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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While the coming weekend's weather is expected to be far milder than the last, dry conditions and a forecast that includes wind and low humidity have led to a red flag warning for several Northern California counties on Friday.
The National Weather Service issued the red flag warning – which warns of critical fire weather conditions – for Friday for a portion of northern Lake County, as well as all or portions of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo and Yuba counties.
On Thursday evening, local officials also reported that red flag warnings would be in effect for all of Lake County from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.
Weather forecasts point to a storm system moving in from over the Rockies that could bring with it gusty north winds and drier conditions.
Lake County already has seen numerous wildland fires over the last several days, mostly small spots and areas of no more than five acres.
There were several small fires near Kelseyville, Upper Lake and Middletown on Wednesday, with another two-acre fire on Thursday near Upper Lake and a small fire involving a vehicle in Clearlake Thursday evening.
Local fire officials urge residents not to mow grass during the hot daytime hours, as the practice can easily spark fires.
The weekend forecast hearkens more to spring than summer. Temperatures include daytime highs in the 70s, falling into the 50s at night, with winds between 5 and 13 miles per hour.
It's expected to be great weather to get out and enjoy popular annual events like Middletown Days and the new Lake County Spring Fair.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers on Tuesday arrested two men who were found in a stolen vehicle.
Clearlake resident David Christopher Oranje, 18, was arrested for possession of stolen property and his passenger in the vehicle, Clearlake resident Lexus Keegan Burgess, 19, was arrested for an outstanding felony warrant out of the Lake County Sheriff's Office, according to a Thursday afternoon Clearlake Police report.
On Tuesday morning Officer Aaron Winslow responded to a report of a vehicle theft from the parking lot of a motel at 13865 Lakeshore Drive, the report said.
Upon Winslow's arrival, he contacted San Francisco Resident James Whyte, who reported he had come into town the night prior.
Upon his arrival he met two females whom he did not know. Whyte and the females returned to his motel room at 13865 Lakeshore Drive. When he awoke the following morning, he observed his vehicle and his property missing from his hotel room, according to police. The vehicle was identified as a 2011 Toyota Prius, grey in color.
At 3:50 p.m., Det. Travis Lenz was conducting patrol in the area of Highway 53 and Lakeshore Drive when he observed a vehicle matching the description of the Prius traveling southbound on Highway 53, according to the report.
Once behind the vehicle, he identified it as the vehicle which had been reported stolen earlier in the morning, police reported.
Lenz conducted a high risk traffic stop on the vehicle, which stopped in the Jack In The Box parking lot on Dam Road. The report said additional Clearlake Police officers arrived on scene and ordered the vehicle occupants from the vehicle and detained them for the investigation.
Upon the conclusion of the investigation, Officer Winslow arrested Oranje, the driver of the vehicle, along with Burgess. Police said the recovered stolen vehicle was released back to James Whyte at that time.
Anyone with information regarding this case can contact Officer Aaron Winslow at the Clearlake Police Department, 707-994-8251.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Narcotics task force members arrested a Clearlake man on Wednesday for charges related to use and possession of methamphetamine.
Martin Guzman Pantoja, 49, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Brooks said Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force detectives were walking through the parking lot of Twin Pines Casino in Middletown on Wednesday when they observed Pantoja walk out of the casino and through the parking lot.
Pantoja was acting bizarre, displaying signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance, Brooks said.
Detectives contacted Pantoja in the parking lot and, after conducting several field sobriety tests, determined that he was under the influence of methamphetamine, according to Brooks.
Brooks said detectives arrested Pantoja, searched him and located a plastic bag containing 5 grams of suspected methamphetamine hidden in his sock.
Pantoja told detectives that he had recently purchased the methamphetamine and that he was a methamphetamine user. Brooks said Pantoja denied that he planned to sell the methamphetamine.
Detectives estimated the methamphetamine had a street value of $500, according to Brooks.
Brooks said detectives later tested the suspected methamphetamine using a narcotic identification kit and received a presumptive positive result. The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the California Department of Justice for further testing.
Pantoja was booked at the Hill Road Correctional Facility, with bail set at $25,000. Jail records indicated he remained in custody on Thursday evening.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A Thursday afternoon grass fire near Upper Lake burned several acres and damaged an RV.
The fire, dispatched at about 3:45 PM, was located in a field at the corner of Bridge Arbor and East Robinson Rancheria roads.
Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos said about two acres were burned.
Northshore Fire Protection District, Cal Fire and the US Forest Service all sent resources to the fire.
About a dozen engines will water tenders and other fire vehicles blocked Bridge Arbor Road in the fire area as firefighters knocked down the flames.
Three sheriff's deputies also responded to the scene.
A Cal Fire helicopter made water drops as air attacks hovered overhead.
The fire did not appear to have damaged several homes surrounding the field.
Firefighters were continuing to work at the scene into the early evening, according to radio reports.
The last of the local resources were released from the fire at around 7:20 p.m., scanner reports indicated, with Cal Fire investigators remaining at the scene.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – An Oakdale man was injured Thursday morning when his motorcycle collided with a car in the Buckingham area.
Motorcyclist Robert Passmore, 64, was seriously injured in the crash, which occurred at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Pam Morris, 56, of Kelseyville, who was driving the car, was not injured in the crash, the CHP said.
The CHP said Passmore was riding his 2010 Triumph motorcycle southbound on Crystal Drive at approximately 35 miles per hour while Morris was driving her 2004 Mazda northbound at about 30 miles per hour.
The CHP report said Passmore allowed his motorcycle to cross into the opposing lane and hit the left rear of Morris' Mazda.
Passmore sustained moderate to major injuries and was transported by Kelseyville Fire ambulance to a landing zone, were a CalStar air ambulance picked him up and transported him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, according to the CHP.
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This story has been updated.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest officials said Thursday that the largest of 15 lightning fires sparked by a lightning storm earlier this week has continued to scorch acreage.
The Daves Fire, burning on the Mendocino National Forest’s Grindstone Ranger District, is estimated to be 300 acres and 20 percent contained, officials said Thursday evening.
There is no estimated containment at this time, according to forest administration. However, the fire is holding on Skidmore Ridge.
NorCal Team 2 will be assuming command of the fire Friday morning, officials said.
The fire is burning in steep terrain in dense vegetation. Approximately 300 people are currently committed to the fire, according to the report.
Forest officials said smoke from the fire is expected to continue to be visible from the I-5 corridor.
Visitors are asked to avoid the area for both firefighter and visitor safety.
This includes County Road 55/Forest Road M4 southwest of Paskenta, including Black Bear Camp, and Forest Road M9 from County Road 313 west to Log Springs due to increased fire traffic in the area.
Officials said roads in this area are narrow, with few turnarounds, and large firefighting equipment will be traveling between Paskenta and the fire in the coming days.
The Daves Fire was spotted Wednesday afternoon and is the 15th fire discovered following the lightning storm early Monday.
As conditions continue to dry out and warm up, forest firefighters anticipate discovering more lightning fires in the coming days.
For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
Updates also will be available on Twitter @Mendocino NF.