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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the Mendocino Complex continued to grow on Friday, the president approved a major disaster declaration for Lake County due to the incident.
Cal Fire said the Mendocino Complex has grown just over 9,000 acres in the last 24 hours, with its size reaching 379,720 acres on Friday evening. Containment is up to 76 percent.
The Ranch fire remains the active portion of the complex. It is up to 330,800 acres and 76-percent containment, Cal Fire said. The River fire was fully contained Monday at 48,920 acres.
Officials released an updated damage assessment for the incident on Friday. The count of destroyed structures now totals 277 – 157 residences and 120 other buildings. In addition, there were 37 structures damaged – 13 residents and 24 other types of buildings.
There are still 1,050 structures threatened, Cal Fire said.
The estimated date for full containment remains Sept. 1.
On Friday evening, Congressman Mike Thompson announced that President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration for Lake County for the complex.
Thompson said the declaration allows federal funds to be available to help Lake County survivors recover and rebuild from the complex, which began on July 27.
The assistance includes Federal Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance funding that will be available to individuals to allow them to rebuild and repair homes and structures that were damaged or destroyed and replace housing and other property that are not covered by insurance, Thompson’s office said.
Thompson has prepared a disaster guide to help constituents navigate the recovery process that you can read by clicking here.
During the course of the day on Friday, Cal Fire said there was little growth on the northern portion of the Ranch fire.
On the northwest portion of the fire, Cal Fire said crews continued to make progress with mop up and construction of containment lines. Firing operations also continued as weather conditions and fuel moistures allowed.
On the southern portion of the fire, near the Northshore communities, suppression repair efforts continued. Fire officials said that area hasn’t shown any activity in many days.
Friday saw more heavy smoke conditions around much of the county. However, there were not large and dramatic smoke columns rising from the Ranch fire as there have been in recent days when there were flare ups near the Eel River.
Light winds and smokey conditions are expected to continue throughout Saturday, which will help to keep fuel moistures up, however, these conditions may limit the ability of aircraft to fly suppression missions until later in the day, Cal Fire reported.
Resources assigned include 3,470 personnel, 200 engines, 89 water tenders, 21 helicopters, 70 hand crews and 62 dozers.
Fire officials will hold a meeting for the community of Stonyford at the Grange Hall at 10 a.m. Saturday. For information call 707-574-8261.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LUCERNE, Calif, -- The First Lutheran Church pet food distribution site has been resupplied by Orphan Dog and will continue relief distribution as long a supplies last.
The Local Assistance Center closes Friday evening at 7 p.m. and remaining goods will be donated to the relief effort at First Lutheran, according to LAC organizers.
Friday afternoon Orphan Dog delivered additional pallets of dog and cat food supplies which are now staged for distribution.
Sunday after services the Church will provide a meal and open the food pantry inside while distributing pet food from the parking lot.
Supply distribution will continue through the weekend until supplies are depleted.
Donations to help First Lutheran continue this work can be made through their website - www.flclucerne.org.
LUCERNE, Calif, -- The First Luthern Church pet food distribution site has received and is distributing additional pet food relief supplies.
Friday morning Orphan Dog delivered pallets of cat food and treats for distribution to Northshore residents affected by fires. The church is located at 3963 Country Club drive in Lucerne. ID will be requested.
Dog food is anticipated to arrive at First Lutheran parking lot later Friday.
It is not known whether additional pet food distribution sites remain open. One such site may be open in Upperlake.
Readers with knowledge of open pet food distribution sites should contact Lake County News so we can provide that informtion to the public.
LUCERNE, Calif. – California’s insurance commissioner made another fire-related visit to Lake County to discuss available services for survivors and survey the damage from the Mendocino Complex.
Commissioner Dave Jones and his staff made several stops in Lake County on Thursday, including one at the local assistance center at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center and at the First Lutheran Church across the street where he had a closed-door meeting with local officials to discuss the situation.
He told Lake County News that he toured the local assistance center, meeting service providers including AAA insurance, checked in on the available resources and asked center staff about what concerns they’re hearing from community members.
Jones said he met with Board of Supervisors members Jim Steele and Tina Scott, as well as Nathan Spangler, the county’s recovery coordinator.
He said he shared with them what services his agency offers and heard from them about their issues and concerns.
“It’s given me a very good sense of the magnitude of the challenges the county is facing,” he said.
Jones said people are increasingly worried about being able to get insurance because of the wildland fire.
“This is going to be a growing problem,” acknowledged Jones, who has made suggestions to the Legislature to address the insurance issues for wildland fire survivors that so far haven’t been implemented.
He said he was impressed with the work being done by state and local agencies and nonprofits in responding to the Mendocino Complex, noting one Red Cross volunteer traveled from Colorado to help.
“Everyone is pitching in,” he said.
Jones later toured the fire area, seeing firsthand properties where homes, vehicles and other possession were laid waste by the complex.
For Jones, it wasn’t his first time seeing the devastation up close, as he has made previous trips to Lake County in response to its other fire disasters.
Since the Mendocino Complex began July 27, Jones has worked to assist wildland fire survivors, including taking actions to help them as they face recovery and offering guidance about the dangers of hiring unlicensed contractors.
The California Department of Insurance offers extensive online resources regarding wildland fires which can be found here. General consumer resources can be found here.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The filing period to run for the city councils in Clearlake and Lakeport in November is now closed, with the Clearlake field set and the two candidates in Lakeport likely to be appointed rather than appearing on the ballot.
Each of the councils have two seats open, with the nomination and filing periods closing earlier this month.
In Clearlake, there are three candidates whose names will appear on the November ballot, according to City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
With Mayor Bruno Sabatier having been elected in June to succeed Jeff Smith as the District 2 representative on the Board of Supervisors, there is one open seat while Russell Cremer, appointed to fill a vacancy earlier this year, is seeking reelection.
Longtime city Planning Commissioner Dirk Slooten also is seeking a seat on the council. Slooten also is a member of the Lake Area Rotary Club Association, or LARCA, and has been instrumental in helping to raise funds for fire relief in Lake County.
The third candidate is Russell Perdock, who resigned from the council in February before the end of his first term to pursue the police chief’s job, which ended up going to Andrew White. It was Perdock’s unfinished term that Cremer was appointed to fill.
Swanson said there were no candidates for the city treasurer job. This year the city clerk job transitions to an appointed position based on the success of a previous ballot measure.
In Lakeport, Mayor Mireya Turner and Councilwoman Stacey Mattina both filed to run for reelection, with no one else submitting paperwork, according to City Clerk Kelly Buendia.
Based on election code, because there are not more candidates than seats, the council can choose to appoint the two incumbents to new terms, according to a report Buendia is taking to the council’s next meeting on Aug. 21.
If the council chooses to appoint rather than hold a general municipal election on Nov. 6, it could save the city between $4,000 and $6,000, not counting staff time, Buendia said.
Turner is finishing her first term, Mattina is now in her second term.
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.
Each of the councils have two seats open, with the nomination and filing periods closing earlier this month.
In Clearlake, there are three candidates whose names will appear on the November ballot, according to City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
With Mayor Bruno Sabatier having been elected in June to succeed Jeff Smith as the District 2 representative on the Board of Supervisors, there is one open seat while Russell Cremer, appointed to fill a vacancy earlier this year, is seeking reelection.
Longtime city Planning Commissioner Dirk Slooten also is seeking a seat on the council. Slooten also is a member of the Lake Area Rotary Club Association, or LARCA, and has been instrumental in helping to raise funds for fire relief in Lake County.
The third candidate is Russell Perdock, who resigned from the council in February before the end of his first term to pursue the police chief’s job, which ended up going to Andrew White. It was Perdock’s unfinished term that Cremer was appointed to fill.
Swanson said there were no candidates for the city treasurer job. This year the city clerk job transitions to an appointed position based on the success of a previous ballot measure.
In Lakeport, Mayor Mireya Turner and Councilwoman Stacey Mattina both filed to run for reelection, with no one else submitting paperwork, according to City Clerk Kelly Buendia.
Based on election code, because there are not more candidates than seats, the council can choose to appoint the two incumbents to new terms, according to a report Buendia is taking to the council’s next meeting on Aug. 21.
If the council chooses to appoint rather than hold a general municipal election on Nov. 6, it could save the city between $4,000 and $6,000, not counting staff time, Buendia said.
Turner is finishing her first term, Mattina is now in her second term.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – State Sen. Mike McGuire on Thursday paid tribute to the Utah firefighter who lost his life fighting the Mendocino Complex this week.
McGuire adjourned the Thursday Senate Floor Session in memory of Draper City FIre Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett.
Burchett, 42, was an experienced professional in wildland firefighting, admired by his colleagues and known as the guy who always kept people safe.
Earlier this month Burchett – a newly promoted battalion chief – came to California with a five-member crew from Draper City, an agency he joined in May.
Fire officials said this was his second deployment to the state in two years to assist with wildland firefighting.
He was working on the Ranch fire near Lake Pillsbury on Monday when he was injured by a falling tree, as Lake County News has reported.
“Despite being thousands of miles away from his 6-year-old and loving wife, Battalion Chief Burchett jumped at the chance to come to the aid of all of us here in the Golden State,” said McGuire. “It’s not because he had to, but because it’s the way Mr. Burchett lived his life – helping others who are in need. On behalf of the residents of California, we send our deep condolences to Battalion Chief Burchett’s family, friends and fellow firefighters.”
McGuire said Burchett will be remembered for his dry wit, as well as his love of hiking, skiing, being outdoors and being an amazing dad.
On Wednesday Burchett’s body was transported home to Utah in a procession that began in Ukiah and ended with a flight from Santa Rosa to Salt Lake City.
The Mendocino Complex, composed of the Ranch and River fires, began on July 27 and is now the largest wildland fire incident in California history, at more than 370,000 acres. It is burning across four counties: Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn.
If separated from the complex, the Ranch fire alone – at more than 321,000 acres by Thursday night – would be the largest wildland fire in state history, according to fire records.
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.
McGuire adjourned the Thursday Senate Floor Session in memory of Draper City FIre Battalion Chief Matthew Burchett.
Burchett, 42, was an experienced professional in wildland firefighting, admired by his colleagues and known as the guy who always kept people safe.
Earlier this month Burchett – a newly promoted battalion chief – came to California with a five-member crew from Draper City, an agency he joined in May.
Fire officials said this was his second deployment to the state in two years to assist with wildland firefighting.
He was working on the Ranch fire near Lake Pillsbury on Monday when he was injured by a falling tree, as Lake County News has reported.
“Despite being thousands of miles away from his 6-year-old and loving wife, Battalion Chief Burchett jumped at the chance to come to the aid of all of us here in the Golden State,” said McGuire. “It’s not because he had to, but because it’s the way Mr. Burchett lived his life – helping others who are in need. On behalf of the residents of California, we send our deep condolences to Battalion Chief Burchett’s family, friends and fellow firefighters.”
McGuire said Burchett will be remembered for his dry wit, as well as his love of hiking, skiing, being outdoors and being an amazing dad.
On Wednesday Burchett’s body was transported home to Utah in a procession that began in Ukiah and ended with a flight from Santa Rosa to Salt Lake City.
The Mendocino Complex, composed of the Ranch and River fires, began on July 27 and is now the largest wildland fire incident in California history, at more than 370,000 acres. It is burning across four counties: Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn.
If separated from the complex, the Ranch fire alone – at more than 321,000 acres by Thursday night – would be the largest wildland fire in state history, according to fire records.
Email Elizabeth Larson at