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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – With Lakeport still under mandatory evacuation, on Tuesday morning the Board of Supervisors moved from its usual meeting location for a special meeting in Clearlake to ratify an emergency declaration and hear the latest Mendocino Complex developments from Cal Fire.
On Tuesday morning, the complex of the Ranch and River fires which began Friday reached 74,408 acres and 12 percent containment, according to Cal fire. By evening it had burned 80,408 acres, with containment unchanged.
The fire led to Sheriff Brian Martin declaring a local emergency, which the board then needed to ratify within seven days. The board gave its unanimous approval during the meeting.
Supervisor Rob Brown said the River fire on Tuesday morning was just north and west of Highland Springs Reservoir toward the Mendocino County line.
During the two-hour meeting at Clearlake City Hall, Martin reported that 19,000 people have been evacuated due to the fires. By nightfall the mandatory evacuations for the Kelseyville area had been lifted.
The reported number of structures destroyed as of Tuesday remained at 10. “Those numbers are expected to increase,” as personnel are able to inspect the fire area, Martin said.
He said Lampson Field is being used as a base, and the Lake County Jail had been evacuated, with inmates moved to the Santa Rita Jail.
The jail facility is now being used to house local emergency mutual aid responders, said.
Martin said the Army National Guard arrived overnight to help with guarding evacuated communities and conducting patrols.
He said several arrests of suspected looters have been made. “We will continue to protect our communities to the best of our abilities.” During the day, the sheriff's office issued a release identifying five individuals arrested for unauthorized entry of evacuated areas.
Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Mendocino Unit Chief Shana Jones said more than 2,000 firefighters are assigned to the complex, explaining that they want to get people back in their homes as soon as possible.
Operations Chief John Messina of Cal Fire Incident Management Team 2 explained, “There is a high demand for resources currently,” with the Carr fire in Shasta County and the Ferguson fire in Mariposa County still burning actively.
“We are now facing limited resources to suppress this incident,” Messina said.
Messina said they are approaching the fire like eating an elephant.
He said they are identifying critical areas, and prioritizing public safety and private property, then they will go after the fire in remote areas.
“Typically, we’d go at it all at once. There’s just not the resources for that,” Messina said.
Messina said that, just because there is a big column of smoke every day doesn’t mean they’re not having success on the fire line.
He said they thought they would hold the Ranch fire north of Highway 175, but on Monday it made a run. He said they got around part of it, with a good line around the south, and he believed things would improve by the afternoon. There also is line in the middle of the fire, and as soon as they feel it’s safe, they will work in the more remote areas.
On the Ranch incident, Messina said they had great success on Highway 20 near Blue Lakes, and they believe the situation should improve drastically by Wednesday.
Messina said at that point they were not doing anything on the portion of the fire burning up into the Mendocino National Forest. However, they have a plan and as soon as resources become available, they’ll begin working on it.
He said that at that time the fire was being held above Mendenhall Avenue, to the west of Elk Mountain Road. It was further up into the forest that the fire crossed Elk Mountain Road, he added.
Messina said the fire got to Bachelor Valley, and firefighters were successful in keeping it from moving any further east.
They were able to defend structures and some were lost; Messina estimated that there were fewer than half a dozen, and he believed some were outbuildings.
Damage assessments were under way on Tuesday, and he expected to have better numbers by Tuesday afternoon, although by evening Cal Fire’s report on structures damaged had not changed.
Cal Fire Incident Management Team 2 Deputy Incident Commander Ron Myers explained that the complex is nearing 80,000 acres in size, and that there has been minimal structure loss so far. “We have focused all of our attention on your property,” he said, explaining that they have prioritized areas around structures.
“We have no intentions of the two fires merging,” Myers said, adding that they’re doing everything they can to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Winds and fuels are not in their favor, Myers said. “We have every type of air tanker,” but when the smoke gets too bad, they can’t fly.
Local officials report on conditions, efforts
In other fire-related news, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson said the majority of county offices in Lakeport, the county seat, can’t operate due to conditions. The county courthouse remains closed.
County staff is out responding to the fire, with many of them displaced. She said she had asked department heads to find alternative workstations, and that overall they were “hanging in.”
Brown also reported that a court closure has been approved by the state.
Red Cross volunteer Brianna Taylor said the organization is operating three shelters, including one at Lower Lake High School, which was at capacity with 460 residents; Middletown High School, which still had room for residents and their pets; and Twin Pine Casino, where she said 161 people were registered.
She said they had worked on offering a place for pets. “We know that people will not leave without their pets so we’re doing everything we can to accommodate pets there also.”
Lt. Hector Paredes, commander of the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office, said eight roadways are currently closed.
“It is our focus to open roadways, especially when it comes to state routes,” he said.
Highway 20, one of the roads closed in the fire area, is a main artery for commercial vehicle traffic, and there had been a closure for through commercial traffic to Highway 101 because they couldn’t get through on the north side, he said.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. representative Herman Hernandez said that, at that time, there were 2,900 customers out of power – largely in the Lakeport, Upper Lake and Kelseyville areas. Later in the day, that number appeared to have been reduced, according to PG&E’s online outage center.
He said PG&E is working with Cal Fire to gain access to the fire area so they can get the power back on safely.
Hernandez said they used fire retardant to pretreat poles in the fire’s path, and identified 47 poles in the area that need to be replaced.
“Our team is out there working around the clock trying to get the power back up,” Hernandez said.
Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the fires have put hazardous smoke into Lake County’s air basin.
He said the smoke settles in during the early morning. “It’s very bad for everybody,” he said, adding that everyone – even children and healthy adults – are impacted, and that outdoor activity should be avoided.
Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira said the city has declared its own emergency declaration, which the council ratified on Monday.
The city also has its own staffed emergency operations center at Lakeport City Hall. She said Lakeport residents who have concerns can call the center at 707-263-5683. The center will be open 24/7 while the city is under evacuation.
Lakeport Chief Brad Rasmussen said his department is closely working with other agencies to protect the evacuated areas and ensure safety.
He said they are committed to protect homes from looters and prowlers. “We absolutely are not going to tolerate that.”
Since Sunday he said he’d counted up 13 arrests of individuals found in the evacuation area.
He said the city’s 5,000 residents had been very cooperative with the mandatory evacuation order, with less than 100 refusing to evacuate.
Rasmussen said 100-percent of his officers have been evacuated from their homes. They’re sleeping wherever they can, and working 18- to 20-hour shifts while they’re families have evacuated hours away.
“We completely understand how you feel,” Rasmussen said.
Shawn Swatosh of Mediacom said their facilities haven’t been damaged in the fire.
Lakeport Postmaster Ben Lovato said his facility was evacuated on Saturday and moved to Kelseyville on Monday.
When Kelseyville was evacuated, those operations then moved to the Clearlake Post Office, 14500 Olympic Drive, which he said is also hosting Upper Lake, Finley and Nice post office operations.
He said it was taking them a day to organize operations – including bringing in additional equipment from out-of-county – in order to be able on Wednesday to begin allowing residents of evacuated areas to pick up their mail at the Clearlake Post Office.
He said hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and photo identification will be required. Mail that was waiting at post offices is being held and is secure, he said.
Bruce McCracken of Clearlake Waste Solutions said many of his staffers has been impacted by the evacuations, and Tuesday was the first day they were able to go out and collect garbage again. Greenwaste and recycling are on hold temporarily due to lack of manpower.
He said the company’s Lakeport transfer station is closed but the county’s landfill in Clearlake remains open.
Wanda Gray of Lake Transit reported that staff is assisting with the evacuation effort, with drivers transporting people – especially the elderly and those with special needs – to evacuation shelters.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
On July 31st, at approximately 10AM, officers patrolling the evacuated areas conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle travelling on Main Street near 5th Street in Kelseyville. The driver was identified as Clifford Allen Shores, 57, of Kelseyville. Shores became argumentative and confrontational with the officers. A records check found that Shores had an expired driver license. The officers attempted to place handcuffs on Shores, but he attempted to pull away and resisted. As the officers struggled with Shores, they all fell to the ground. The officers were able to gain control of Shores and place him under arrest. Shores was booked into custody for Unauthorized Person in an Evacuated Area, Resisting Arrest, and Unlicensed Driver.
On July 31st, at approximately 10AM, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Hwy. 20 and Main Street in Upper Lake. The officer contacted the driver, Randall Perry Martire, 58, of Nice. Martire told the officer he understood the mandatory evacuations and had been warned the previous day. He told the officer he heard the Chevron gas station was open and was checking. The officer asked if he had refueled, but Martire told him the vehicle he was driving had fuel and it was a vehicle at home that needed fuel. Martire was arrested and cited for Unauthorized Person in an Evacuated Area.
On July 31st, at approximately 1049 AM, officers contacted a male, Glenn David Carter Jr., 43, of Upper Lake riding a bicycle on Hwy. 20 near Upper Lake Lucerne Road in Upper Lake. Carter had been warned the previous day about being in the evacuated area. He told officers he was going to his sister’s house. He was arrested and cited for Unauthorized Person in an Evacuated Area.
On July 31st, at approximately 11AM, an officer was in the area of Hwy. 20 and Sayre Avenue in Nice when he observed a male subject, later identified as Thomas Carl Reppermund, 63, of Nice, run across Hwy. 20. Reppermund kept running up a hill between residences on Hwy. 20. Officers followed Reppermund until he stopped. Reppermund told the officers he used a boat to enter the evacuated area and ran because he didn’t want to be contacted. Reppermund was arrested and cited for Unauthorized Person in an Evacuated Area.
On July 31st, at approximately 145PM, officers were dispatched to the area of Bottle Rock Road and Brower Lane in Kelseyville for a report of a male walking around the neighborhood. Officers located Brandon Harry Young, 33, of Kelseyville. Young had been seen going into yards in the neighborhood. Young told officers he knew he was in a restricted area as he had been told to leave at the road block on Hwy. 29. Young was arrested and booked into custody for Unauthorized Person in an Evacuated Area.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that if they live in an evacuated area and have not evacuated, they are asked to stay at their property and shelter in place. This will help the law enforcement personnel patrolling the evacuated areas in determining people who should not be in the area and aid first responders with keeping roadways clear.
The smoke and haze currently impacting all areas of Lake County are primarily the result of the River Fire and Ranch Fire in Lake and Mendocino Counties. Other active fires in Northern California and Oregon may add to the smoke impacts in Lake County. The “VERY UNHEALTHY” to “HAZARDOUS” air quality alert results from the Heavy smoke conditions experienced in Lake County and the forecast for extended smoke impacts, and impacts from other air pollutants in the smoke lingering in Lake County until conditions change.
The District is actively monitoring the smoke impacts. Current particulate levels in Lake County are in the range from “Unhealthy” to “Hazardous” throughout Lake County. Smoke levels have exceeded the Air Quality Index maximum range. With particulate levels this high, everyone needs to take steps to protect themselves from exposure. The "Unhealthy to Hazardous" levels of smoke are expected to continue through Wednesday.
All areas may experience “Very Unhealthy to Hazardous” air quality, and individuals should take precautions. The smoke is expected to remain in Lake County through Wednesday or longer depending on the weather and fire activity, though we may see periods of improving air quality as the winds shift through the next few days.
Conditions can change quickly. Smokey conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages. These conditions can be hazardous for sensitive individuals including children, the elderly, individuals with heart conditions, and those with chronic lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions. Individuals with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other lung or heart diseases should carefully adhere to their medical treatment plans and maintain at least a five-day supply of prescribed medications. They should limit outdoor activity and unnecessary physical exertion while smoke is present. Air conditioning that re-circulates indoor air should be used, when available.
Drinking plenty of water to avoid drying of the airways is recommended unless restricted for medical reasons.
If you cannot leave the smoky area, good ways to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke include staying indoors and reducing physical activity. Wearing an air purifying respirator can also help protect your lungs from wildfire smoke. Air purifying respirators, such as N-95 or P100 filtering facepieces, may be effective in reducing some of the harmful particulate matter, but they also increase the work of breathing, can lead to physiologic stress, and are not recommended as a general protective measure. Dust masks are not protective against the ultrafine particulate, which is the pollutant most detrimental to health caused by wildfire smoke.
With air quality forecast to be in the “Unhealthy” to “Hazardous” range, people are recommended to use caution, avoid strenuous activity, avoid outdoor activities, and reduce other sources of air pollution (such as smoking, use of aerosol products, frying or broiling meats, burning candles, vacuuming, etc.) and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Localized areas in the higher levels of hazardous air quality can be expected for the several days until the local fires are partially contained and the weather pattern shifts to clear the smoke. Take appropriate measures until the smoke clears.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. -- The Mendocino Complex has grown to 74,408 acres, in total 14,700 people have been evacuated.
The River fire is at 27,069 acres and 8 percent contained, the Ranch fire is 47,339 acres with 10 percent containment.
Full containment is now expected by August 7, according to Cal Fire.
Mandatory evacuations:
Western Lake County, west of Lucerne at Bartlett Springs Road and Highway CA-20, south of the fire, east of the fire, and north of the Lake-Sonoma County Line to include the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley, and Saratoga Springs.
Kelseyville, Finley, and Big Valley Rancheria
Advisory evacuations:
Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County:
Lake Pillsbury Basin and surrounding area; North of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn County Line, and west of the Lake-Colusa County Line The Lucerne and Paradise Valley areas, north of Clear Lake, east of the Ranch Fire, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of Paradise Valley Drive • Kelseyville area, north of Lake-Sonoma County Line; east of Bottle Rock Road; south of Clear Lake; and west of Soda Bay Road, Red Hills Road, and Highway CA-175; including the subdivisions of Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, and Clear • Lake Riviera west of Soda Bay Road.
The are above includes Cobb and Loch Lommond.
An additional NASA mapping resource identified by HAM operator KM6FCR can be found at https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#z:10;c:-122.6,39.0;l:24hrs if not visible below.
The meeting will take place beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, in the Clearlake City Council Chambers at City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
At this meeting, the board will ratify Sheriff Brian Martin’s local emergency declaration.
Additionally, staff from all agencies cooperating to respond to the Mendocino Complex wildfires will be on hand, to provide the public a comprehensive update.
The meeting will be streamed live on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/lakecountycagov/. County officials will monitor and respond to questions posted to Facebook during the meeting. Lake County PEG TV, Mediacom Channel 8 also will broadcast the meeting live.
“I had the opportunity to tour the burn area this morning, and the work first responders have done thus far to contain these wildfires has been astounding,” said District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott said Monday. “With limited resources, crews have fought tirelessly to limit the damage, and there have been many successes. Our hearts remain with those responding to the disaster and the many evacuees.”
*** This article has been updated: According to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rassmussen the individual identified as Brandon Leon Bowyer, 21, residence unknown was not arrested. The individual who was arrested is Jordan Bowyer. "He provided a false name, his last name is the same but he provided a false first name and age," said Cheif Rassmussen. Rassmussen suspects Jordan Bowyer provided false information because Bowyer has warrants out of Riverside County for property and vehicle theft. ***
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Police officers have taken three more men into custody after finding them in the mandatory evacuation area in Lakeport.
Jordan Bowyer age unknown, city of residence unknown, was arrested on Sunday, while Travis Scott Jones, 25, and Tacoma Elliott, 40, both of Lakeport, were separately taken into custody on Monday, according to the Lakeport Police Department.
These latest actions by police brings the number of arrests in the Lakeport evacuation area to five.
The department said that at 11:30 a.m. Sunday Lakeport Police officers found Bowyer on foot in the area of 16th Street and Hartley Road.
When officers contacted him, Bowyer could not provide any reason as to what he was doing or why he was in the area. After further investigation it was determined Bowyer did not live in the area and could not provide a reason for being in a evacuated area, police said.
Bowyer was placed under arrest for unauthorized entry into a closed emergency area. During a search of Bowyer, police said he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine as well as being under the influence of methamphetamine.
He was transported to jail where he was booked without incident, Bowyer said.
At 12:30 a.m. Monday, on-duty Lakeport Public Works staff notified Lakeport Police officers of a suspicious person with a backpack riding a bicycle in downtown Lakeport. Officers located the subject, identified as Elliott, in the area of Museum Park and inquired what he was doing.
Police said Elliott told officers he was trying to get some cigarettes but failed to notice the road closures and barricades that he rode through on his bike. The officers discovered Elliott's backpack was empty, leading them to believe he was in the area for reasons other than buying cigarettes.
Elliott was placed under arrest for unauthorized entry into a closed emergency area and transported to jail, authorities said.
Then, at 6 a.m. Monday, Lakeport Officers located a pickup truck in Lakeport near Clearlake Avenue and North High Street driven by Jones.
Police said Jones could not provide a lawful reason for being in the area and in fact admitted he came from outside Lakeport and drove past barricade closures to to enter Lakeport.
Jones was arrested for entering and remaining in a closed disaster area. During a search incident to arrest, tools believed to be possessed for the purpose of burglary were located and seized. He was also charged with possession of burglary tools and booked into jail, according to police.
The Lakeport Police Department said it’s working jointly with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office the Lake County Office of Emergency Services and other allied agencies to protect the evacuated area.
“We want the community to know that we will absolutely not tolerate this type of behavior,” the department said in a written statement. “We are committed to protecting the safety of our residents, businesses and their property while our communities remain evacuated and we will be aggressive in these efforts.”
The agency said any unauthorized person who willfully and knowingly enters a disaster area and who willfully remains within the area after receiving notice to evacuate or leave shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.