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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Authorities have arrested a Lower Lake man for allegedly setting a fire Sunday afternoon in an attempt to protect his marijuana grow from a larger wildland incident burning nearby.
Juan Ramos Silva, 49, was taken into custody shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday by Cal Fire, according to Lake County Jail booking records.
Ramos Silva was booked later Sunday night on a misdemeanor charge of unlawfully setting a backfire and a felony count of causing a structure or forest fire, with bail set at $15,000, based on his booking sheet.
“This is the fifth arrest our officers have made in just the past two weeks,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “Especially now with the dry conditions from the drought, we will absolutely not tolerate arson of any type and will track down those suspected of causing harm to our communities.”
The fire that Ramos Silva allegedly set was not related to the cause of the Jerusalem fire or the Rocky fire. The investigation into the origin and cause of both the Rocky Fire and Jerusalem Fire are ongoing, as investigators continue to work to determine a cause, Cal Fire said.
The Jerusalem fire was first reported just after 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the 20700 block of Jerusalem Grade Road northeast of Middletown, and grew to 3,000 acres by Sunday night, as Lake County News has reported.
On Sunday at approximately 5:43 p.m., deputies responded to the area of Jerusalem Grade in the area of Hidden Valley in response to the wildfire, which was threatening several residences. Deputies were conducting mandatory evacuations of residences in the Jerusalem Grade and Jerusalem Valley area, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Brooks said deputies noticed that a large fire had ignited in the area close to their location and responded to a residence located in the 15000 block of Spruce Grove Road, where the fire was believed to have originated from. They noticed a large marijuana grow site on the property, within 50 feet of the residence. Deputies contacted several witnesses at the residence who said the property owner, Ramos Silva, had started the fire.
Deputies located Ramos Silva who admitted to starting the fire on his property. Ramos Silva explained he started the fire to prevent the Jerusalem Fire from reaching his residence, Brooks said.
The deputies noticed that Ramos Silva had started the fire behind his marijuana grow to protect his plants, not his residence. Brooks said Ramos Silva also said he had been a firefighter in Mexico years ago and had attempted to conduct a “controlled burn” of the back of his property to protect it from burning.
Jail records show that Ramos Silva is tentatively scheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on the charges on Tuesday.
Cal Fire advises that residents should remain vigilant in their preparedness and aware of suspicious persons when a fire does start. Suspicious activity should be reported including the time, individual’s physical description, and a vehicle description, including the license plate number.
Always contact law enforcement, Cal Fire advises, never approach a suspicious person. Anyone with information about arson is urged to contact the CAL FIRE Arson Hotline at 1-800-468-4408. Callers can remain anonymous.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission approved a use permit Tuesday for construction of a new helipad at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
The new helipad, which will replace the existing temporary aerial landing facility, will increase the number of types of helicopters able to land at the hospital.
Following adjournment of Tuesday's meeting, Commission Chairman Carl Webb said the upgraded facility is important in improving the area's health care services as currently there exists no trauma center within the county.
This, he said, requires many patients with serious injuries to be flown to out-of-county facilities for treatment and the new helipad will improve accommodations of equipment to service those patients.
According to Assistant City Planner Julie Burrows, the current landing zone allows for the use of a single type of helicopter.
She said four different types of helicopters will be able to land at the new facility.
REACH Air Medical Services will construct the new helistop on the hospital's property.
It will be located southeast of the main parking lot area, supported by steel columns, drilled piers and consist of a 43-foot by 43-foot metal helideck, lighting and fencing, ramp and stair access and underground utilities.
The current emergency landing site, which was established in the mid-1990s, was designated by the Lake County Fire Protection District under the condition that a new, safer Federal Aviation Administration-approved helistop be constructed. Burrows said the project satisfies that stipulation.
Burrows said the proposed helipad has been designed to accommodate air medical helicopters including Augusta Westland 109, Airbus EC135 and EC 145 and Bell 407 helicopters.
The design is based on FAA Circular 150/5390-2, Heliport Design. It will be lit with state-of-the-art LED technology controlled by the helicopter pilot prior to final approach.
Upon exiting the facility, the lights will automatically turn off. FAA-approved security and lighting will be installed.
The Lake County Fire Protection District expressed concern, in a written response to the proposal, for the design's lack of connection with the hospital's backup generator in such case of a power outage.
Burrows said a condition requiring that improvement plans for the project be submitted to the city building and engineering department for approval by the fire district addresses the district's concerns.
In addition, in approving the use permit application, the commission added a stipulation that requires an American Indian tribal monitor be present in the event ground disturbance occurs during construction.
Email reporter Denise Rockenstein at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters are rapidly closing in on the goal of fully containing the Rocky fire.
Cal Fire said the fire remained at 69,636 acres on Sunday night, with containment up to 85 percent after no movement since the 70-percent mark reported the previous night.
The Rocky fire began burning since July 29 east of Lower Lake, eventually burning to an area just north of Clearlake Oaks.
Cal Fire continues to anticipate fully containing the vast fire by Thursday.
The cause remains under investigation, the agency said.
Cal Fire said approximately 1,925 firefighting personnel remained committed to the fire on Sunday evening, a little less than half of those assigned during the fire's peak.
Other resources still assigned to the incident included 99 engines, 54 hand crews, 14 water tenders, 12 dozers and four helicopters, Cal Fire said.
The incident is under the management of Cal Fire Incident Management Team 2, which is stationed at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport.
Cal Fire said firefighters are continuing to be released from the incident as containment grows, allowing them to be reassigned and available for other fires throughout the state.
However, some of them haven't had to go very far for a new assignment.
On Sunday afternoon and into early Monday, resources were diverted from the Rocky fire to the Jerusalem fire, which broke out to the south of the fire perimeter on Sunday afternoon, as Lake County News has reported.
More of those Rocky fire resources are expected to report to the Jerusalem fire early Monday, according to reports from the scene.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office reported that the nomination period has been extended for a number of elected school district and special districts positions on the November ballot.
Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley said the time period to file for candidacy for the Nov. 3 election has been extended due to incumbents who didn't file in th specific races.
She said all qualified persons – other than the incumbent office holders – now have until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, to file for the following positions:
– Lake County Board Of Education, Trustee Area No. 1;
– Lucerne Elementary School District;
– South Lake County Fire Protection District;
– Buckingham Park Water District;
– Callayomi County Water District;
– Clearlake Oaks County Water District;
– Cobb Area County Water District;
– Scotts Valley Water Conservation District; Divisions I and III;
– Upper Lake County Water District;
– Adams Springs Water District;
– Villa Blue Estates Water District.
Fridley said any voters wanting information regarding filing for the offices listed can contact her office at telephone 707-263-2372, or by visiting Room 209 on the second floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A wildland fire burning between Lower Lake and Middletown continued to grow on Sunday night.
The Jerusalem fire was first dispatched just after 3:30 p.m. Sunday off Jerusalem Road, seven miles northeast of Middletown, according to Cal Fire.
As of 9 p.m., Cal Fire reported that the fire had burned 3,000 acres, with no containment.
Cal Fire confirmed to Lake County News that the fire was burning south of the perimeter of the Rocky fire, east of Lower Lake.
The most recent Cal Fire report said the fire is moving east in steep terrain.
The fire prompted authorities to issue mandatory evacuations for the Jerusalem Valley area east of Spruce Grove.
Cal Fire said Jerusalem Valley Road is closed to all traffic at Spruce Grove Road, with fire personnel and emergency vehicles working in the area.
The Lake County Office of Emergency Services reported that a Red Cross evacuation center set up at Middletown High School for the Rocky fire was remaining open for the Jerusalem fire evacuees.
In addition, officials set up a temporary shelter for pets and other animals at 6885 Old Highway 53 in Clearlake, the site of the former water park.
Air and ground resources – tankers, planes, copters, dozers and water tenders – have been pulled from the nearby Rocky fire throughout the afternoon and evening and sent into the Jerusalem fire area, including Jerusalem Valley.
Radio reports indicated that additional air attack and tankers will return to the Jerusalem fire site in the morning, as they cannot continue to fly at night.
Shortly before 9 p.m. officials at the scene reported that the fire was burning into the Jericho Canyon area, and had slowed down considerably, with the anticipation that firefighters can make good progress on it overnight.
Radio reports also indicated it was headed toward the Rocky fire's southern perimeter.
Cal Fire said the cause of the Jerusalem fire is under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
This story has been updated.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters are working at the scene of a new wildland fire reported Sunday afternoon south of Lower Lake that is requiring evacuations from nearby homes.
Cal Fire dispatched air and ground units to the fire, reported to be in the 20700 block of Jerusalem Grade Road just after 3:30 p.m.
The Jerusalem fire is located south of Lower Lake and seven miles northeast of Middletown, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire spokeswoman Suzanne Blankenship said the fire is in the area of Jerusalem Grade Road and Canyon Road, which is south of the Rocky fire perimeter.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office said mandatory evacuations were in effect for the Jerusalem Valley area east of Soda Creek.
Jerusalem Valley Road is closed to all traffic at Spruce Grove Road, as fire personnel and emergency vehicles will be working in the area.
By 6 p.m., the fire had reached 100 acres, according to Cal Fire. A short time later, officials said the fire had jumped to 200 acres.
By 7 p.m., Cal Fire said the fire was up to 2,000 acres, with zero containment.
Copter 104 first arrived on the scene first, at around 3:45 p.m., estimating the fire at that point to be between one and 1.5 acres, based on scanner reports.
The helicopter's crew reported over the air that the fire had appeared to start down at the bottom of a creek.
Ground resources were working to access the fire, according to reports from the scene.
As of shortly after 5 p.m., the fire had reached 20 acres with a moderate rate of spread, according to Blankenship.
“It is spotting because of the wind,” Blankenship said.
A short time later, Cal Fire confirmed the fire had reached 200 acres, before again ballooning in size over the next few hours.
Blankenship said structures were threatened, with mandatory evacuations called for.
She said the sheriff's office and the California Highway Patrol were working to get residents in that area out of harm's way.
Sheriff Brian Martin confirmed to Lake County News that his agency was responding to the area to start evacuations just before 5:30 p.m.
At that point, Martin did not have an estimate of how many residents may need to be evacuated from their homes.
Cal Fire has dispatched additional air resources to the area – including multiple air tankers and helicopters – with some of the units responding coming from the nearby Rocky fire.
Martin said shortly after 6 p.m. that the fire was being aggressively fought with five air tankers and three helicopters.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
