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NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters from state and federal agencies are responding to a fast-moving new wildland fire in the Cow Mountain area.
Cal Fire and US Forest Service firefighters worked for about a half hour to reach the remote fire – called the “Scotts Incident” – at about 2 p.m. Friday after a “massive column” of smoke was reported near Cow Mountain, which straddles Lake and Mendocino counties.
Shortly before 2:30 p.m. the fire was estimated to be between 175 and 200 acres, and rapidly moving up small drainages, burning up grass and other vegetation, according to reports from the scene.
Firefighters were able to access the fire off Scotts Valley Road and off of Highway 20. At first it was not clear if the fire was on the Lake or Mendocino side of the mountain. Cal Fire later said it was in Mendocino County, but Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells said it also was in Lake.
Julie Cooley, a fire prevention specialist with the Cal Fire Mendocino Unit, said initial information indicated that the fire was near the headwaters of Scotts Creek.
Air resources were being diverted from the 16 Complex in Colusa County to go to the new fire, which was going to be difficult to access from the ground, according to radio reports. A call was being made for aircraft and bulldozers.
A total of five tankers and one helicopter were assigned, with one additional helicopter to be assigned, according to reports from the scene.
Visibility is poor due to heavy smoke, making the going difficult for the air resources, radio reports indicated.
Additional details will posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Continued firing operations on two wildland fires in Colusa County resulted in heavy smoke in parts of Lake County on Friday, with more firing operations set to take place to try to slow down the fast-moving fires.
The two-fire 16 Complex grew by about 2,800 acres overnight, with Cal Fire reporting Friday morning that it had burned a total of 12,500 acres, with containment remaining at 20 percent.
The fires, burning since Tuesday, are located four miles apart off of Highway 16 in the Rumsey Canyon area.
Cal Fire estimated the incident will be fully contained on Monday.
Reports of smoke were coming in from around the county on Friday.
Cal Fire said firing operations to get rid of vegetation in the fire’s path had gone on throughout the night, and on Friday shortly before 2 p.m. radio reports indicated more firing operations were about to begin.
On Friday there were 1,268 personnel assigned to the incident, along with 63 engines, 48 fire crews, three airtankers, 10 helicopters, 22 bulldozers and 12 water tenders, Cal Fire said.
So far, three structures have been damaged, with dozens of homes on the Cortina Rancheria threatened. The rancheria remained under an evacuation order on Friday.
Highway 16 from the junction of Highway 20 to the town of Rumsey remained closed.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Three dead birds and one mosquito sample collected in Lake County tested positive for West Nile Virus this week, local officials reported Friday.
The three West Nile Virus-positive dead birds were American Crows found in Lower Lake, Clearlake Oaks and Lucerne, according to the Lake County Vector Control District.
The positive mosquito sample was collected south of Kelseyville, near Highway 175, the district said.
This year a total of 13 West Nile Virus-positive mosquito samples and five West Nile Virus-positive dead birds have been detected in Lake County, the district reported. No other West Nile Virus activity has been reported in Lake County in 2012.
“We have been fortunate in not having any reports of human West Nile Virus illness in Lake County this year, but we need to remain vigilant and continue to protect ourselves from mosquito bites,” said Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait.
“West Nile Virus season lasts well beyond Labor Day,” said Jamesina J. Scott, Ph.D., the district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District. “We are still finding infected mosquitoes and dead birds, which means that that people could be exposed.”
Officials encourage residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites by avoiding being outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, and to wear long sleeves and use an insect repellant containing an EPA-registered active ingredient like DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR353.
Residents are advised to dump out buckets, wading pools and other sources of standing water where mosquitoes can develop in their yards.
The Lake County Vector Control District provides free mosquito-eating fish to Lake County residents for use in animal water troughs, ornamental ponds, and out-of-service (“green”) swimming pools.
The Vector Control District traps and tests mosquitoes throughout the county to identify the areas that have the highest risk, and targets those areas for source reduction and treatment using an integrated vector management program.
Residents are encouraged to call the district for mosquito problems, to get mosquito fish, or to report neglected (“green”) pools and other mosquito sources at 707-263-4770 or to fill out a service request online at www.lcvcd.org .
For more information about West Nile virus, visit http://www.westnile.ca.gov/ .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Next week, Lake County will be among several hundred locations around California participating in cleanup efforts to improve lakes, creeks, streams, shorelines and the ocean itself.
The California Coastal Commission’s 28th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day – the state’s largest volunteer event – will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 15.
The commission said the event will take place at more than 850 locations around the California, comprising the largest single effort to remove the debris that has accumulated on California’s beaches and inland shorelines over the past year.
This year’s cleanup also will provide one of the first opportunities for organizers to measure a baseline of debris on California’s shores that may have washed up as a result of last year’s devastating tsunami in Japan, the commission reported.
Carolyn Ruttan of the Lake County Department of Water Resources is coordinating the local event.
“I want everybody in Lake County to go to their closest waterway and clean it, basically,” she said. “That’s what I would love to happen.”
Ruttan said the focus doesn’t have to be Clear Lake – working to improve creeks, streams and other waterways also is important.
For many years the cleanup had a large local presence, but more recently it has fallen off, with Ruttan estimating that the trash problem near local waterways became worse in the interim.
Now, Ruttan is trying to build public participation in waterways cleanup back up again. “We need to get back on the map,” she said.
She’s coordinating with local waste disposal companies to pick up trash that is recovered from the shoreline and local creeks. Those companies are donating free trash pickup, dumpsters and trash bags.
“It’s amazing how people want to help,” Ruttan said.
She said there will be a dumpster at the Northshore Fire Protection District’s Clearlake Oaks station, 12655 Highway 20, and another at the Lake County Fire Protection District station at 14815 Olympic Drive, Clearlake.
There also will be a dumpster at Natural High School on N. Main Street in Lakeport and others in different parts of the county if Ruttan is able to arrange them them.
Ruttan said if every person picked up a bag of trash or recyclables it would add up.
Anything that can help the county get back on track with the cleanup effort is “going to ripple through everything we do,” she said, adding that agencies that give grants also will look at such creek and watershed cleanup efforts.
Ruttan is also considering starting an “adopt a shoreline” – Clear Lake has 120 miles of shoreline – or an “adopt a watershed” program to place more focus on the importance of keeping local waterways clean.
For Lake County residents wanting to take part in a local cleanup, call Ruttan at 707-263-2256 or email her at
For those who cannot attend Coastal Cleanup Day, the Coastal Commission maintains a calendar of events taking place during the three weeks following the cleanup, known as “Coastweeks.”
For more information about the Coastal Cleanup Day and ongoing events, including Coastweeks, visit www.coastalcleanupday.org .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Here’s a rundown of prep football games involving Lake County teams and other teams of interest this weekend.
Middletown (0-1) at Upper Lake (1-0), Saturday, noon/2 p.m.: Upper Lake, a 52-6 winner over Kelseyville last week, faces a Mustang team that gave up plenty of yards to Salesian (including 252 from running back Micahel Page) but only one touchdown in a 7-3 loss. The Pride gave away three fumbles, which helped Middletown stay close.
On Saturday that diminutive Mustang defense tries to contain the Cougars’ formidable running game, which features halfback Ward Beecher (11 carries, 123 yards, 3 TDs against Kelseyville), fullback Joey Valdez (10 carries, 91 yards, 2 TDs) and quarterback Travis Coleman (7 carries, 65 yards, TD), who rely on their big offensive line anchored by two-way all-leaguer John Karlsson.
Senior Jeremy Martin, who last played football on the Pop Warner level, made his high school debut last week by returning the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and also returned punts and played in the defensive secondary.
Middletown, which has some quickness, has more balance on offense than run-happy Upper Lake, and quarterback Ben Pike (13 for 23, 88 yards, 1 interception) could shoulder more responsibility if the Mustangs can’t get their running game going.
Tyler Drew led MHS rushers against Salesian with 59 yards in 9 carries. He also kicked the 22-yard field that gave Middletown a 3-0 lead at the half.
Prediction: Upper Lake 33, Middletown 24.
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Stellar Prep (1-1) at Clear Lake (0-1), Friday, 5:30/7:30 p.m. In the 27-21 loss at Durham last week, the Cardinals gained some redemption by demonstrating the ability to play with a solid Div. III team.
Running back Luke Punzalan broke loose for 163 yards in 19 carries and the CL defense showed promise, shutting down Durham’s offense except for a couple of busted plays.
Josh Larsen shines on the Cardinal line. The mostly sophomore Stellar Prep club has some good athletes, including a QB with a strong arm and two big linemen who will try to inflict their will on the smaller Cards.
Prediction: Clear Lake 33, Stellar Prep 27.
Kelseyville (0-1) at Swett (1-1), 5:30 p.m.: The Knights can win this one if they show up ready to play and avoid those costly turnovers. A good showing will help them forget last week’s sloppy opener against Upper Lake.
Prediction: Kelseyville 20, John Swett 13.
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Arcata (1-1) at Lower Lake (0-1), 5:30/7:30 p.m. The Trojans played with Hoopa Valley for nearly a half, thanks mostly to Jared Thompson, who had a 50-yard kick return and finished with 85 yards in 11 carries. Arcata isn’t as good as Hoopa, which beat the Trojans, 41-14, but they’re still 10 points better than Lower Lake.
Prediction: Arcata 24, Lower Lake 14.
Willits (1-0) at Ukiah (0-1): Willits wins a defensive battle.
Prediction: Willits 13, Ukiah 6.
Prediction record: Last week: 6-0. Season: 6-0.
Email Rich Mellott at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Colusa County wildland fire complex burned more than 2,500 acres on Thursday, with firing operations planned for Friday.
The 16 Complex’s two fires have scorched a total of 9,754 acres, with firefighters achieving 20 percent containment, Cal Fire said Thursday night.
The fires – located four miles apart off of Highway 16 in the Rumsey Canyon – are burning grass, brush and oak woodland in the area’s steep, rugged terrain, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire and cooperating agencies had 1,268 fire personnel, 63 engines, 48 fire crews, four airtankers, seven helicopters, 22 bulldozers and 12 water tenders assigned to the incident on Thursday.
So far, three injuries have been reported, said Cal Fire.
On Thursday Cal Fire said the fires continued burning toward the junction of Highway 20 and Highway 16. As a result, Highway 16 remains closed from Highway 20 to the town of Rumsey.
The Cortina Rancheria is in the fires’ path, and is under an evacuation order. Cal Fire said efforts are under way to protect structures and cultural values in the rancheria and fire area.
Approximately 31 buildings – 23 of them residences – are threatened by the fire, Cal Fire said.
Firefighters made progress on Thursday in constructing fire line and determining strategic locations to access the fire, according to Cal Fire.
On Friday officials plan to burn out areas of unburned fuel within control lines, which will lead to more smoke being visible.
Email Elizabeth Larson at