valley Fire, which burned 76,000 acres, destroyed 1,300 homes and took four lives.

Once again, thousands of Lake County residents are displaced from their homes by the wildfires. Many have been separated from pets and loved ones and are waiting to learn the fate of their homes and businesses.

The #LakeCountyRising fund has again mobilized. To donate, visit: http://lakecountyrising.org/donate/ .

To donate by check, send your check made payable to Lake County Wine Alliance, memo “Lake County Rising Fire Relief Fund,” to Lake County Wine Alliance, P.O. Box 530, Kelseyville, CA 95451.

Donors who have contributed to this fund in the past are encouraged to continue their support by donating again.

The #LakeCountyRising fund has raised over $1 million to date. Contributions have been used to support community recovery after the Valley fire, with funds going to a wide range of community based organizations.

Approximately one-third of funds raised were used to support short-term needs with another third for medium term needs. The balance has been allocated for long-term community rebuilding.

For details, visit http://lakecountyrising.org/giving-back/ .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – After years of effort, the Kelseyville Community Skatepark opened to enthusiastic young skaters and BMX riders on Wednesday.

Construction on the 9,000-square-foot concrete skatepark, located at the three-acre Kelseyville Community Park at 5270 State St., had begun in May and recently was completed.

It cost $265,000 to build the skatepark, which is the first facility of its kind in the unincorporated county.

Supervisor Rob Brown, who has championed the skatepark, was on hand with other county officials – including Sheriff Brian Martin, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson and Lake County Public Services Department staff – to celebrate the grand opening Wednesday morning.

Brown said the skatepark was a big deal for him as well as the young people who have been waiting for it to open and who had helped work on the park at various times.

“None of this happens with just us or with the kids,” said Brown, crediting parents and other community members for supporting the skatepark's creation, which he said was critical due to the county's lean resources. “So many people have been involved in this.”

He added, “To see something like this happen in this day and age, when resources are so limited for government, it's just unbelievable. It's amazing.”

Brown called the skatepark “an investment” in the community.

He said there had been talk about postponing the grand opening due to the Clayton fire, but ultimately the county decided to move forward, believing a positive event was needed.

And, he added, “The kids have waited a long time for this.”

Once the skatepark was open, it was kept busy throughout its first day, as bikers, skaters and scooters riders tried it out.

The skatepark's opening during this year's Olympics is appropriate, since in four years skateboarding will make its Summer Olympics debut in Tokyo.

Check out the first day's skatepark action in the video above.

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.

FINLEY, Calif. – The 27th annual Vineyard Run for Literacy will take place Sunday, Oct. 9, in conjunction with the annual Steele Wines Harvest Festival.

All proceeds from the event go to the Lake County Literacy Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting reading and writing skills in the community and to support literacy tutoring activities throughout Lake County.

Several times a year trainings for volunteer tutors are held. Tutors are then paired with Lake County residents in need of improving their literacy skills.

In addition The Families for Literacy Program provides books for children under the age of 6 so that parents can read to their children and break the cycle of illiteracy.

Race participants can choose to compete in a 10K Run or a 5K Walk/Run. Register by going online, mailing in your registration or in person on race day. Medals will be awarded to winners in each age category. The overall top three male and female winners will receive prizes.

Online registration is now open and continues through Oct. 6 at http://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Kelseyville/VRFL . Early registration fee for adults is $20; ages 6 to 18 is $5; and ages 5 and under are free.

The deadline for early registration is Oct. 3. Late registration begins Oct. 4 and the fees increase from then through race day. Adult fee is $30; ages 6 to 18 is $10.

Join the Sponsor Challenge. Individuals who bring $100 in sponsor donations to the cashier table on race day will get their registration fee waived. Download sponsor sheets and guidelines at http://lclcoalition.wix.com/lclc or call 707-263-7633.

Teams may be formed of four or more participants. The team may walk or run as a group, as individuals, or as a combination. Teams can have fun or advertise themselves by dressing creatively, carrying a banner, or wearing school or club shirts, etc.

Challenge your team members to get sponsor donations. Ten members times 10 sponsors at $10 each could equal $1,000 per team.

Local merchants generously donate raffle prizes and all participants are entered into the drawing. After completing the course, participants should check the prize table to see if their bib number was drawn. Raffle prizes must be claimed on race day.

The Vineyard Run for Literacy is a great opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy the autumn weather amid the agricultural beauty of Finley. Registration forms are available online at http://lclcoalition.wix.com/lclc , by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , by calling 707-263-7633 or at any Lake County Library location.

Registration forms and Vineyard Run T-shirts will be available at the coalition’s booth at the Pear Festival, Sept. 24, at the corner of Third and Main, Kelseyville. T-shirts cost $15.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Clayton fire edged closer to full containment on Thursday, as firefighters continued to strengthen lines and deal with flare-ups, and damage assessment teams continued to work through the fire area.

The fire, burning since Saturday afternoon, remained at 3,929 acres, with containment on Thursday night up to 60 percent, according to Cal Fire.

On Thursday firefighters mopped up hot spots and flare-ups, and made fire suppression repairs in an effort to minimize the effects of the fire's damage, Cal Fire said.

Firefighters on Thursday night also were keeping an eye out for wildlife, with radio reports indicating they were seeing a mother bear and her cubs work their way through a drainage in the fire area.

Cal Fire's damage inspection teams also continued surveys of the fire area, tallying the number of damaged or destroyed structures. As a result, the number of destroyed structures rose again.

Cal Fire said the latest assessment numbers indicate that the fire has destroyed 300 structures; that includes 190 single-family homes, eight commercial structures, and 102 other structures such as sheds
and smaller outbuildings.

Because assessments are still ongoing, that number could continue to rise, Cal Fire said.

With Cal Fire reporting that 316 structures are still threatened, mandatory evacuations are continuing within the fire perimeter served by Morgan Valley Road. Evacuation centers remain open at Kelseyville High School, the Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church and Twin Pine Casino.

Limited street closures also remain in place. Main Street in Lower Lake, east of the Highway 29 and Highway 53 junction, and Lake Street, south of Dam Road, are still closed, officials said.

As containment has risen, Cal Fire has begun to scale back resources on the fire.

On Thursday evening there were a total of 1,742 personnel assigned to the fire, along with 147 engines, 42 hand crews, 24 water tenders, 11 dozers and 10 helicopters, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire continues to estimate full containment on the fire will be reached on Sunday.

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.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lower Lake County Water District system was significantly impacted by the Clayton fire, and the district said Thursday its staff is struggling to get the recovery process under way.

The district reported that the office is still without power and under an evacuation notice. 

General Manager Phil Spooner reported working under extraordinary conditions to try to reestablish water levels and pressures.  

As a result of the current conditions, the district said that the entire water system is under a mandatory boil water order.  

The district said customers need to be aware that it takes a great deal of time and work to recover a public water system after such a devastating fire. 

As was experienced in the Valley fire, further damage to water lines caused by cleanup crews and other utility agencies is unavoidable, according to the Thursday report.

There will be service interruptions and boil water orders for some time, the district said.

Things customers can do to prepare for water outages and pressure loss are:

– When returning home, bring bottled water with you. There will be interruptions in service and a supply of drinking water will be needed.

– Inspect your home to make sure there are no open hose bibs or broken lines.

– Use water sparingly until the tank levels can be restored. Do not hose down houses or cars.

– Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking or cooking.

– Water had to be turned off to many surviving homes to try to stop leaks and restore pressure. If you return home and do not have water you can call 707-489-1831 for assistance.

While the district said it is understandable that everyone wants to return home as quickly as possible, it urged those who are staying in shelters to continue to do so for a few days until all utilities can be restored.  

“Remember that in a catastrophic fire such as this one, recovery is slow and painful. Everything that can be done to bring the system back to normal operating conditions is being done. Patience and cooperation from all customers will help speed the recovery process,” the district said in its Thursday announcement.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College, which was evacuated on Sunday and closed temporarily due to the Clayton fire, is reopening.

The campus will resume student services and book store services at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18.

Classes – which were to have started Aug. 15 – will begin the week of Aug. 22.

Phone lines have been repaired and are open to serve students immediately, according to Campus Executive Dean Annette Lee.

Lee told Lake County News that the campus looks to be in good condition.

In addition to the phone repairs, the only other issue on campus identified in the wake of the fire was a broken exterior window on the south side of the administration building, Lee said.

“We really appreciate the increased surveillance the local law enforcement agencies have been providing,” she said.

All students wishing to complete enrollment, financial aid paperwork, or purchase textbooks are encouraged to visit the campus at 15880 Dam Road Extension this Thursday and Friday.

For more information call 707-995-7900 or visit http://lcc.yccd.edu .