Lucerne fire destroys two homes, damages third; barbecue ruled the cause

LUCERNE, Calif. – A barbecue started a fire that destroyed two homes, damaged a third and also burned several outbuildings Thursday evening in Lucerne.

The fire in the 4200 block of Foothill Drive in Lucerne was first dispatched at about 5:30 p.m., as Lake County News has reported.

Northshore Fire, Cal Fire, the US Forest Service from the Mendocino National Forest and a strike team of engines from fire departments around the county responded to the incident, according to Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos.

For close to two hours Cal Fire air attack circled overhead as two Cal Fire helicopters made drops on the fire, flying back and forth between Clear Lake to fill their buckets.

Cal Fire tankers also dropped retardant on the hillside to keep the fire from getting to more of the many homes lining Foothill Drive.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to help evacuate a portion of Foothill Drive between Bond Court and Windsor Way, and the area of Sunset Ridge. They were joined by California Highway Patrol officers who controlled traffic in the area.

Pacific Gas and Electric sent a crew to the scene, as it had been reported that lines were down.

Incident command reported forward progress was stopped at around 7 p.m., with line placed all around the fire at that time.

Beristianos said a barbecue started the fire, which then burned two homes to the ground and did major damage to a third.

He said three outbuildings and two vehicles also were destroyed, and three and a half acres of vegetation burned.

There was no defensible space around the homes, Beristianos noted, adding that had there been, they might have been saved.

Beristianos said Red Cross had been called to help the families displaced by the fire.

He said there were a couple of reports of minor injuries but nobody had been transported to the hospital.

He said a firefighter rescued a dog from one of the homes. The small pit bull ran back inside of the house and jumped on the bed, but the firefighter was able to wrap the dog up in a blanket and bring it out safely.

Animal Care and Control Office Holly Bray was on scene. She said she was taking four cats to the shelter for housing overnight, with their owner expecting to pick up them up on Friday.

All evacuations were lifted at around 7:45 p.m. Thursday, but the roadway remained closed for several hours as firefighters continued mop up and overhaul late into the night.

Hours after the fire was out, firefighters continued to wet down the burned structures and the surrounding vegetation, with fire hoses lining the roadway.

Beristianos said crews would remain on scene “well into the night” to continue monitoring and overhauling the site.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.