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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As firefighters have battled wildland fires in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties, law enforcement has worked to protect communities, a job that has included making arrests in the fire areas.
Authorities around the region are reporting arrests of people violating orders to remain outside of evacuation areas and for looting.
Locally, relating to the Sulphur fire, law enforcement officials said that as of Tuesday they have made a limited number of arrests in the fire area, with most of them not related to looting.
Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs said that large portions of the city of Clearlake had mandatory evacuation orders in pace for the Sulphur fire, with Clearlake Police Department increasing its staffing to patrol the evacuated area.
From the time the evacuations started on Oct. 9 until they were lifted on Oct. 13 numerous law enforcement officers from Clearlake Police, the Lakeport Police Department, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks and the Lake County District Attorney’s Office patrolled the evacuation area, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said that during the four days of mandatory evacuations in Clearlake, the following five people were arrested in the evacuated area:
- Zanetta Phillips, 28, arrested for being in a closed disaster area and prowling.
- Ernesto Alvarez, 28, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic syringe.
- Ashley King, 29, was arrested for an arrest warrant.
- Toll Rainey Jr., 45, was arrested for five arrest warrants.
- Ronald Wardall, 52, was arrested for an arrest warrant.
Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said he was only aware of one arrest by his agency in response to the fire.
He confirmed that the arrest was of 60-year-old Frank Rollin McAllen of Clearlake Park. McAllen was arrested on Oct. 10 for entering a closed disaster area and possession of a controlled substance, according to booking records.
The most arrests in a fire area have occurred in Sonoma County.
On Tuesday Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano said his department has made 17 arrests in its portion of the fire area, most for being in an evacuation zone, not necessarily for looting.
He said a homeless man known to local authorities was arrested for arson after the man admitted to setting a warming fire in a park.
In the Santa Rosa city limits, as of Tuesday there had been 18 arrests related to looting and 11 other fire-related arrests on different charges since the start of the fires, according to Santa Rosa Police Lt. Mike Lazzarini.
Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley reported this week that, despite widespread concerns about looting, there have been minimal reports of looting in that county as a result
of the wildfires.
“There has been strong law enforcement presence around the perimeter of the fire which has likely deterred criminals from taking advantage of this tragedy,” Haley said.
Haley reported fewer than five arrests of suspected looters in Napa County by law enforcement since the onset of the fires on Oct. 8.
This week Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said his department was working with the California Highway Patrol, the National Guard and tribal police to patrol the 35,800-acre Redwood fire area in Potter and Redwood valleys in order to protect those communities from looting and other crimes.
He did not report any specific looting arrests and messages left with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office asking for specific numbers were not returned as of Tuesday night.
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.
Authorities around the region are reporting arrests of people violating orders to remain outside of evacuation areas and for looting.
Locally, relating to the Sulphur fire, law enforcement officials said that as of Tuesday they have made a limited number of arrests in the fire area, with most of them not related to looting.
Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs said that large portions of the city of Clearlake had mandatory evacuation orders in pace for the Sulphur fire, with Clearlake Police Department increasing its staffing to patrol the evacuated area.
From the time the evacuations started on Oct. 9 until they were lifted on Oct. 13 numerous law enforcement officers from Clearlake Police, the Lakeport Police Department, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks and the Lake County District Attorney’s Office patrolled the evacuation area, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said that during the four days of mandatory evacuations in Clearlake, the following five people were arrested in the evacuated area:
- Zanetta Phillips, 28, arrested for being in a closed disaster area and prowling.
- Ernesto Alvarez, 28, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic syringe.
- Ashley King, 29, was arrested for an arrest warrant.
- Toll Rainey Jr., 45, was arrested for five arrest warrants.
- Ronald Wardall, 52, was arrested for an arrest warrant.
Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said he was only aware of one arrest by his agency in response to the fire.
He confirmed that the arrest was of 60-year-old Frank Rollin McAllen of Clearlake Park. McAllen was arrested on Oct. 10 for entering a closed disaster area and possession of a controlled substance, according to booking records.
The most arrests in a fire area have occurred in Sonoma County.
On Tuesday Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano said his department has made 17 arrests in its portion of the fire area, most for being in an evacuation zone, not necessarily for looting.
He said a homeless man known to local authorities was arrested for arson after the man admitted to setting a warming fire in a park.
In the Santa Rosa city limits, as of Tuesday there had been 18 arrests related to looting and 11 other fire-related arrests on different charges since the start of the fires, according to Santa Rosa Police Lt. Mike Lazzarini.
Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley reported this week that, despite widespread concerns about looting, there have been minimal reports of looting in that county as a result
of the wildfires.
“There has been strong law enforcement presence around the perimeter of the fire which has likely deterred criminals from taking advantage of this tragedy,” Haley said.
Haley reported fewer than five arrests of suspected looters in Napa County by law enforcement since the onset of the fires on Oct. 8.
This week Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said his department was working with the California Highway Patrol, the National Guard and tribal police to patrol the 35,800-acre Redwood fire area in Potter and Redwood valleys in order to protect those communities from looting and other crimes.
He did not report any specific looting arrests and messages left with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office asking for specific numbers were not returned as of Tuesday night.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The latest person to die in the North Coast’s destructive October wildland fires was identified on Tuesday.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Office reported that 38-year-old Garrett Paiz, a volunteer firefighter from Missouri, was the victim of a fatal crash on Monday.
Paiz was driving a privately owned water tender in the 1500 block of the Oakville Grade just after 12:45 a.m. Monday when the crash occurred, the sheriff’s office said. The California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation.
The sheriff’s office said Paiz’s body was escorted from the scene by Napa Sheriff’s deputies, Cal Fire, and various law enforcement and National Guard units in the area.
Paiz’s death brings the confirmed total of deaths in the North Coast’s fires to 37 – eight in Mendocino County in the Redwood fire, 22 in Sonoma County and seven in Napa county.
No deaths have been reported due to the Sulphur fire, according to Lake County officials.
On Tuesday, Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano confirmed that the death toll in his county remained at 22.
He said 200 search and rescue workers – half of them National Guard, the other half with law enforcement agencies – are doing blanket searches of neighborhoods after completing focused searches.
He said drones were being flown over the fire area to help look for hot spots and protect search teams.
Giordano said a total of 1,969 missing persons reports were taken in response to the fires in Sonoma County.
Of those, on Tuesday 26 individuals had still not been located in the Santa Rosa Police Department’s jurisdiction and 27 were outstanding in the sheriff’s office jurisdiction, Giordano said.
In addition to Paiz, the other fire victims identified so far are as follows:
Mendocino County: Kai Logan Shepherd, 14, Redwood Valley; Roy Howard Bowman, 87, Redwood Valley; and Irma Elsie Bowman, 88, Redwood Valley.
Napa County: Charles Rippey, 100, of Napa; Sara Rippey, 98, of Napa; Dr. George Chaney, 89, of Napa; Edward Stone, 79, of Napa; Sally Lewis, 90, of Napa; Teresa Santos, 50, of Napa.
Sonoma County: Carol Collins-Swasey, 76, Santa Rosa; Lynne Anderson Powell, 72, Santa Rosa; Arthur Tasman Grant, 95, Santa Rosa; Suiko Grant, 75, Santa Rosa; Donna Mae Halbur, 80, Larkfield (Santa Rosa); Leroy Peter Halbur, 80, Larkfield (Santa Rosa); Valerie Lynn Evans, 75, Santa Rosa; Carmen Caldentey Berriz, 75, Apple Valley; Michael John Dornbach, 57, Calistoga; Veronica Elizabeth McCombs, 67, Santa Rosa; Sharon Rae Robinson, 79, Santa Rosa; Daniel Martin Southard, 71, Santa Rosa; Lee Chadwick Roger, 72, Glen Ellen; and Carmen Colleen McReynolds, 82, Santa Rosa.
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 Napa County Sheriff’s Office reported that 38-year-old Garrett Paiz, a volunteer firefighter from Missouri, was the victim of a fatal crash on Monday.
Paiz was driving a privately owned water tender in the 1500 block of the Oakville Grade just after 12:45 a.m. Monday when the crash occurred, the sheriff’s office said. The California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation.
The sheriff’s office said Paiz’s body was escorted from the scene by Napa Sheriff’s deputies, Cal Fire, and various law enforcement and National Guard units in the area.
Paiz’s death brings the confirmed total of deaths in the North Coast’s fires to 37 – eight in Mendocino County in the Redwood fire, 22 in Sonoma County and seven in Napa county.
No deaths have been reported due to the Sulphur fire, according to Lake County officials.
On Tuesday, Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano confirmed that the death toll in his county remained at 22.
He said 200 search and rescue workers – half of them National Guard, the other half with law enforcement agencies – are doing blanket searches of neighborhoods after completing focused searches.
He said drones were being flown over the fire area to help look for hot spots and protect search teams.
Giordano said a total of 1,969 missing persons reports were taken in response to the fires in Sonoma County.
Of those, on Tuesday 26 individuals had still not been located in the Santa Rosa Police Department’s jurisdiction and 27 were outstanding in the sheriff’s office jurisdiction, Giordano said.
In addition to Paiz, the other fire victims identified so far are as follows:
Mendocino County: Kai Logan Shepherd, 14, Redwood Valley; Roy Howard Bowman, 87, Redwood Valley; and Irma Elsie Bowman, 88, Redwood Valley.
Napa County: Charles Rippey, 100, of Napa; Sara Rippey, 98, of Napa; Dr. George Chaney, 89, of Napa; Edward Stone, 79, of Napa; Sally Lewis, 90, of Napa; Teresa Santos, 50, of Napa.
Sonoma County: Carol Collins-Swasey, 76, Santa Rosa; Lynne Anderson Powell, 72, Santa Rosa; Arthur Tasman Grant, 95, Santa Rosa; Suiko Grant, 75, Santa Rosa; Donna Mae Halbur, 80, Larkfield (Santa Rosa); Leroy Peter Halbur, 80, Larkfield (Santa Rosa); Valerie Lynn Evans, 75, Santa Rosa; Carmen Caldentey Berriz, 75, Apple Valley; Michael John Dornbach, 57, Calistoga; Veronica Elizabeth McCombs, 67, Santa Rosa; Sharon Rae Robinson, 79, Santa Rosa; Daniel Martin Southard, 71, Santa Rosa; Lee Chadwick Roger, 72, Glen Ellen; and Carmen Colleen McReynolds, 82, Santa Rosa.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council is planning a special meeting to discuss a local health emergency declaration.
The meeting will take place beginning at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
On the agenda is consideration of a resolution to appoint the Lake County health officer as health officer for the city of Clearlake.
The council also will consider ratifying a proclamation by Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait declaring a local health emergency in response to the Sulphur fire.
At the same time, the council will set the next consideration of the proclamation for the regular council meeting on Nov. 9.
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 meeting will take place beginning at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
On the agenda is consideration of a resolution to appoint the Lake County health officer as health officer for the city of Clearlake.
The council also will consider ratifying a proclamation by Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait declaring a local health emergency in response to the Sulphur fire.
At the same time, the council will set the next consideration of the proclamation for the regular council meeting on Nov. 9.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa has helped numerous Lake County residents recover from wildfire and will do so again.
In the wake of the Sulphur fire, President and General Manager Greg Bennett and his team will once again open their doors to receive wildfire survivors.
“Many county residents are fighting to find a sense of normalcy after losing everything, and quality medium-term housing is an essential step, offering so many essential things, such as a mailing address, reliable electricity and telephone service,” said Lake County District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown.
“When the county reached out to Greg Bennett and Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa for help, they immediately responded, again coming to the aid of county residents,” Brown said.
If you lost your home and you have insurance, support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or can pay $1,000 per month, you may be eligible.
Applicants are required to go through a screening process to ensure the safety of all sheltered at the resort.
The all-inclusive $1,000 monthly fee secures accommodations with 24-hour security, water, sewer, electricity, propane, telephone, cable TV and more.
A limited number of fully furnished one-bedroom suites offer a separate bedroom, bathroom, living room with a pull-out sofa, fireplace, small full kitchen and an outdoor deck. Coin laundry facilities are available onsite for resort residents, as well.
“County officials and first responders and firefighters are doing so much for this community,” shares Bennett. “We are just trying to help those impacted by the fires, in any little way we can, as their road to recovery begins.”
If you are interested, please call 707-279-6606 today. The resort’s general hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In the wake of the Sulphur fire, President and General Manager Greg Bennett and his team will once again open their doors to receive wildfire survivors.
“Many county residents are fighting to find a sense of normalcy after losing everything, and quality medium-term housing is an essential step, offering so many essential things, such as a mailing address, reliable electricity and telephone service,” said Lake County District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown.
“When the county reached out to Greg Bennett and Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa for help, they immediately responded, again coming to the aid of county residents,” Brown said.
If you lost your home and you have insurance, support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or can pay $1,000 per month, you may be eligible.
Applicants are required to go through a screening process to ensure the safety of all sheltered at the resort.
The all-inclusive $1,000 monthly fee secures accommodations with 24-hour security, water, sewer, electricity, propane, telephone, cable TV and more.
A limited number of fully furnished one-bedroom suites offer a separate bedroom, bathroom, living room with a pull-out sofa, fireplace, small full kitchen and an outdoor deck. Coin laundry facilities are available onsite for resort residents, as well.
“County officials and first responders and firefighters are doing so much for this community,” shares Bennett. “We are just trying to help those impacted by the fires, in any little way we can, as their road to recovery begins.”
If you are interested, please call 707-279-6606 today. The resort’s general hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Property owners, including those impacted by the Sulphur fire, will be receiving property tax bills by the end of this week.
These bills will be based upon the full assessed property value and will not reflect the impact of the fire.
County officials ask that even those community members impacted by the Sulphur fire pay the tax bill by the due date to prevent any penalties.
If you do not receive your property tax bill, you can view it online, at
https://common2.mptsweb.com/megabytecommonsite/(S(dx2wus0f42ypfmr4j5sfhsne))/PublicInquiry/Inquiry.aspx?CN=Lake&SITE=Public&DEPT=Tax&PG=Search; or you can call the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office at 707-263-2234 for a duplicate of your bill.
“We regret that many families will receive these bills while mourning the loss of their homes. While you are responsible to pay any tax bill you receive by the due date, know that those who have been overcharged will be reimbursed. Our office will use all available resources from Cal Fire and local agencies to ensure affected property values are corrected as soon as possible,” said Lake County Assessor-Recorder Richard Ford.
Those who have suffered property damage due to wildfire are encouraged to apply for property tax calamity relief, which can result in a reduced property tax obligation.
The application is available at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Departments/AssessorRecorder/Assessor+Forms/Property+Damage/2016_Section_170.pdf.
Assessor’s office staff will be on hand at the Local Assistance Center in Clearlake to help property owners through this and other property value-related processes.
The center is open through Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Clearlake Senior Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you are able, please go to the Local Assistance Center for assistance with assessment concerns, and a wide array of other services.
Recovery is a community effort, no one should face this alone.
If you have questions regarding services available at the Local Assistance Center, please call Clearlake City Hall at 707-994-8201.
If you have further questions regarding your property tax bill, call the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office at 707-263-2234.
For information regarding your property value or calamity reassessment, please call the Assessor’s Office at 707-263-2302.
These bills will be based upon the full assessed property value and will not reflect the impact of the fire.
County officials ask that even those community members impacted by the Sulphur fire pay the tax bill by the due date to prevent any penalties.
If you do not receive your property tax bill, you can view it online, at
https://common2.mptsweb.com/megabytecommonsite/(S(dx2wus0f42ypfmr4j5sfhsne))/PublicInquiry/Inquiry.aspx?CN=Lake&SITE=Public&DEPT=Tax&PG=Search; or you can call the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office at 707-263-2234 for a duplicate of your bill.
“We regret that many families will receive these bills while mourning the loss of their homes. While you are responsible to pay any tax bill you receive by the due date, know that those who have been overcharged will be reimbursed. Our office will use all available resources from Cal Fire and local agencies to ensure affected property values are corrected as soon as possible,” said Lake County Assessor-Recorder Richard Ford.
Those who have suffered property damage due to wildfire are encouraged to apply for property tax calamity relief, which can result in a reduced property tax obligation.
The application is available at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Departments/AssessorRecorder/Assessor+Forms/Property+Damage/2016_Section_170.pdf.
Assessor’s office staff will be on hand at the Local Assistance Center in Clearlake to help property owners through this and other property value-related processes.
The center is open through Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Clearlake Senior Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you are able, please go to the Local Assistance Center for assistance with assessment concerns, and a wide array of other services.
Recovery is a community effort, no one should face this alone.
If you have questions regarding services available at the Local Assistance Center, please call Clearlake City Hall at 707-994-8201.
If you have further questions regarding your property tax bill, call the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office at 707-263-2234.
For information regarding your property value or calamity reassessment, please call the Assessor’s Office at 707-263-2302.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As firefighters continued to work on the North Coast’s fires on Tuesday, a wind shift resulted in more smoke and some ash from around the region coming into Lake County’s air basin.
Lake County’s Sulphur fire continued to edge closer to full containment on Tuesday, with the 2,207-acre fire up to 92-percent containment by the evening.
The Sulphur fire is being managed jointly with the 35,800 Redwood fire in Mendocino County as part of the Mendocino Lake Complex. The Redwood fire is up to 70 percent containment, bringing the overall complex containment to 71-percent, according to Cal Fire.
In Sonoma and Napa counties the Central LNU Complex reached 102,785 acres on Tuesday, Cal Fire said.
It includes the Tubbs fire, 36,432 acres, 87-percent containment; the Pocket fire, 12,430 acres and 58-percent containment; the Sonoma Nuns fire, 33,369 acres and the Napa Nuns fire, 19,525 acres and 78-percent containment for both incidents; and the Oakmont fire, 1,029 acres and 27-percent containment, according to Cal Fire’s report.
Cal Fire said firefighters held the Southern LNU Complex, burning in Napa and Solano counties, to 51,064 acres on Tuesday, with containment up to 80 percent.
Thanks to progress on the fires the air quality in Lake County had improved over the last several days.
However, Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said variable winds brought heavy smoke and some ash fall into areas of Lake County on Tuesday, which led to Lake County Air Quality Management issuing an alert for air quality in the “unhealthy” range in some parts of the county.
Gearhart said the smoke came primarily from the Pocket fire.
Radio traffic on the Pocket fire has indicated that backfiring operations have been used over the last few days to bring the fire under control.
Gearhart said air quality impacts were observed in Cobb, Kelseyville, Clear Lake Riviera, Lower Lake, the city of Clearlake and the Northshore.
He said a strong inversion has set up over the lake and is holding the smoke in the basin.
Conditions worsened to the point that at around 4:15 p.m. volunteers on the Mount Konocti fire lookout tower went out of service for the day, noting large amounts of drift smoke coming from the southwest that caused them not to be able to see the highway below.
As the smoke continued to build in the air basin, local firefighters were dispatched to numerous smoke check reports, according to radio reports. In all of those cases, firefighters were unable to locate new fires and canceled their response.
Gearhart said impacts from the smoke were expected to continue overnight.
All areas of the county may experience “unhealthy” air quality at times as winds change, though Gearhart said overall conditions are improving.
The smoke is expected to intermittently impact all of Lake County through the week, Gearhart said.
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