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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest is once again entering prescribed burning season.
The public may notice smoke in various parts of the forest during the next few months as part of the continued commitment to protect communities and natural resources from wildfires.
Forest visitors, including hunters, are asked to be aware of their surroundings and watch for prescribed burning operations to maintain personal safety.
Areas where prescribed burning operations are taking place will be well signed and there will be increased fire personnel in the area.
If visitors are uncertain, they are encouraged to contact the Forest at 530-934-3316 before their visit to see where prescribed burns are planned for the day.
As cooler weather and higher humidity move in, there is an opportunity to bring fire into the forest in a controlled setting.
Prescribed fires are used to clear the forest floor of small fuels and brush without burning or killing large trees.
Prescribed burns are conducted when there is a window of opportunity and specific conditions and criteria are met before, and will be sustained, during and after the burn.
The necessary conditions include temperature, wind conditions, relative humidity and fuel moisture levels. The Forest also takes air quality into consideration.
“Prescribed burning is an important tool for the Forest to use for hazardous fuels reduction and forest health improvement, including wildlife habitat,” said Grindstone Ranger District Fire Management Officer Matt Ellis. “The fires are intended to be slow, low-intensity creeping fires on the forest floor. Although there are only a few opportunities for prescribed burns, they produce less smoke and there aren’t the resource impacts typically created by large wildfires.”
The season traditionally runs from early October through spring as weather permits. The burning operations are monitored and patrolled frequently to ensure public safety, forest officials said.
During the prescribed burning season, fire crews also burn piles of wood debris and fuel that are the result of fuel reduction activities in the forest.
Conditions permitting, prescribed burning operations were expected to start with 31 acres of piles in the Lost Camp Area of the Grindstone Ranger District, southwest of Elk Creek.
The Grindstone Ranger District has plans to burn numerous piles across the district during this fall and winter.
Forest officials reported that the focus right now is to get to higher elevation sites before they become inaccessible due to snow and poor road conditions.
The district’s Fire and Fuels program plans to conduct prescribed burning activities on approximately 2,500 acres, including understory burning near Alder Springs and Ivory Mill.
On the west side of the forest, prescribed burning is planned for the following general areas on the Upper Lake Ranger District: Along Elk Mountain Road, in the areas of Howard Mill, along the 17N39 Road in the Willow Creek area, along the M10 Northeast of the Three Crossings area, Boardman Ridge, High Valley, Streeter Ridge, Pine Mountain, Lake Pillsbury and Little Round Mountain.
On the Covelo Ranger District, prescribed burns are planned in the vicinity of Bredehoft Place, Howard Lake and Pinto Ridge. Selected campgrounds, guard stations and miscellaneous pile burning will also be included in the prescribed burning operations.
Prescribed burning announcements will be placed at local ranger stations prior to ignition. Mendocino National Forest employees are committed to a safe and successful prescribed burning season for both the public and employees.
For more information, please contact the Grindstone Ranger District at 530-934-3316, the Upper Lake Ranger District at 707-275-2361 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This week Lake County Animal Care and Control has four cats available to new homes.
The adoptable cats include three tabby kittens and an adult.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Female tabby kitten
This female tabby kitten has a medium-length coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 24a, ID No. 994.
Female tabby kitten
This female tabby kitten has a medium-length coat.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 24b, ID No. 995.
Female tabby kitten
This female tabby kitten has a medium-length coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 24c, ID No. 996.
'Tinker Bell'
“Tinker Bell” is a female adult domestic short hair mix with calico markings.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 80, ID No. 1082.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department issued a safety advisory for city residents Sunday evening after a bear and her cubs were spotted earlier in the day in a residential area.
Police said the bear and her two cubs were sighted at approximately 12:43 p.m. Sunday near the lake in the 1800 and 1900 block of S. Main Street.
Residents are advised to use caution when going outside in that area.
A mother bear can be aggressive when with cubs, according to the report.
If you sight a bear, do not approach it and do not run. Instead, make yourself as big as you can and make noise, then back away and get indoors, the advisory said.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County received a much-needed dose of rain on Saturday, with expectations for more early Sunday and the possibility of additional precipitation late this week.
The National Weather Service's predictions of rain around Northern California came true, and on Saturday many parts of Lake County saw steady rainfall in the first substantial rainstorm of the fall season.
National Weather Service rainfall totals for the 24-hour period through 11 p.m. Saturday showed that Whispering Pines had the most precipitation, with 1.52 inches, with the smallest amounts reported in Clearlake, where the total was just under two-tenths of an inch.
A variety of rainfall tracking stations around the county posted the following totals:
– Whispering Pines (2,700 feet): 1.52 inches.
– Boggs Mountain (3,000 feet): 1.20 inches.
– Two miles southwest of Gravelly Valley Airport: 1.20 inches.
– Five miles west northwest of Hough Springs (2,060 feet): 0.98 inch.
– Cow Mountain Ridge (3,355 feet): 0.74 inch.
– High Glade Lookout, Upper Lake (4,807 feet), 0.66 inch.
– Eight miles east northeast of Hidden Valley Lake: 0.48 inch.
– Nine miles north northeast of Witter Springs (3,740 feet): 0.48 inch.
– Mt. Konocti (2,163 feet): 0.29 inch.
– Lakeport (1,390 feet): 0.26 inch.
– Cache Creek near Lower Lake: 0.23 inch.
– One mile south southeast of Wilbur Springs (2,085 feet): 0.21 inch.
– Three miles south of Indian Valley Reservoir: 0.19 inch.
– Four miles southeast of Clearlake: 0.18 inch.
The National Weather Service predicted the chance of more showers overnight and into Sunday morning before the rains stops.
Cloudy conditions are expected for much of the week, with a chance of rain returning next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Saturday's rainfall gave a boost to area creeks, but appeared to have had only a slight impact on the condition of Clear Lake, which was at a depth of -.076 feet Rumsey – the special measure for the lake – late Saturday night, according to the US Geological Survey.
The survey reported that Clear Lake had fallen to a depth of -0.85 feet earlier on Saturday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – “Spirits on the Loch” is under way Sunday for its second and final day at Austin Park in Clearlake.
Gates are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today.
Admission is $3 for children, $5 for adults.
The steampunk event features music, costumes, crafts and activities, vendors, more musicians and a display of kinetic sculptures.
Saturday's inclement weather cut the event a bit short on day one, but organizer Karlon Baker said participants are looking forward to better weather Sunday and a lineup of activities and entertainment that she said are sure to be a lot of fun.
“We are not going to let this weather dampen our spirits,” Baker said. “We will be back at it (today), hopefully, with some sun.”
Sunday's entertainment lineup is as follows:
– 10:30 to 11 a.m.: DJ music and boat races.
– 12:30 to 1 p.m.: Children's parade.
– 1:30 to 2 p.m.: Belly dancer performance.
– 2 to 3 p.m.: Andy Graham, musician.
– 3 to 4 p.m.: Fred and Melissa, musicians.
– 5 to 6 p.m.: Fire dancer performance.
“We will also be throwing skulls from catapults and people can participate in our interactive sculpture and add their creativity to its design,” Baker said.
The event is community-sponsored. Additional volunteers are needed and will be welcomed, Baker said.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A fire destroyed a trailer in Clearlake on Saturday morning.
The singlewide mobile home with an addition was located at the corner of Davis and Eureka avenues, according to Lake County Fire Protection District Chief George Murch.
Murch said the structure was fully involved by the time firefighters arrived shortly after the fire was dispatched at around 9:30 a.m.
No one was at home at the time, said Murch. Separately, it was reported to Lake County News that the trailer was a vacation home.
It took firefighters about 10 minutes to knock the fire down, Murch said.
Resources responding included one engine and a battalion chief, a water tender and rescue unit from Lake County Fire Protection District, two engines from Cal Fire and a total of about one dozen personnel, according to Murch.
As for what led to the fire, Murch said, “We're still under investigation on the cause.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at