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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Thursday the Department of Water Resources conducted the third Phillips Station snow survey of 2019.
The manual survey recorded 113 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent, or SWE, of 43.5 inches, which is more than double what was recorded last month at this location.
Statewide, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is 153 percent of average for this date, thanks to several atmospheric rivers during February.
Snow water equivalent is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously. It is an important tool used by water managers across the state to estimate anticipated spring runoff.
The results show a notable improvement since the last Phillips survey on January 31, when measurements at Phillips Station revealed a SWE of 18 inches compared to today’s 43.5 inches. Current conditions stand in stark contrast to this time last year when the snow depth was only 13.5 inches and the SWE was just 1.5 inches.
“This winter’s snowpack gets better each month and it looks like California storms aren’t done giving yet,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “This is shaping up to be an excellent water year.”
In related data, the most recent snow readings for Anthony Peak in the Mendocino National Forest, reported earlier this month, show 43-percent snowpack density, an improvement over 2018. No data has been reported so far for the Plaskett Meadows area.
On Feb. 14, the National Weather Service officially confirmed that the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing weak El Niño conditions. As a result of these above-average sea surface temperatures, there is likely to be more precipitation in the next two months.
“Along with the water supply benefits of the heavy rain and snow, there is also increased flood risk,” said John Paasch, DWR chief of Flood Operations. “We’ve activated the Flood Operations Center, a joint effort between DWR and the National Weather Service, to closely monitor weather, reservoir, river, and flood conditions. Our goal is to share timely and accurate information about changing conditions to help people and communities respond to flood events and stay safe.”
The state’s largest six reservoirs currently hold between 84 percent (Oroville) and 137 percent (Melones) of their historical averages for this date. Lake Shasta, California’s largest surface reservoir, is 112 percent of its historical average.
Snowpack is an important factor in determining how DWR manages California’s water resources. On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer to meet water demands in the summer and fall.
DWR conducts up to five snow surveys each winter – near the first of January, February, March, April and, if necessary, May – at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada just off Highway 50 near Sierra-at-Tahoe.
The Phillips snow course is one of hundreds that will be surveyed manually throughout the winter. Manual measurements augment the electronic readings from about 100 snow pillows in the Sierra Nevada that provide a current snapshot of the water content in the snowpack.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was arrested last week on numerous charges after police found him in possession of a stolen weapon.
Ryan Marshall Swim, 39, was arrested shortly after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, according to Sgt. Elvis Cook of the Clearlake Police Department.
Cook said that Officer Chris Kelleher conducted a traffic stop in the 14900 block of Burns Valley Road.
During the vehicle stop, Officer Kelleher located a concealed loaded firearm in Swim's vehicle, Cook said.
Swim is a prohibited person and illegally possessed the firearm, which was also discovered to be a stolen firearm, according to Cook.
Cook said Swim was arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, carrying a loaded firearm by a prohibited person, carrying a loaded stolen firearm, carrying a firearm and not being the registered owner, carrying a concealed firearm while in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle, possession of stolen property, violation of Post Release Community Supervision – which is a parole violation – and driving without a valid driver’s license.
Swim was later booked into the Lake County Jail, and remained in custody on Friday, on a no-bail hold.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Thursday, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced the Sites Reservoir Project Act, H.R.1453, to provide federal support for the construction of Sites Reservoir and related water infrastructure in Colusa and Glenn counties.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) is the bill’s original cosponsor.
“Construction of Sites Reservoir would bring California closer to achieving a drought-resilient water system. Our state needs to make forward-looking investments to meet its future water supply needs, and Sites will benefit farmers, precious ecosystems, and our communities.” said Congressman Garamendi (D-CA). “I am proud to sponsor the bipartisan Sites Reservoir Project Act, building upon the nearly $1.2 billion in public funding for the project secured to date.”
Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) said: “Water storage projects, such as Sites Reservoir, are absolutely critical to securing the future of our state’s water supply. It’s important that we have the infrastructure to save more water during wet years so we can prepare for the dry ones California sees all too often. Sites is the most effective project in the state, providing more storage per dollar invested than any other proposed project. I’m proud of this bipartisan effort and will continue to fight to ensure this much-needed project moves forward.”
“Congressmen Garamendi and LaMalfa have been tireless champions of Sites Reservoir and today's introduction of the Sites Reservoir Project Act brings us one step closer to realizing our shared goal of building the reservoir. Sites would provide critically needed water supply reliability for the environment, farms and cities and its importance for the future of California cannot be understated," said Sites Joint Powers Authority Chairman Fritz Durst.
The Sites Reservoir Project Act would direct the Bureau of Reclamation to complete a necessary feasibility study for the project and, if deemed feasible, authorize additional funding and technical support.
Sites Reservoir would provide 1.8 million acre-feet of off-stream water storage capacity for California and help local communities prepare for droughts.
The reservoir would be owned and operated by the Sites Joint Powers Authority, a regional consortium of local water agencies and counties formed in 2010.
To date, more than $1.2 billion in public funding has been committed to the Sites Reservoir Project, including $816 million from the State Water Bond (2014 Proposition 1), $449 million low-interest financing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in November 2018, and federal funding from the Bureau of Reclamation for the feasibility study and related work.
The text of H.R. 1453 is available here.
A map of the Sites Reservoir Project is available here.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) is the bill’s original cosponsor.
“Construction of Sites Reservoir would bring California closer to achieving a drought-resilient water system. Our state needs to make forward-looking investments to meet its future water supply needs, and Sites will benefit farmers, precious ecosystems, and our communities.” said Congressman Garamendi (D-CA). “I am proud to sponsor the bipartisan Sites Reservoir Project Act, building upon the nearly $1.2 billion in public funding for the project secured to date.”
Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) said: “Water storage projects, such as Sites Reservoir, are absolutely critical to securing the future of our state’s water supply. It’s important that we have the infrastructure to save more water during wet years so we can prepare for the dry ones California sees all too often. Sites is the most effective project in the state, providing more storage per dollar invested than any other proposed project. I’m proud of this bipartisan effort and will continue to fight to ensure this much-needed project moves forward.”
“Congressmen Garamendi and LaMalfa have been tireless champions of Sites Reservoir and today's introduction of the Sites Reservoir Project Act brings us one step closer to realizing our shared goal of building the reservoir. Sites would provide critically needed water supply reliability for the environment, farms and cities and its importance for the future of California cannot be understated," said Sites Joint Powers Authority Chairman Fritz Durst.
The Sites Reservoir Project Act would direct the Bureau of Reclamation to complete a necessary feasibility study for the project and, if deemed feasible, authorize additional funding and technical support.
Sites Reservoir would provide 1.8 million acre-feet of off-stream water storage capacity for California and help local communities prepare for droughts.
The reservoir would be owned and operated by the Sites Joint Powers Authority, a regional consortium of local water agencies and counties formed in 2010.
To date, more than $1.2 billion in public funding has been committed to the Sites Reservoir Project, including $816 million from the State Water Bond (2014 Proposition 1), $449 million low-interest financing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in November 2018, and federal funding from the Bureau of Reclamation for the feasibility study and related work.
The text of H.R. 1453 is available here.
A map of the Sites Reservoir Project is available here.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued an emergency proclamation for Lake and several other counties due to the severe winter storm conditions that are continuing across the region.
The emergency proclamation coming from the Governor’s Office on Thursday applies to Lake and neighboring counties of Glenn, Mendocino and Sonoma, as well as Amador.
The proclamation covering Lake County came less than a day after Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin issued a declaration of a local emergency in response to the storms and flooding and the resulting widespread damage, as Lake County News has reported.
The storms also prompted Gov. Newsom on Feb. 21 to declare an emergency for 21 counties across the state due to storms.
The Governor’s Office said the emergency proclamations direct Caltrans to formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program and the Office of Emergency Services to provide assistance to local governments.
The latest proclamation also orders state agencies to “enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of the storms, including those referenced in my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation.”
The full text of today’s proclamation is below.
WHEREAS on February 21, 2019, I proclaimed a state of emergency to exist within 21 counties due to atmospheric river storm systems, which caused widespread damage and flooding; and
WHEREAS beginning February 25, 2019, another significant atmospheric river storm system swept across California, bringing additional substantial precipitation, snowfall, high winds, mud and debris flows, and dangerous flooding; and
WHEREAS as a result of these storms, multiple rivers are at or expected to exceed flood stages, including the Russian River in Sonoma County, which has threatened homes and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents; and
WHEREAS the effects of these repetitive atmospheric river storm systems continue to cause widespread impacts throughout California; and
WHEREAS these conditions require continual emergency response, including significant flood fight, repair, reconstruction work, and debris removal; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to the winter storms in Amador, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that the conditions caused by these storm systems, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to appropriately respond; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8625(c), I find that local authority is inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the damage caused by the storm systems; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this order would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of the winter storms, including those referenced in my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation and those beginning on February 25, 2019.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Amador, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
The provisions of my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation also apply to Amador, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties.
As necessary to assist local governments and for the protection of public health and the environment, state agencies shall enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of the storms, including those referenced in my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation. Applicable provisions of the Government Code and the Public Contract Code, including but not limited to travel, advertising, and competitive bidding requirements, are suspended to the extent necessary to address the effects of the storms.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 28th day of February 2019.
_____________________________
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
_____________________________
ALEX PADILLA
Secretary of State
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The emergency proclamation coming from the Governor’s Office on Thursday applies to Lake and neighboring counties of Glenn, Mendocino and Sonoma, as well as Amador.
The proclamation covering Lake County came less than a day after Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin issued a declaration of a local emergency in response to the storms and flooding and the resulting widespread damage, as Lake County News has reported.
The storms also prompted Gov. Newsom on Feb. 21 to declare an emergency for 21 counties across the state due to storms.
The Governor’s Office said the emergency proclamations direct Caltrans to formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program and the Office of Emergency Services to provide assistance to local governments.
The latest proclamation also orders state agencies to “enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of the storms, including those referenced in my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation.”
The full text of today’s proclamation is below.
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS on February 21, 2019, I proclaimed a state of emergency to exist within 21 counties due to atmospheric river storm systems, which caused widespread damage and flooding; and
WHEREAS beginning February 25, 2019, another significant atmospheric river storm system swept across California, bringing additional substantial precipitation, snowfall, high winds, mud and debris flows, and dangerous flooding; and
WHEREAS as a result of these storms, multiple rivers are at or expected to exceed flood stages, including the Russian River in Sonoma County, which has threatened homes and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents; and
WHEREAS the effects of these repetitive atmospheric river storm systems continue to cause widespread impacts throughout California; and
WHEREAS these conditions require continual emergency response, including significant flood fight, repair, reconstruction work, and debris removal; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to the winter storms in Amador, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that the conditions caused by these storm systems, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to appropriately respond; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8625(c), I find that local authority is inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the damage caused by the storm systems; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this order would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of the winter storms, including those referenced in my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation and those beginning on February 25, 2019.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Amador, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
The provisions of my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation also apply to Amador, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties.
As necessary to assist local governments and for the protection of public health and the environment, state agencies shall enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of the storms, including those referenced in my February 21, 2019, State of Emergency Proclamation. Applicable provisions of the Government Code and the Public Contract Code, including but not limited to travel, advertising, and competitive bidding requirements, are suspended to the extent necessary to address the effects of the storms.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 28th day of February 2019.
_____________________________
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
_____________________________
ALEX PADILLA
Secretary of State
Email Elizabeth Larson at
UPDATED: 2:45 P.M.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As Clear Lake’s level continues to rise, a flood-related closure on Highway 20 has been reopened, however, several local roadways remain closed due to damage and continued flooding.
The California Highway Patrol and Caltrans reopened Highway 20 early Thursday morning, about 18 hours after it had been closed due to being covered by floodwaters.
There are several more inches of rain in the forecast for this week, but on Thursday there was a break in the weather and much-needed sunshine to begin drying up the saturated ground.
Clear Lake’s level nonetheless continued to rise on Thursday. By 1:30 p.m., the lake was reported to be at 9.72 feet Rumsey; flood stage is at 9 feet Rumsey.
The following is a list of special road conditions, closures and advisories from the Lake County Public Works Department, the CHP, Caltrans, and the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport, which is being updated on a rolling basis throughout Thursday.
CLEARLAKE
13451 Lower Lakeshore Drive to 13544 Lower Lakeshore: Closed due to flooding.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE
Spruce Grove Road Extension: Closed near USS Liberty Lane (Quarry Road) due to road slipout.
KELSEYVILLE
Bell Hill Road: Closed from Main Street to Highway 29. Reopened at Adobe Creek low water crossing.
Clark Drive: Closed from Soda Bay Road to Gaddy Lane due to flooding.
Konocti Bay Road: Mudslide blocking one lane near Richmond Park.
LAKEPORT
Third, Fourth and Fifth streets: Closed due to flooding. Please do not go around any barricade on these streets near the lake.
Highland Springs Road: Mudslide at mile post marker 5.5, however, road still open.
Hill Road: Single-lane traffic from Lakeshore to Sutter Hospital. Traffic will not be able to drive from Sutter Hospital to Lakeshore Boulevard due to slide movement.
Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed southbound from Lange Street to Giselman Street due to flooding. Northbound remains open. A detour is provided at Lange Street; it is through the school zone, so drivers are asked to be extra cautious and watch for school children in this area.
Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Highway 20 to packing sheds due to flooding.
Soda Bay Road: Open from Stone Drive to Cal Packing Road.
LOWER LAKE
Anderson Road: Reopened.
Candy Lane: Closed to all traffic between Joseph Trail and May Hollow Road due to a culvert failure. This will be an extended closure as work to fix cannot commence until the water stops flowing.
MIDDLETOWN
Big Canyon Road: Closed to all traffic at mile post marker 7 due to a mudslide. The closure will run from Ettawa Springs road to Harbin Springs. Affected property owners will be allowed access to and from their property.
Dry Creek Cutoff: Closed at the low water crossing.
Rose Anderson Road: Closed to all traffic at Van Dorn Reservoir Road due to road slipout.
NICE
Lakeshore Drive: Closed from Stokes Avenue to Hammond Avenue due to flooding.
Stokes Avenue: Closed at Nice-Lucerne Cutoff due to flooding.
UPPER LAKE
Laurel Dell Road: Closed from Scotts Valley Road to Mid Lake Road due to flooding.
Mendenhall Road: Reopened from Highway 20 to Main Street.
Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Highway 20 to packing sheds due to flooding.
Witter Springs Road: Closed from Highway 20 to East Road due to flooding.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As Clear Lake’s level continues to rise, a flood-related closure on Highway 20 has been reopened, however, several local roadways remain closed due to damage and continued flooding.
The California Highway Patrol and Caltrans reopened Highway 20 early Thursday morning, about 18 hours after it had been closed due to being covered by floodwaters.
There are several more inches of rain in the forecast for this week, but on Thursday there was a break in the weather and much-needed sunshine to begin drying up the saturated ground.
Clear Lake’s level nonetheless continued to rise on Thursday. By 1:30 p.m., the lake was reported to be at 9.72 feet Rumsey; flood stage is at 9 feet Rumsey.
The following is a list of special road conditions, closures and advisories from the Lake County Public Works Department, the CHP, Caltrans, and the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport, which is being updated on a rolling basis throughout Thursday.
CLEARLAKE
13451 Lower Lakeshore Drive to 13544 Lower Lakeshore: Closed due to flooding.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE
Spruce Grove Road Extension: Closed near USS Liberty Lane (Quarry Road) due to road slipout.
KELSEYVILLE
Bell Hill Road: Closed from Main Street to Highway 29. Reopened at Adobe Creek low water crossing.
Clark Drive: Closed from Soda Bay Road to Gaddy Lane due to flooding.
Konocti Bay Road: Mudslide blocking one lane near Richmond Park.
LAKEPORT
Third, Fourth and Fifth streets: Closed due to flooding. Please do not go around any barricade on these streets near the lake.
Highland Springs Road: Mudslide at mile post marker 5.5, however, road still open.
Hill Road: Single-lane traffic from Lakeshore to Sutter Hospital. Traffic will not be able to drive from Sutter Hospital to Lakeshore Boulevard due to slide movement.
Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed southbound from Lange Street to Giselman Street due to flooding. Northbound remains open. A detour is provided at Lange Street; it is through the school zone, so drivers are asked to be extra cautious and watch for school children in this area.
Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Highway 20 to packing sheds due to flooding.
Soda Bay Road: Open from Stone Drive to Cal Packing Road.
LOWER LAKE
Anderson Road: Reopened.
Candy Lane: Closed to all traffic between Joseph Trail and May Hollow Road due to a culvert failure. This will be an extended closure as work to fix cannot commence until the water stops flowing.
MIDDLETOWN
Big Canyon Road: Closed to all traffic at mile post marker 7 due to a mudslide. The closure will run from Ettawa Springs road to Harbin Springs. Affected property owners will be allowed access to and from their property.
Dry Creek Cutoff: Closed at the low water crossing.
Rose Anderson Road: Closed to all traffic at Van Dorn Reservoir Road due to road slipout.
NICE
Lakeshore Drive: Closed from Stokes Avenue to Hammond Avenue due to flooding.
Stokes Avenue: Closed at Nice-Lucerne Cutoff due to flooding.
UPPER LAKE
Laurel Dell Road: Closed from Scotts Valley Road to Mid Lake Road due to flooding.
Mendenhall Road: Reopened from Highway 20 to Main Street.
Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Highway 20 to packing sheds due to flooding.
Witter Springs Road: Closed from Highway 20 to East Road due to flooding.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – In its shortest session so far, the preliminary hearing of a Clearlake man charged with setting the Clayton fire and more than a dozen other blazes looked at the cost of the Clayton fire and the damage estimates, and testing about items that could have caused the fires.
Wednesday was day five of the preliminary hearing for 43-year-old Damin Anthony Pashilk, facing 23 charges for setting the Clayton fire in August 2016 and 15 other fires between July of 2015 and August of 2016. He also is charged with the attempted start of a 17th that self-extinguished.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff called three witnesses to the stand on Wednesday. They gave a total of just over an hour of testimony.
Marnie Patchett, a Cal Fire cost recovery analyst, described how she does billing and cost recovery calculations on wildland fires. She was assigned to calculate the suppression costs of Clayton fire which she went over on the stand.
The report, which she completed in January 2018, includes overall totals for fire suppression as well as subreports on personnel and equipment, aircraft and operating expenses.
For ground resources alone, the fire cost $19,743,079.79. Air resources cost another $2,961,839.83, for a grand total in suppression costs of $22,704,919.73.
Defense attorney Mitch Hauptman asked if any costs were recovered on the incident. Patchett said no, they weren’t.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Donald Watt, who also is a law enforcement officer, said that during the summer of 2016 he was among the officers involved in surveillance of Pashilk.
On Aug. 9, 2016, the day the Canyon fire was set on Seigler Canyon Road, Watt photographed Pashilk and the vehicle he was known to drive at that time, a Chrysler Sebring parked on Dam Road in Clearlake, where Pashilk was watching the fire.
On Aug. 17, 2016, four days after the Clayton fire began and two days after Pashilk’s arrest, Watt assisted another officer with the inspection of the Sebring at Cal Fire’s Davis mobile facility.
He said the inspection was to verify that the Chrysler was functional and in running order, and didn’t have any issues that could cause a fire.
Watt testified that on Aug. 20, 2016, at the Middletown fire training facility he, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Michael Thompson and another officer conducted 10 tests with various paper materials to see if they could be used to ignite dry grass.
In testimony last week, Thompson testified to finding the burned remnants of a twisted paper napkin at the scene of the Canyon fire and collected it for evidence.
In the testing, Watt said they used heavy paper towels and lighter paper napkin, twisted either tightly or loosely, sometimes with a match head inside of them, and then dropped from vehicle height onto dry grass that was set on concrete.
He said the testing confirmed that a flaming napkin could start a fire if placed on vegetation or tossed from a vehicle window. Five of the tests used dry grass, and in three of those tests the napkin ignited the grass.
Fire Captain Nick Wallingford was the last witness of the day. He was assigned as the damage inspector leading the structure damage calculations work for the Clayton fire.
He said he and about five two-person teams completed a systematic search of the fire footprint as well as areas just outside of the perimeter. “We don't attempt to place monetary value on anything.”
Wallingford said field collection was completed on Aug. 19, 2016. At that point the fire was still active. The final report would be done after additional tabulations and map creation.
Explaining the process, Wallingford said each team member carried with them a GPS device which draws a line in the areas where they conduct the inspections, helping him to track the progress.
He said they categorize three main categories of buildings: commercial, outbuilding/accessory and residential. Within each of those are subcategories, such as single family and multifamily homes, and mobile homes in the residential category. To be counted, the structures must be at least 120 square feet and permanent, not mobile.
Wallingford said 320 structures were identified as damaged or destroyed; anything with damage totaling more than 75 percent is considered destroyed. He said 188 residences were destroyed and 14 others were damaged.
He said the report included a damage inspection detail for each structure, but had nothing to do with the Clayton fire’s origin and cause.
Testimony will continue on Wednesday. Hinchcliff said he expects testimony and closing arguments to continue through next Friday.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Wednesday was day five of the preliminary hearing for 43-year-old Damin Anthony Pashilk, facing 23 charges for setting the Clayton fire in August 2016 and 15 other fires between July of 2015 and August of 2016. He also is charged with the attempted start of a 17th that self-extinguished.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff called three witnesses to the stand on Wednesday. They gave a total of just over an hour of testimony.
Marnie Patchett, a Cal Fire cost recovery analyst, described how she does billing and cost recovery calculations on wildland fires. She was assigned to calculate the suppression costs of Clayton fire which she went over on the stand.
The report, which she completed in January 2018, includes overall totals for fire suppression as well as subreports on personnel and equipment, aircraft and operating expenses.
For ground resources alone, the fire cost $19,743,079.79. Air resources cost another $2,961,839.83, for a grand total in suppression costs of $22,704,919.73.
Defense attorney Mitch Hauptman asked if any costs were recovered on the incident. Patchett said no, they weren’t.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Donald Watt, who also is a law enforcement officer, said that during the summer of 2016 he was among the officers involved in surveillance of Pashilk.
On Aug. 9, 2016, the day the Canyon fire was set on Seigler Canyon Road, Watt photographed Pashilk and the vehicle he was known to drive at that time, a Chrysler Sebring parked on Dam Road in Clearlake, where Pashilk was watching the fire.
On Aug. 17, 2016, four days after the Clayton fire began and two days after Pashilk’s arrest, Watt assisted another officer with the inspection of the Sebring at Cal Fire’s Davis mobile facility.
He said the inspection was to verify that the Chrysler was functional and in running order, and didn’t have any issues that could cause a fire.
Watt testified that on Aug. 20, 2016, at the Middletown fire training facility he, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Michael Thompson and another officer conducted 10 tests with various paper materials to see if they could be used to ignite dry grass.
In testimony last week, Thompson testified to finding the burned remnants of a twisted paper napkin at the scene of the Canyon fire and collected it for evidence.
In the testing, Watt said they used heavy paper towels and lighter paper napkin, twisted either tightly or loosely, sometimes with a match head inside of them, and then dropped from vehicle height onto dry grass that was set on concrete.
He said the testing confirmed that a flaming napkin could start a fire if placed on vegetation or tossed from a vehicle window. Five of the tests used dry grass, and in three of those tests the napkin ignited the grass.
Fire Captain Nick Wallingford was the last witness of the day. He was assigned as the damage inspector leading the structure damage calculations work for the Clayton fire.
He said he and about five two-person teams completed a systematic search of the fire footprint as well as areas just outside of the perimeter. “We don't attempt to place monetary value on anything.”
Wallingford said field collection was completed on Aug. 19, 2016. At that point the fire was still active. The final report would be done after additional tabulations and map creation.
Explaining the process, Wallingford said each team member carried with them a GPS device which draws a line in the areas where they conduct the inspections, helping him to track the progress.
He said they categorize three main categories of buildings: commercial, outbuilding/accessory and residential. Within each of those are subcategories, such as single family and multifamily homes, and mobile homes in the residential category. To be counted, the structures must be at least 120 square feet and permanent, not mobile.
Wallingford said 320 structures were identified as damaged or destroyed; anything with damage totaling more than 75 percent is considered destroyed. He said 188 residences were destroyed and 14 others were damaged.
He said the report included a damage inspection detail for each structure, but had nothing to do with the Clayton fire’s origin and cause.
Testimony will continue on Wednesday. Hinchcliff said he expects testimony and closing arguments to continue through next Friday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at