NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – California State Public Health Officer and Director Dr. Sonia Angell is urging residents in areas where wildfires are burning to stay indoors and reduce outdoor activity to avoid the inhalation of smoke.
“Breathing smoke can irritate eyes and lungs, and aggravate serious health conditions such as asthma, and lung and heart problems,” said Dr. Angell. “Californians, especially children, older adults, and women who are pregnant, should reduce outdoor activity and stay indoors if possible.”
Residents should monitor children and check-in on others who may be more susceptible to the health impacts of wildfire smoke. Seek immediate medical care if someone is experiencing chest pain, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.
The following tips can help Californians reduce smoke inhalation during wildfires:
Stay indoors: Stay inside with the doors and windows closed to reduce exposure to smoky air. If you have power, run an air conditioner if you have one. If the air conditioner has a recirculate option, use it. Smoke levels can change during the course of a day, so try to stay indoors during smokier times.
Reduce activity: Reduce physical activity to reduce inhalation of smoky air. During exercise, people can increase their air intake as much as 20 times from their resting level.
Be prepared: Monitor wildfire activity in your area and be prepared to evacuate if advised.
For information on air quality in your area and how to protect your health during wildfires, please visit the CDPH website.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a big new group of dogs waiting for homes this week.
The kennels also have many dogs that need to be reunited with their owners. To find the lost/found pet section, click here.
The following dogs are ready for adoption. They include mixes of American Staffordshire Terrier, husky and shepherd.
“Balto.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Balto’
“Balto” is a male husky mix with a short black and brown coat.
He already has been neutered.
He is No. 2739.
“Blue.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Blue’
“Blue” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
He has a short blue and white coat and has been neutered.
He is dog No. 2420.
“Bones.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Bones’
“Bones” is a male hound mix.
He is dog No. 3038.
“Charlotte.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Charlotte’
“Charlotte” is a female Akita mix.
She is dog No. 3040.
“King.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘King’
“King” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a short brindle coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 3034.
“Ollie.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Ollie’
“Ollie” is a male terrier puppy with a tricolor coat.
He is dog No. 2951.
“Spice.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Spice’
“Spice” is a female pug mix with a short tan and black coat.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 3033.
“Teena.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Teena’
“Teena” is a female terrier.
She is dog No. 3025.
“Tyson.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Tyson’
“Tyson” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier mix.
He has a short gray and white coat.
He has been neutered.
Tyson is dog No. 1863.
Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.
Hours of operation area noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays; the shelter offers appointments on the days it’s closed to accommodate people.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s Web site.
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.
Whether it is two-wheeled transportation or hitting the road by foot, safety is a two-way street.
To help fund the California Highway Patrol’s yearlong effort to drive the message home, the department was awarded the California Pedestrian and Bicyclist Enforcement and Education Project VII grant, which began Oct. 1 and enables officers to conduct enhanced-enforcement patrols and public awareness campaigns.
“Pedestrian and bicyclist safety are a priority for the CHP,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “This grant provides us additional resources to enhance the safety of the most vulnerable roadway users.”
Pedestrian and bicycle fatalities account for nearly 28 percent of all traffic-related deaths in California.
Approximately one-half of all pedestrian crashes in the state occur at a crosswalk. The CHP reminds motorists that every corner is a crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked.
On Oct. 2, National Walk to School Day, the CHP focused on locations with high numbers of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes.
Officers in plain clothes worked with uniformed officers to monitor crosswalks for motorists and pedestrians who failed to yield the right-of-way or who took unsafe and illegal actions.
School zone enforcement operations will take place throughout the year. To improve pedestrian safety in school bus zones, officers will ride school buses to watch for drivers who fail to stop for flashing red lights. When they spot a driver who has not stopped, they will relay the vehicle description to an officer in the vicinity.
The educational component funds traffic safety rodeos and educational presentations related to safe and courteous traffic safety behavior.
The grant also supports safety publications, bicycle helmets, reflective gear and other safety equipment.
Funding for this program was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Artist’s concept illustrating a catastrophic collision between two rocky exoplanets in the planetary system BD +20 307, turning both into dusty debris. Ten years ago, scientists speculated that the warm dust in this system was a result of a planet-to-planet collision. Now, SOFIA found even more warm dust, further supporting that two rocky exoplanets collided. This helps build a more complete picture of our own solar system’s history. Such a collision could be similar to the type of catastrophic event that ultimately created our Moon. Credits: NASA/SOFIA/Lynette Cook. A dramatic glimpse of the aftermath of a collision between two exoplanets is giving scientists a view at what can happen when planets crash into each other.
A similar event in our own solar system may have formed our Moon.
Known as BD +20 307, this double-star system is more than 300 light years from Earth with stars that are at least one billion years old. Yet this mature system has shown signs of swirling dusty debris that is not cold, as would be expected around stars of this age. Rather, the debris is warm, reinforcing that it was made relatively recently by the impact of two planet-sized bodies.
A decade ago, observations of this system by ground observatories and NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope gave the first hints of this collision when the warm debris was first found.
Now the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA, revealed the infrared brightness from the debris has increased by more than 10 percent – a sign that there is now even more warm dust.
Published in the Astrophysical Journal, the results further support that an extreme collision between rocky exoplanets may have occurred relatively recently. Collisions like these can change planetary systems. It is believed that a collision between a Mars-sized body and the Earth 4.5 billion years ago created debris that eventually formed the Moon.
“The warm dust around BD +20 307 gives us a glimpse into what catastrophic impacts between rocky exoplanets might be like,” said Maggie Thompson, a graduate student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the lead author on the paper. “We want to know how this system subsequently evolves after the extreme impact.”
Planets form when dust particles around a young star stick together and grow larger over time. The leftover debris remains after a planetary system forms, often in distant, cold regions like the Kuiper Belt, located beyond Neptune in our own solar system.
Astronomers expect to find warm dust around young solar systems. As they evolve, the dust particles continue to collide and eventually become small enough that they are either blown out of a system or pulled into the star.
Warm dust around older stars, like our Sun and the two in BD +20 307, should have long since disappeared. Studying the dusty debris around stars not only helps astronomers learn how exoplanet systems evolve, but also builds a more complete picture of our own solar system’s history.
“This is a rare opportunity to study catastrophic collisions occurring late in a planetary system’s history,” said Alycia Weinberger, staff scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science’s Department of Terrestrial Magnetism in Washington, and lead investigator on the project. “The SOFIA observations show changes in the dusty disk on a timescale of only a few years.”
Infrared observations, such as those from SOFIA’s infrared camera called FORCAST, the Faint Object Infrared Camera for the SOFIA Telescope, are critical for uncovering clues hidden in cosmic dust. When observed with infrared light, this system is much brighter than expected from the stars alone. The extra energy comes from the glow of the dusty debris, which can’t be seen at other wavelengths.
While there are several mechanisms that could cause the dust to glow more brightly – it could be absorbing more heat from the stars or moving closer to the stars – these are unlikely to happen in just 10 years, which is lightning fast for cosmic changes.
A planetary collision, however, would easily inject a large amount of dust very quickly. This provides more evidence that two exoplanets crashed into each other. The team is analyzing data from follow-up observations to see if there are further changes in the system.
SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope.
It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley manages the SOFIA program, science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart.
The aircraft is maintained and operated from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Kincade fire on Friday continued to challenge firefighters as it created spot fires and burned through rugged terrain into Lake County, prompting a Friday night evacuation warning for Cobb area residents.
Cal Fire said Friday night that the Kincade fire, which began Wednesday night in The Geysers geothermal steamfield, has burned 23,700 acres. It remains at 5 percent containment. Full containment on the fire is expected on Oct. 31.
The number of structures destroyed in Sonoma County remained at 49, with 600 more threatened.
Throughout the day, the main fire continued to throw smaller spot fires ahead of it – some as far as two miles – and was even spotting over power lines in the area, according to radio traffic.
Scanner reports indicated that it was moving toward the Lake-Sonoma County line in the area of Sawmill Flat Road.
On Friday night, Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin said the fire had crossed into Lake County.
Based on evaluations and assessment of fire behavior and weather activity, Martin’s office issued an evacuation warning at 8:15 p.m. for residents of Cobb Mountain and some surrounding communities, including Adams Springs, Hobergs, Cobb, Whispering Pines, Gifford Springs, Anderson Springs and those residents living on Ford Flat Road and Socrates Mine Road.
The sheriff’s office said an evacuation warning is not a mandatory evacuation, simply a warning and an opportunity for residents to prepare.
Martin told Lake County News shortly before 9 p.m. that, as the crow flies, the fire is about two miles from any south county neighborhoods.
“Out of an abundance of caution we issued the evacuation warning,” Martin said, explaining that the goal was to give people time to get ready.
In Sonoma County, Sheriff Mark Essick reported Friday night that evacuation orders are remaining in place, which he said he understands is causing frustration.
As an example, Essick said aggressive individuals have been approaching checkpoints into the evacuation area where California Highway Patrol and sheriff’s deputies are staged.
He said 50 deputies are patrolling in Geyserville and to the east of the town to offer help with evacuations, direction and support. So far, there are no reports of looting.
Essick said his agency also hasn’t received missing person’s reports or reports of fire-related fatalities.
With the effort to contain the fire under way, and with what Essick and other officials are calling a “historic” wind event expected this weekend, he explained what people can do to help authorities.
“We’d like you to stay home,” he said.
Unless people are evacuated, Essick asked them to stay off the road and highways, remain vigilant, stay informed and keep in contact with neighbors, especially the elderly and the infirm.
Officials report incident on fire lines; more winds in the forecast
Just before 4 p.m., there was an incident in the area of Pine Flat Road that resulted in a request for a strike team of five engines and three ambulances to care for several individuals – including at least one firefighter plus two to three civilians. All were reported to be conscious and alert and were being transported out of the fire area by line medics.
At the Friday night briefing, Cal Fire officials reported that they didn’t have specifics but would release more information as soon as they had it.
Aircraft have continued to be critical in the firefight. On Friday they worked throughout the day, with all fixed and rotary wing aircraft reported to be off the fire for the night at 6:30 p.m.
On Friday night, firefighters began conducting firing operations to slow the fire’s spread.
Quiet overnight weather conditions are expected, with single digit winds from the northwest, low humidity and temperatures dropping into the mid 50s.
Fire officials are continuing to monitor conditions related to a weather event expected to arrive on Saturday night, bringing with it heavy winds.
On Friday, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the region – including Lake County – that will be in effect from Saturday through Monday due to fire weather conditions. At the same time, Pacific Gas and Electric is considering another large public safety power shutoff across more than 30 counties, including Lake and Sonoma.
Smoke from the fire has continued to push into Lake County’s air basin.
On Friday, Lake County Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the Kincade fire was responsible for smoke and haze in Cobb and Middletown, and it was expected to reach Hidden Valley Lake unless there was a change in prevailing winds. All other areas of Lake County expected to have periods of “moderate” to “unhealthy” air quality conditions depending on the wind.
Gearhart said these conditions are expected to impact Lake County through Saturday and intermittently until the fires are out.
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.
A map of the Kincade fire released by Cal Fire on Friday, October 25, 2019.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Faced with an incoming weather system that could bring some of the most powerful winds California has experienced in decades, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said it is continuing to monitor the situation as it decides whether to implement another public safety power shutoff across a huge swath of its California service area, including Lake County.
As of Friday afternoon, the company said it hadn’t yet determined whether to move forward with a shutoff, but will continue to monitor weather conditions and provide more definitive information on the potential timing and scale of shutoffs as weather models are updated.
At the same time, the National Weather Service on Friday issued a red flag warning that’s in effect for Lake County from 11 a.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Monday due to hot, dry conditions that raise the possibility of fire.
The agency also has issued a high wind watch for Lake County timed for 11 a.m. Saturday through 11 p.m. Sunday.
PG&E said the potential public safety power shutoff could affect approximately 850,000 customers and may impact portions of 36 counties across portions of Humboldt, the Sierra foothills, Western Sacramento Valley, North Bay, and across the greater Bay area, Monterey Bay and northern Central Coast on Saturday, Oct. 26. Customers in the southernmost portion of PG&E’s service area in Kern County could have power shut off for safety on Sunday, Oct. 27.
This potential shutoff could see the power shut off to 100,000 more customers than were impacted in the shutoff that began on Oct. 9.
In this predicted shutoff, all of Lake County’s communities are anticipated to be impacted. PG&E said a total of 37,441 customer accounts – including 2,170 medical baseline customers – would have their power cut.
PG&E said the potentially powerful and widespread dry, hot and windy weather event is expected to begin impacting the service area Saturday between 6 and 10 p.m. and lasting until midday Monday.
“The upcoming wind event has the potential to be one of the strongest in the last several years. It’s also likely to be longer than recent wind events, which have lasted about 12 hours or less,” said Scott Strenfel, principal meteorologist with PG&E.
Local resources to be available
Two community resource centers will be available in Lake County should the shutoff take place: at Konocti Vista Casino, 2755 Mission Rancheria Road in Lakeport, and Twin Pine Casino & Hotel, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.
The centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during a shutoff and will offer restrooms, bottled water, electronic device charging and air-conditioned/heated seating for up to 100 people.
The city of Lakeport said its facilities, police station and City Hall will be open and operational during business hours.
The Lakeport Police Department will have increased staffing on during the nighttime hours to patrol neighborhoods and business districts.
The city also will have emergency operations staff on standby. Public Works will also have nighttime staffing to monitor water and sewer infrastructure which we anticipate will remain fully operational.
Lakeport officials reported that they are working in cooperation with the Lakeport Fire Protection District, which also will have increased staffing during this event and are prepared to handle any emergency fire situations.
Thanks to backup generators at the Lake County Courthouse and Clearlake City Hall, operations at those locations will continue during normal business hours next week.
In addition to regular business hours taking place at the courthouse next week, the Department of Social Services in Lower Lake now has a backup generator at its 15975 Anderson Ranch Parkway facility, so services will be available there, too, according to Matthew Rothstein of the Lake County Administrative Office.
Power could be off for several days
If it does move forward with the shutoff, PG&E will need to turn off power for safety several hours before the potentially damaging winds arrive.
As the weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two days, PG&E said its customers across Northern and Central California will feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary, as well.
Predictive data models indicate the weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades, with widespread dry Northeast winds between 45 to 60 miles per hour and peak gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour in the higher elevations.
PG&E said winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread. The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events.
Customers should prepare for a shutoff lasting 48 hours or longer, given the long duration of the wind event. Power cannot be restored until the dangerous weather has passed, safety inspections of de-energized lines are complete, and damage to the system has been repaired, PG&E said.
“We understand that a longer shutoff would be very difficult for our customers. We are already working to minimize the length, including amassing a force of field personnel from PG&E, plus contractors and other utility companies, to be ready to tackle the inspection, repair and restoration process as soon as the weather passes,” said PG&E Corporation CEO and President Bill Johnson.
To help speed inspections and repairs, the company has requested mutual aid of 1,000 workers from other energy companies, including ATCO Energy in Alberta, Xcel Energy in Minnesota and Florida Power & Light. These crews are expected to be staged and briefed on the restoration plan by Sunday evening. If weather progresses as expected, restoration could begin in some portions of the affected area as early as Monday afternoon.
The company and its mutual aid partners will prioritize areas that can be safety restored to bring the maximum number of customers back online as quickly as possible.
PG&E said it is working to minimize customer impact wherever possible through a combination of sectionalizing the grid and providing emergency backup power generation resources that will be able to quickly re-energize customers in portions of some cities.
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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