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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest firefighters are working on locating and putting out a number of lightning-caused wildland fires on the forest.
Several hundred lightning strikes occurred throughout the forest Monday afternoon and evening, according to Mendocino National Forest spokeswoman Tamara Schmidt.
Forest personnel so far have identified one fire on the Grindstone Ranger District on the east side of the forest and two fires on the Covelo Ranger District on the northwest side of the forest, Schmidt said.
All of the fires are small, totaling half an acre or less. Schmidt said progress toward containment has been made on all three fires.
As conditions continue to dry out and warm up, firefighters anticipate discovering more lightning fires in coming days, said Schmidt, noting there also is a chance of thunderstorms Tuesday evening.
Large thunderheads could be seen Tuesday afternoon and evening above the forest.
Forest visitors are asked to be aware of their surroundings and to be prepared for changing conditions. This includes reporting visible smoke that could be from a wildfire.
To report a fire, call 911.
As a reminder, the Mendocino National Forest currently is under fire restrictions. Visitors are asked to follow regulations and be careful with anything with a flame or that can throw a spark in the forest.
For more information, visit www.preventwildfireca.org/OneLessSpark/ .
Follow the forest on Twitter, @MendocinoNF.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Work on a bridge project between Middletown and Calistoga is continuing despite an incident last week in which a construction crane toppled over.
The work on the summer construction phase of the Troutdale Creek bridge replacement project on Highway 29 in northwest Napa County began this month, as Lake County News has reported.
At around 11 a.m. Wednesday a large construction crane toppled over on the construction site, according to Vince Jacala, Caltrans public information officer for Napa and Solano counties.
Jacala said the crane's operator was not hurt.
The crew was able to upright the crane at around 10 p.m. Wednesday, Jacala said.
Caltrans' contractor on the project is Gordon N. Ball Inc. of Alamo. Jacala said Cal OSHA is investigating the accident.
Jacala said that, despite the incident, work was moving forward on schedule.
Caltrans has estimated that the project could be done late in 2016.
Email Elizabeth Larson at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Monday the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office issued new details on a 19-year-old Laytonville resident's fatal attack on the family with which he was staying.
Talen Clark Barton is alleged to have used a 12-inch kitchen knife to stab to death two people and seriously wounded two others in the incident, which began at about 12:15 a.m. Sunday at a Laytonville home.
Officials identified Laytonville residents Coleman Palmieri, 52, and his 17-year-old son Teo Palmieri as the two people who died at the scene of their injuries.
The names of the remaining victims have not been released. They include a 54-year-old woman from Laytonville and a 52-year-old male from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, both of whom were stabbed, and two uninjured young female teens, a 14-year-old from Laytonville and a 15-year-old from St. John's, Newfoundland, officials said.
Barton remains in the Mendocino County Jail, charged with two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of false imprisonment. He's being held without bail, according to jail records.
At approximately 12:46 a.m. Sunday the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call from the 46000 block of South Meadow Lane in Laytonville. Officials said the call was made by a female juvenile who was trying to summon aid to the location.
Within a short period of time a male – later identified as Barton – took over the call and a lengthy conversation with dispatchers ensued, officials said.
The sheriff's office said that during this conversation Barton admitted to stabbing four people in the home, with two of those persons having died and the other two needing medical aid for life-threatening wounds.
A Mendocino County Sheriff's dispatcher obtained driving directions and, as responding deputies arrived, talked the suspect into placing the knife down and exiting the residence where he surrendered without incident, according to the sheriff's report.
After securing Barton, deputies made a protective sweep of the residence. In the downstairs area of the house they located two female juveniles. There, deputies also found the wounded 54-year-old female and the 52-year-old male, both of them with multiple life-threatening stab wounds to the neck and chest.
Upstairs, the deputies located Coleman and Teo Palmieri, both deceased. Both appeared to have suffered multiple stab wounds about the neck and chest, according to the report.
Medical aid was summoned and Laytonville Fire and Cal Fire responded. Officials said both surviving adult victims were transported via air ambulance to nearby trauma centers, one to Redding Mercy Hospital and the second to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Sheriff's officials learned the surviving adults in the home were siblings, with the adult male and his daughter recently arriving from Canada to visit family members and to attend a local summer camp for youth.
The two surviving juveniles – who are cousins – later were taken into protective custody by Child Protection Services until they could be placed with other family members, the sheriff's office said.
The Canadian authorities were notified of the incident and have been working with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office and CPS to make notifications as well as reunification efforts, based on the report.
The sheriff's office said Barton was reported to have been in the foster placement system and had been living with the family on Meadow Lane for more than a year.
It is unknown if he was “officially” placed with the family by a Child Protective Services agency. The family was described by many as having taken him Barton in and was trying their best to make a home for him as well as recently trying to help him get enrolled in college in Humboldt County.
Barton admitted to being a heavy marijuana user but denied using any other controlled substances. There were no other controlled substances found at the scene, according to the sheriff's office report.
At this time there is no clear motive for the attacks, officials said.
The investigation is continuing and Mendocino County Sheriff's Office is requesting that anyone with pertinent information contact the Sheriff's Office Detectives Division at 707-463-4111 or the tip line at 707-234-2100.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – California Department of Public Health Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith on Monday announced the first confirmed death in California due to West Nile virus.
The deceased person was a senior citizen in Nevada County.
“This death is a tragic reminder of how severe West Nile virus disease can be,” said Dr. Smith. “West Nile virus activity is more widespread in 2015 than in years past. Californians need to be vigilant in protecting themselves.”
West Nile virus is influenced by many factors such as climate, the number and types of birds and mosquitoes in an area, and the level of immunity in birds to the virus.
It is possible that the drought has contributed to West Nile virus amplification by reducing sources of water for birds and mosquitoes, state officials reported. As birds and mosquitoes seek water, they are coming into closer contact and amplifying the transmission of the virus.
Thirty-three California counties have reported West Nile virus activity so far this year, four more than this time last year and above the five-year average of 22, the state said.
To date, 497 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus, which exceeds the five-year average of 330, according to state health officials.
Lake County's first positive mosquito samples of the year were confirmed last week, as Lake County News has reported. Those samples were collected in Clearlake Oaks, Upper Lake and Kelseyville.
West Nile virus is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of an infected mosquito.
The risk of serious illness to most people is low. However, some individuals – less than one percent – can develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis.
People 50 years of age and older have a higher chance of getting sick and are more likely to develop complications.
Studies also indicate that those with diabetes and/or hypertension are at greatest risk for serious illness.
The California Department of Public Health recommends that individuals prevent exposure to mosquito bites and West Nile virus by practicing the “Three Ds”:
– DEET: Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 according to label instructions. Repellents keep the mosquitoes from biting you. DEET can be used safely on infants and children two months of age and older.
– DAWN AND DUSK: Mosquitoes bite in the early morning and evening so it is important to wear proper clothing and repellent if outside during these times. Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.
– DRAIN: Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, by emptying flower pots, old car tires, buckets, and other containers. If you know of a swimming pool that is not being properly maintained, please contact your local mosquito and vector control agency.
California’s West Nile virus Web site, http://www.westnile.ca.gov/ , includes the latest information on West Nile virus activity in the state.
Californians are encouraged to report dead birds on the Web site or by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Cal Fire reported that firefighters are working on several major wildland fire incidents around California as the week begins.
In this week's Fire Situation Report – which can be viewed above – Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said that the agency's fire crews responded to more than 250 wildfires last week.
There also has been significant lightning area in some parts of the state, including the Central Sierra, Berlant said.
The biggest of the current fire incidents, according to Cal Fire, is the North fire in San Bernardino County, which began burning on Friday. As of late Monday it had burned 4,250 acres and was 95-percent contained.
The McCabe fire, sparked on Sunday in Merced County, had burned 1,333 acres and was 95-percent contained Monday night, Cal Fire reported.
Officials also are emphasizing the need to keep hobby drones out of fire areas.
Several incidents in recent weeks have temporarily grounded Cal Fire air resources due to safety concerns.
“If you fly, we can't,” Berlant said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission this week is set to consider a cell phone tower project held over from its meeting two weeks ago.
The commission will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Complete Wireless Consulting, on behalf of Verizon Wireless, is seeking a use permit and variance for a 70-foot monopine tower, which is proposed to be located on a leased 40-foot by 40-foot area on a vacant parcel at 14549 Burns Valley Road, owned by Anthony and Maxine Lamperti of Santa Rosa.
Staff is recommending the commission adopt the mitigated negative declaration, the use permit and the variance based on a number of listed conditions.
City Attorney Ryan Jones had advised the commission at its July 7 meeting that it should postpone the hearing because the mitigated negative declaration based on the project's initial study had only been completed earlier that day, not giving either the commission or the public enough time to review it.
The commission agreed, rescheduling that hearing to this Tuesday's meeting.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
072115 Clearlake Planning Commission - Staff report on cell tower