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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local officials are offering guidance on how to offer assistance to those most seriously impacted by the Mendocino Complex, made up of the Ranch and River fires which began last week.
While crews continue to battle the Mendocino Complex fires on multiple fronts, county officials offered their sincerest thanks to the many first responders from around the state who have gathered to assist.
“The response of emergency personnel and Lake County residents has once again been remarkable,” said County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson. “There is still much to be done, efforts are ongoing to stabilize the Mendocino Complex fires, and safeguard residents’ property. We ask that you please continue to prioritize monitoring official communications from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, via Nixle, and Cal Fire.”
With thousands of residents evacuated from their homes, the county has received requests for information on the most effective way to make donations to assist Mendocino Complex survivors and their families.
Cash donations are most helpful at this time, the county said. Such donations allow those supporting disaster relief efforts to direct assistance where it is most needed.
The county is unable to accept in-kind donations, such as clothing, household goods and other supplies. In-kind donations require significant time and financial resources to distribute.
If someone close to you needs clothing or other everyday items, please provide them directly, if you can. If you are able to help the broader disaster response and relief effort, cash is best.
Those who are able, please make cash donations at https://www.ncoinc.org/.
While crews continue to battle the Mendocino Complex fires on multiple fronts, county officials offered their sincerest thanks to the many first responders from around the state who have gathered to assist.
“The response of emergency personnel and Lake County residents has once again been remarkable,” said County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson. “There is still much to be done, efforts are ongoing to stabilize the Mendocino Complex fires, and safeguard residents’ property. We ask that you please continue to prioritize monitoring official communications from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, via Nixle, and Cal Fire.”
With thousands of residents evacuated from their homes, the county has received requests for information on the most effective way to make donations to assist Mendocino Complex survivors and their families.
Cash donations are most helpful at this time, the county said. Such donations allow those supporting disaster relief efforts to direct assistance where it is most needed.
The county is unable to accept in-kind donations, such as clothing, household goods and other supplies. In-kind donations require significant time and financial resources to distribute.
If someone close to you needs clothing or other everyday items, please provide them directly, if you can. If you are able to help the broader disaster response and relief effort, cash is best.
Those who are able, please make cash donations at https://www.ncoinc.org/.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – It is with deep regret and concern for the public during this period of fires and evacuations that the ninth annual Grillin' on the Green barbecue cook-off in Westside Community Park scheduled for Saturday, August 4, has been cancelled.
There is no plan to reschedule the fundraising event which supports development of the park located on the west side of Lakeport.
Cindy Ustrud, chair of the Grillin' Committee, and Dennis Rollins, chair of the Westside Community Park Committee, jointly announced the decision Tuesday to provide grillers and their teams advance notice that the event will not occur.
The Park Committee and the Grillin' Committee members express their gratitude to the community for its understanding.
Sponsors and other donors are thanked for their support this year and in the past.
Development activities at the park are ongoing and interested volunteers are invited to contact Rollins at 707-349-0969.
More information is available at www.westsidecommunitypark.org.
There is no plan to reschedule the fundraising event which supports development of the park located on the west side of Lakeport.
Cindy Ustrud, chair of the Grillin' Committee, and Dennis Rollins, chair of the Westside Community Park Committee, jointly announced the decision Tuesday to provide grillers and their teams advance notice that the event will not occur.
The Park Committee and the Grillin' Committee members express their gratitude to the community for its understanding.
Sponsors and other donors are thanked for their support this year and in the past.
Development activities at the park are ongoing and interested volunteers are invited to contact Rollins at 707-349-0969.
More information is available at www.westsidecommunitypark.org.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Due to the Mendocino Complex fires, the Clearlake State of the City event scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 1, will be postponed until a future date to be determined.
“While I hate to have to reschedule our State of the City event, with the River Fire and the Ranch Fire threatening our friends and neighbors in Lakeport and Lake County we need to put our time and resources toward helping out,” said City Manager Greg Folsom.
“We will reschedule as soon as we have resolution on these fires,” Folsom added.
“While I hate to have to reschedule our State of the City event, with the River Fire and the Ranch Fire threatening our friends and neighbors in Lakeport and Lake County we need to put our time and resources toward helping out,” said City Manager Greg Folsom.
“We will reschedule as soon as we have resolution on these fires,” Folsom added.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Air Quality Management District said the Mendocino Complex is continuing to negatively impact local air quality, with the heavy smoke making conditions unhealthy for most and even hazardous for others.
The Ranch and River fires, burning since Friday, led to the “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” air quality alert, according to Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart.
Gearhart said the current particulate levels in Lake County are in the range from “unhealthy” to “hazardous” throughout Lake County.
The unhealthy to hazardous levels of smoke are expected to continue through Tuesday. All areas may experience very unhealthy to hazardous air quality, and individuals should take precautions, Gearhart said.
With air quality forecast to be in the unhealthy to hazardous range, people are recommended to use caution, avoid strenuous activity, avoid outdoor activities, 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, Gearhart said.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino Complex continued to grow steadily on Monday, whipped by winds through steep terrain that challenged firefighting forces both on the ground and in the air, while local officials called special meetings to approve fire emergency declarations.
On Monday evening Cal Fire said the complex, composed of the Ranch and River fires, has burned 68,487 acres and is 5 percent contained. That was an increase of nearly 13,000 acres since Monday morning.
The Ranch fire is now nearly double the size of the River fire, having burned 45,076 acres. It’s 5-percent contained, as is the River fire, now at 23,411 acres.
Cal Fire said the complex continues to burn aggressively when in alignment with wind – reported to be in the mid 20s on Monday evening – along with fuel and topography. Firefighters also are being challenged by long distance spotting.
Weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as hot, dry and windy conditions persist, Cal Fire said.
Resources increased on the complex on Monday. Approximately 1,999 firefighters, 206 engines, 43 water tenders, 12 helicopters, 38 hand crews and 45 dozers are assigned, Cal Fire said.
Both fires triggered a series of new mandatory and advisory evacuation orders from officials throughout Monday, with Kelseyville ordered to evacuate and an advisory evacuation issued for Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera and portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb due to the River’s advance.
Lucerne was placed under an advisory evacuation because of the Ranch fire.
By Monday evening, the tally of destroyed structures had risen to 10 – seven homes, three outbuildings – with two others, a residence and an outbuilding, said to be damaged, according to Cal Fire. Officials have so far not said where all of those structures are.
The official count of threatened structures remains at 10,200, Cal Fire said.
Throughout the day, radio reports from both fires indicated continued fights to deal with changing conditions that caused both fires to act erratically and burn even more aggressively.
On the Ranch fire, crews worked to protect structures in the Blue Lakes and Saratoga Springs areas.
At the same time, the situation on the River fire sounded chaotic as the fire moved toward homes in the area of George and Mathews roads, as well as in the Scotts Creek area and on Dessie Drive and Hendricks Road.
During the early afternoon, reports from the scene stated the fire made a significant run over Scotts Creek, which resulted in bringing in more units for structure protection.
At around 2 p.m. incident command said the fire was too erratic to successfully use air tankers, and that it was jumping dozer line.
The fire at that point was reported to be making a run toward the rock quarry at the bottom of the Hopland Grade. It also was spotting in multiple locations and reached the top of McGregor Ridge, located southeast of Scotts Mountain.
A four-acre spot fire also burned in the area of Mathews and George roads, and at least two other spot fires also were reported nearby.
Supervisor Rob Brown, who has been monitoring the fire throughout the day from the scene, said the River fire was behind Lampson field Field and hadn’t gotten to Highland Springs.
As the evening continued, dozers were ordered to widen a dozer and retardant line all the way to Highland Springs Reservoir
After 7 p.m., firefighters reported that the River was was making another significant push. Within the hour, plans were being made for a firing operation along Scotts Creek, where shortly after 9 p.m. firefighters were reported to be tied up fighting fires cross the creek by the green bridge.
Throughout the day, Lake County Animal Care and Control’s Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection continued to move through the mandatory evacuation area, rescuing animals. At around 4 p.m. they reported removing three alpacas from harm’s way.
Animal control officials said they are still offering animal evacuation support services; call 707-263-0278. Phones are answered by staff between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.
The big evacuation effort on Monday, however, was for people, taking their animals and belongings and working their way through massive traffic jams that developed on the county’s highways.
Residents forced to evacuate – or those who chose to leave early on the advisory notices – have reported using local shelters, staying with friends in other parts of the county or sheltering outside of Lake County altogether due to concerns more evacuations could result.
The sheriff’s office said there will be no law enforcement escorts for evacuated residents into the evacuation areas for the Mendocino Complex wildfires. The evacuated areas are actively being patrolled by law enforcement personnel.
With a mandatory evacuation order now in effect for Kelseyville, shelters at Kelseyville High, Kelseyville Elementary and Mountain Vista Middle School were closed on Monday, according to Sheriff Brian Martin.
A new shelter is due to open at Coyote Valley Elementary, 18950 Coyote Valley Road in Hidden Valley Lake, which will offer 185 beds, Martin said.
In other fire-related news, on Monday afternoon the Lakeport City Council called a special meeting to ratify an emergency declaration issued on Sunday.
The Board of Supervisors also will host an emergency meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The purpose of the meeting is to 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 at 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.
An updated summary of incident evacuation, shelter and road closure information is below.
EVACUATIONS
MANDATORY
Lake County
• Kelseyville and Finley areas, north of the Lake-Sonoma-Mendocino County Line, east of Highland Springs Road, south of the Lake and west of Bottle Rock Road and Clear Lake State Park.
• Western Lake County, west of Lucerne at Bartlett Springs Road and Highway 20, south of the fire, east of the fire, and north of the Lake-Mendocino County line to include the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley and Saratoga Springs.
Mendocino County
• Potter Valley community; all areas north of Highway 20, east of the fire edge, to the Mendocino-Lake County line, south of Burris Lane to MeWhinney Creek and east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, to include feeder roads utilizing Burris Lane east to the Mendocino-Lake County line.
• Highway 20 area from one mile south of Highway 20, east of Potter Valley Road, south of MeWhinney Creek, and west of Mendocino-Lake County line.
• Pine Avenue area of Potter Valley north of Burris Lane, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 10511 Eastside Potter Valley Road, and west of the Lake-Mendocino County line.
• Midmountain Road area, north of 10551 Eastside Potter Valley Road, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 11385 Eastside Potter Valley Road, west of Mendocino-Lake County Line.
• Hopland area north of Highway 175, east of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175, south of the fire and west of the Mendocino-Lake County line.
ADVISORIES/WARNINGS
Lake County
• Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera, portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb. The advisory includes all residents living 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 175, including the subdivisions of Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, and Clear Lake Riviera west of Soda Bay Road.
• Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County.
• Lake Pillsbury basin and surrounding areas.
• North of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn
County line, and west of Lake-Colusa County line.
• Lucerne and Paradise Valley areas, north of Clear Lake, east of the Ranch fire, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of Paradise Valley Drive.
Mendocino County
• North of 8000 block of River Road to Yokayo Ranch Road.
• South of 8000 Old River Road, east of the Russian River, north of Highway 175, west of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175.
ROAD CLOSURES
Lake County
• Highway 175, at Highway 29 to westbound traffic
• Elk Mountain Road at Middle Creek Road
• Highway 20, westbound at Highway 29
• Highway 20, westbound at Bartlett Springs Road
• Soda Bay Road at Clark Road
• Highway 29, northbound at Cole Creek
• Bottle Rock Road at Cole Creek Road
Mendocino County
• Highway 175, at Old River Road to eastbound traffic
• Midmountain at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Mill Creek Road, half a mile east of Old River Road
• Pine Avenue at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Highway 20 at Potter Valley Road
• Elk Mountain Road south of Pillsbury Road
EVACUATION SHELTERS
Evacuation shelters offer overnight accommodations.
• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Coyote Valley Elementary, 18950 Coyote Valley Road, Hidden Valley Lake
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.
• Twin Pine Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown
CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AFTER EVACUATIONS
The Safe and Well locating service from the American Red Cross is now active.
Visit https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php to list yourself as safe, using the Mendocino Complex Fire-July 2018 Disaster Event.
If you’re looking for someone, use the same link and click on “Search Registrants.”
ANIMAL EVACUATIONS
Lake County
Large livestock can be taken to Cole Creek Equestrian Center, 4985 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville, telephone 707-279-0915; or to Helen Owens’ A1 Horse Programs, 18585 Guenoc Lane, Hidden Valley Lake, telephone 707-355-0121.
Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection has been activated and is still offering animal evacuation support services. Call Lake County Animal Care and Control Department at 707-263-0278. Phones are answered by staff between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.
The Animal Care and Control Shelter is not accepting pets at this time.
The SPCA of Clear Lake, 8025 Highway 29, is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and is accepting senior pets, or pets with medical issues and/or heat distress.
If you can keep your pets with you, please do so. Pet supplies are delivered to all open evacuation shelters regularly.
Mendocino County
Redwood Riders Arena, 8300 East Road, Redwood Valley is accepting horses.
Mendocino County Animal Care, 298 Plant Road, Ukiah is accepting small animals.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATE WITH NEW ORDERS.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities issued new evacuations on Monday afternoon in response to the growing Mendocino Complex.
With the afternoon winds fanning the complex’s River and Ranch fires and causing them to continue to grow, additional swaths of Lake County were placed under evacuation orders.
At around 2 p.m., Cal Fire issued an advisory evacuation issued for the following areas:
• the Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County;
• the Lake Pillsbury basin and surrounding areas;
• north of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn
County line, and west of 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.
That was followed just before 3 p.m. by a mandatory evacuation for the Kelseyville and Finley areas.
The sheriff’s office said the mandatory evacuation area is north of the Lake-Sonoma-Mendocino County Line, east of Highland Springs Road, south of the Lake and west of Bottle Rock Road and Clear Lake State Park, including the communities of Finley and Kelseyville.
At 4 p.m., the sheriff’s office issued an advisory evacuation for Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera and portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb.
The advisory includes all residents living 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 175, including the subdivisions of Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, and Clear Lake Riviera west of Soda Bay Road.
A summary of incident evacuation and road closure information is below.
EVACUATIONS
MANDATORY
Lake County
• Kelseyville and Finley areas, north of the Lake-Sonoma-Mendocino County Line, east of Highland Springs Road, south of the Lake and west of Bottle Rock Road and Clear Lake State Park.
• Western Lake County, west of Lucerne at Bartlett Springs Road and Highway 20, south of the fire, east of the fire, and north of the Lake-Mendocino County line to include the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley and Saratoga Springs.
Mendocino County
• East of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175, north of Highway 175, west of the Mendocino-Lake County line, and south of the fire.
• Potter Valley community; all areas north of Highway 20, east of the fire edge, to the
Mendocino-Lake County line, south of Burris Lane to MeWhinney Creek and east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, to include feeder roads utilizing Burris Lane east to the Mendocino-Lake County line.
• Highway 20 area from one mile south of Highway 20, east of Potter Valley Road, south of MeWhinney Creek, and west of Mendocino-Lake County line.
• Pine Avenue area of Potter Valley north of Burris Lane, east of Eastside Potter Valley Road, south of 10511 Eastside Potter Valley Road, and west of the Lake-Mendocino County line.
• Midmountain Road area, north of 10551 Eastside Potter Valley Road, east of Eastside Potter
Valley Road, south of 11385 Eastside Potter Valley Road, west of Mendocino-Lake County
Line.
ADVISORY/WARNING
Lake County
• Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, Clear Lake Riviera, portions of Loch Lomond and Cobb. The advisory includes all residents living 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 175, including the subdivisions of Soda Bay, Riviera Heights, Buckingham Park, Riviera West, and Clear Lake Riviera west of Soda Bay Road.
• Mendocino National Forest within the boundaries of Lake County.
• Lake Pillsbury basin and surrounding areas.
• North of Bartlett Springs Road, east of the Ranch Fire, south of the Lake-Mendocino-Glenn
County line, and west of Lake-Colusa County line.
• Lucerne and Paradise Valley areas, north of Clear Lake, east of the Ranch fire, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of Paradise Valley Drive.
Mendocino County
• North of 8000 block of River Road to Yokayo Ranch Road.
• South of 8000 Old River Road, east of the Russian River, north of Highway 175, west of mile marker 5.6 on Highway 175.
ROAD CLOSURES
Lake County
• Highway 175, at Highway 29 to westbound traffic. (Lake Co.)
• Scotts Valley Road at Hill Road
• Elk Mountain Road at Rancheria Road
• Highland Springs Road at Argonaut Road
• Ackley Road at Highway 29
• Highway 20, westbound at Highway 29
• Highway 20, eastbound at Bartlett Springs Road
• Scotts Valley Road, at Highway 29
• Highway 29, at Highland Springs Road
• Soda Bay Road, at Big Valley Road
Mendocino County
• Highway 175, at Old River Road to eastbound traffic (Mendocino Co.)
• Burris Lane at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Old River Road, at the 8000 block
• Pine Avenue, at Eastside Potter Valley Road
• Highway 20, at Potter Valley Road
• Elk Mountain Road, south of Pillsbury Road
EVACUATION CENTERS
• Mendocino College, Dance Room, 1000 Hensley Creek Road, Ukiah
• Mountain Vista Middle School, 5081 Konocti Road, Kelseyville
• Kelseyville Elementary School, 5065 Konocti Road
• Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.
• Lower Lake High School, 9430 Lake St.
• Twin Pines Casino, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.
ANIMAL EVACUATIONS
Lake County
Large livestock can be taken to Cole Creek Equestrian Center, 4985 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville, telephone 707-279-0915; or to Helen Owens’ A1 Horse Programs, 18585 Guenoc Lane, Hidden Valley Lake, telephone 707-355-0121.
Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection has been activated and is evacuating animals. Call Lake County Animal Care and Control from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 707-263-0278.
Mendocino County
Redwood Riders Arena, 8300 East Road, Redwood Valley is accepting horses.
Mendocino County Animal Care, 298 Plant Road, Ukiah is accepting small animals.
Email Elizabeth Larson at