LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters on Wednesday fully contained the last of two wildland fires that had broken out the previous evening in Lake County as well as a fire in Napa County.

Cal Fire said the Kugelman fire in Lower lake was fully contained on Wednesday evening at 45 acres.

It had first been reported shortly before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday off of Kugelman Street at Highway 53.

It destroyed one structure and had resulted in evacuations, as well as a power outage that lasted several hours and impacted several thousand area residents, as Lake County News has reported.

A second fire, the Canyon, which was located off of Seigler Canyon Road and Highway 29, was reported just minutes after the Kugelman incident. The Canyon had been fully contained on Tuesday night at 14 acres, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said fire crews had worked through the night and much of the day Wednesday to fully contain the Kugelman incident and to extinguish exterior hot spots.

Resources remaining committed to the incident on Wednesday evening included 10 engine companies, two water tenders, two fire crews and a total of 75 personnel, including overhead or command staffers, Cal Fire said.

In neighboring Napa County, the Knoxville fire also was fully contained Wednesday evening, burning a total of 36 acres, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said the Knoxville incident was first reported just after 6 p.m. Tuesday on Berryessa-Knoxville Road near Lake Berryessa.

No structures were damaged or destroyed in the fire, officials reported.

Approximately 54 fire personnel, five engine companies and two fire crews remained on scene Wednesday evening, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said investigators are still working to determine the causes of the Kugelman and Knoxville 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.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A powerful earthquake shook Lake County Tuesday night, and was followed a short time later by sizable aftershocks.

A preliminary report from the US Geological Survey said the quake, which occurred at 7:57 p.m., measured 5.1 on the Richter scale.

Its epicenter was located 11 miles north northeast of Upper Lake, 11 miles southeast of Lake Pillsbury, 26 miles north northwest of Clearlake and 24 miles east northeast of Ukiah, at a depth of 11 miles, the US Geological Survey reported.

Residents from around Lake County reported feeling the quake.

Some reported that it rolled for about 15 seconds. For others, it felt like a strong jolt, followed by a rolling motion and a second, stronger shake.

As of 8:45 p.m., the US Geological Survey reported receiving more than 700 shake reports from 62 zip codes, with those numbers continuing to climb.

Reports came in from all around Lake County, and from the neighboring counties of Mendocino, Glenn, Colusa and Sonoma. Other reports came from as far away as Chico, Morgan Hill, Vacaville, West Sacramento and San Francisco, with still more reports being submitted.

For those who want to file a shake report, go to http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc72672610#shakemap and click on “Felt Report” in the lefthand column.

The magnitude 5.1 quake is one of the largest to hit Lake County over the last decade, based on a review of earthquake records.

Some residents reported on Lake County News' Facebook page that it was the strongest quake they had felt in the county in decades, with furniture moving, houses creaking and pool water shaking.

One community member said it was the worst she had experienced in more than 40 years of living in Lake County.

That main quake was followed by a series of aftershocks that began about nine minutes later, including a 2.7-magnitude quake northeast of Upper Lake at 8:08 p.m. and a 3.0 quake north northeast of Upper Lake at 8:24 p.m., based on US Geological Survey records.

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.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – On Wednesday Cal Fire officials said the Valley fire – the third most destructive in California's history – was the result of faulty wiring.

The announcement came at a Wednesday afternoon press conference at Cal Fire's Middletown station that the agency had called only a few hours beforehand.

Cal Fire said its investigators were dispatched as part of the initial response to the fire 11 months ago and immediately began working to determine the origin and cause of the fire. 

The ensuing investigation, which Cal Fire said was comprehensive, uncovered evidence that a residential electrical connection arced and ignited surrounding dry grass.

Cal Fire said it is submitting its investigation report to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for review. A copy of the final report can be found at http://calfire.ca.gov/fire_protection/fire_protection_firereports .

Cal Fire's release of the results of its investigation came just a month short of the Valley fire's one-year anniversary.

The fire erupted in the area of High Valley Road on Cobb on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, sweeping through southern Lake County and also burning into Napa and Sonoma counties.

State Sen. Mike McGuire said the fire's damage in Lake County alone is estimated at $1.2 billion.

At the height of the fire nearly 20,000 people – or close to one-third of Lake County's population – were forced to evacuate from the communities of Anderson Springs, Clear Lake Riviera, Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake, Loch Lomond, Twin Lakes and Middletown.

The Valley fire resulted in four confirmed fatalities.

Altogether, the Valley fire burned 76,067 acres and destroyed 1,955 structures, among them approximately 1,349 residences, according to Cal Fire's final damage estimates.

At its peak, more than 4,000 firefighters battled the blaze which cost nearly $57 million to extinguish. Four firefighters with Copter 104 from the Boggs Mountain Helitack were seriously injured in the initial attack.

The incident was fully contained on Oct. 6, 2015.

A full story on the press conference and report will be posted later on Lake County News.

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. – Firefighters are continuing to work fires in and around the Lower Lake area that began early Tuesday evening.

The main incident, the Kugelman fire, was dispatched as a grass fire in the 15000 block of Kugelman Street just after 5:15 p.m.

A short time later another fire was reported on Seigler Canyon Road, about a mile from Highway 29.

Reports from the scene indicated that multiple structures were threatened by the blazes, with mutual aid requested from fire agencies around the lake and from Mendocino County.

Less than 10 minutes after dispatch, Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta was calling for evacuations due to the Kugelman incident.

He also asked to have Highway 53 closed at Dam Road and Jesse. Later, the California Highway Patrol reported that Seigler Canyon and Perini roads were closed.

Meanwhile, the first units arriving on scene at the fire on Seigler Canyon reported that there was one structure fully involved and five acres of vegetation on fire, and power lines down. That fire was on both sides of Seigler Canyon Road, with the fire on the west side burning up a slope and threatening multiple structures.

Lake County Social Services on Anderson Marsh Parkway was reported to be evacuating shortly after the Kugelman fire was reported, as the building was in immediate threat.

At about 5:30 p.m., another fire was reported in the area of Highway 29 and Diener Road near a Pacific Gas and Electric facility, according to radio reports. However, units responding to the area said they didn't find any fire there.

A spot fire jumped Lake Street shortly before 6 p.m., with Sapeta calling for immediate evacuations of Bryant Road and Lake Street.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office subsequently ordered evacuations in the Bonham and Big Bear Road areas shortly after 6 p.m.

Officials also activated the Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection group under Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Cal Fire aircraft and engines were coming from inside and outside of Lake County to help battle the fires, according to radio reports.

Just before 7 p.m. the sheriff's office reported that parents of children at Lower Lake High and Lower Lake Elementary School could respond to pick up their children. Parents were instructed to travel to the area of Main Street to Adams Street to pick up children in the school parking lots.

Reports from the scene just before 7:30 p.m. stated that the Kugelman incident was 45 acres and 20-percent contained, based on measurements taken from Cal Fire air attack. A size estimate was not given at that time for the other fire.

At about the same time, the CHP said that Highway 53 was open to one-way traffic.

Also at 7:30 p.m., officials released Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection from the scene.

Incident command also reported at around 7:45 p.m. that officials were repopulating some specific areas in Lower Lake, while the Seigler Canyon fire area was remaining evacuated.

Some Cal Fire units were leaving the Lower Lake incidents to respond to another wildland fire in Napa County, according to radio reports.

Additional 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.

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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters continued their work overnight on two wildland fires that burned in Lower Lake beginning on Tuesday evening, resulting in evacuations and power outages.

The Kugelman and Canyon fires were reported minutes apart shortly before 5:30 p.m., as Lake County News has reported.

Firefighters first responded to the Kugelman fire at Kugelman Street and Highway 53, with the Canyon fire occurring in the area of Seigler Canyon Road at Highway 29.

Cal Fire issued a late Tuesday night report putting the Kugelman's size at 45 acres with 70 percent containment. The Canyon burned 14 acres and was fully contained by about 9:30 p.m.

Each of the fires burned one structure, according to Cal Fire.

When firefighters first arrived at the scene of the Kugelman incident, they found it was rapidly spreading and threatening structures, resulting in evacuations for Morgan Valley Road to Bonham Road. The nearby Lake County Social Services building also was evacuated, based on reports from the scene.

In addition, firefighters reported lines down, with power later shut off at the request of incident command.

At the peak of the outages, Pacific Gas and Electric reported that nearly 9,100 customers were without power in the fire areas.

Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported that, as of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, the mandatory evacuation orders had been lifted.

Road closures also had been lifted, except for one-lane traffic remaining in effect on Seigler Canyon Road late Tuesday, Cal Fire said.

In addition to Cal Fire and Lake County Fire, agencies involved in responding to the incidents included Lakeport Fire, Kelseyville Fire, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol and Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection.

Resources assigned to the incidents late Tuesday included 15 engine companies, five volunteer companies, four water tenders, four fire crews, two bulldozers and 150 personnel, including 10 overhead personnel, Cal Fire said. Air resources had been utilized on Tuesday evening.

Cal Fire said firefighters would remain assigned to both incidents through the night and into Wednesday. On the Kugelman fire, firefighters were working to establish containment lines and extinguish interior hot spots, while mop up was taking place on the Canyon incident.

The causes of both 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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A small wildland fire temporarily closed a portion of Highway 16 early Tuesday morning.

The Cowboy fire was first reported on Highway 16 near the junction with Highway 20 in Colusa County and near Cowboy Camp trailhead at approximately 11:59 p.m. Monday, according to radio reports.

The fire was estimated to be about five acres in size and burning uphill just before 12:30 a.m., reports from the scene indicated.

At that point incident command requested that Caltrans respond to close a portion of Highway 16 near the junction with Highway 20.

Shortly before 2 a.m. the fire's forward progress was stopped by firefighters, with significant work needed to put in control lines around the fire, incident command reported.

One lane of traffic was ready to be reopened at around 3 a.m., according to radio reports.

Shortly before 4 a.m. the fire was reported to be contained at just over six acres, according to incident command.

Radio reports indicated that Cal Fire and local fire crews responded from Colusa, Lake and Yolo counties.

Incident command estimated that resources could be committed to the fire into Tuesday afternoon.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Firefighters are working to fully control a wildland fire burning in neighboring Napa County.

The Knoxville fire was reported just after 6 p.m. Tuesday on Berryessa-Knoxville Road, according to Cal Fire.

The incident began as firefighters were battling two fires in Lake County near Lower Lake. Some resources from the Lake County fires later were diverted to the Napa County incident, according to radio reports.

By late Tuesday night, the Knoxville fire had burned 39 acres and was 36-percent contained, Cal Fire reported.

Cal Fire said no structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Berryessa-Knoxville Road remained closed overnight at the East Side Access, officials said.

Cal Fire said 15 engine companies, four volunteer companies, four water tenders, four fire crews, two bulldozers and 150 personnel, including five overhead or command personnel, were committed to the fire.

Fire crews were to stay on the scene through the night, working to increase containment, according to Cal Fire.

The agency said the fire's cause remains under investigation.

In addition to Cal Fire, the Napa County Fire Department and the Napa County Sheriff's Office were involved with the response, officials 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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man who led a police sergeant on an early morning vehicle pursuit and foot chase was apprehended and found to be in possession of a homemade gun.

James Thomas West, 41, was taken into custody following the chase, which occurred early Monday, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department.

At 2:20 a.m. Monday, Clearlake Police Sgt. Travis Lenz was on patrol when he observed a 1998 Volkswagen Jetta driving on Lakeshore Drive without its headlights on. Hobbs said the driver of the vehicle later was determined to be West.

Hobbs said Lenz attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle by activating his patrol vehicle's emergency lights. 

West turned his vehicle from Lakeshore Drive onto Kabal Street and accelerated to approximately 50 miles per hour in the posted 25 mile per hour zone. Hobbs said West continued to flee and drove towards the east end of Kabal Street. 

Near the end of Kabal Street, West lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a parked car. Hobbs said the parked car then moved forward and crashed into a second parked car and the second parked car moved forward and struck a tree.

Hobbs said West exited the vehicle and fled on foot to a foot path that leads from the east end of Kabal Street to Memory Lane. 

About 200 yards down the footpath, Sgt. Lenz caught up with West and was able to place him under arrest, Hobbs said.

During a search incident to West's arrest, Lenz located ammunition in one of West’s pants pockets, according to Hobbs.

Hobbs said that during an inventory search of the vehicle, Lenz located a loaded homemade zip gun in between the driver’s seat and the center console of the vehicle West had been driving.

The ammunition in West’s pocket also was the same caliber as the ammunition in the zip gun found in the vehicle, Hobbs said.

West was booked into the Lake County Jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of a zip gun, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, resisting arrest, hit and run, felony evading and driving with a suspended driver’s license, Hobbs said.

Jail records showed that West's bail was set at $65,000. He remained in custody early Tuesday.