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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Air Quality Management District said wildland fires burning in the county have resulted in degraded air quality, with the district issuing a Monday morning alert.
Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the Wye, Walker, and Hopland Grade fires – combined with weather patterns – have led to smoke, haze and poor air quality in Lake County’s air basin.
So far, values have not exceeded state health-based particulate standards for small respirable particulate and ozone (photochemical smog), Gearhart said.
However, the prediction for Monday given forecasted wind conditions and levels of particulate and ozone presently in the air, is that air quality for Lake County will be “unhealthy for sensitive individuals” to “unhealthy for everyone.”
Gearhart said the greatest concern exists for the Northshore communities, Clearlake and the eastern portions of Lake County.
Areas closer to the active fires may experience “severe” air quality due to the high levels of fine particulates.
Smokey conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages, which can be hazardous for sensitive individual including young children, the elderly, individuals with heart conditions or chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.
The extreme heat forecast for Lake County Monday can make the stress worse, especially if exercising hard, the district said.
The unhealthy alert results from smoke transported by winds and ozone generated with the smoke, high temperatures, significant sunlight, and humidity.
The smoke and sunlight cause chemical reactions in the air that further reduces visibility by forming
secondary particles in addition to those already in the smoke.
These particles draw the moisture out of the air, growing in number and size, making the haze even worse.
Poor air quality, haze, and particulate from the ongoing wildfires can be expected to continue throughout Lake County for the next few days until the fires are out.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Need a kitten or a cat? Head over to Lake County Animal Care and Control.
They have four cats available at the start of this week, all of them friendly and personable.
Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and 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.
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 gray and white tabby
This female tabby is 2 years old.
She has a short gray and white coat, gold eyes and has not yet been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 46, ID No. 33740.
Black and white domestic long hair
This female domestic long hair mix kitten is 13 weeks old.
The kitten has a black and white coat and gold eyes. It has not been altered.
Find her in cat room kennel 95a, ID No. 33736.
Domestic long hair mix kitten
This female black and white domestic long hair mix kitten is 13 weeks old.
She has gold eyes and has not yet been altered.
She’s in cat room kennel 95b, ID No. 33737.
Male domestic long hair mix kitten
This male domestic long hair mix kitten is 13 weeks old.
He ha gold eyes and has not yet been altered.
He’s in cat room kennel 95c, ID No. 33738.
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
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Two large wildland fires east of Clearlake Oaks continued burning out of control Sunday night, with Spring Valley residents evacuating to a Red Cross shelter set up at Clearlake’s senior center.
The “Wye” and “Walker” fires were reported within minutes of each other Sunday afternoon. Initial dispatch on both incidents came shortly before 4 p.m.
The Wye Fire – named for the “Y,” the local nickname for the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 53 – had burned 5,000 acres by nightfall, with the Walker Fire, located near Walker Ridge, growing to 400 acres, according to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Julie Hutchinson.
Cal Fire had hit the fires from the air all afternoon, with tankers and copters ordered to return Monday morning, reports from the scene indicated.
By day’s end, Hutchinson said she had a report of one structure burned.
Firefighters had not been able to reach any containment on either of the fires, Hutchinson said.
Fire traffic shortly before 10:30 p.m. indicated dozers were working through the night to build fire lines.
On the Walker Ridge incident, a south wind was coming in on the fire, which was making a run at Bear Valley Road. Officials were planning for a long night on the incident.
Firefighting personnel also were to patrol along Highway 20 throughout the night, according to radio reports.
Hutchinson said evacuations were continuing in Spring Valley.
Capt. Chris Macedo of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office didn’t have numbers on how many people had left their homes due to the fires.
Originally evacuees had been taken to a nearby quarry, and then were sent to the Moose Lodge just outside of Clearlake Oaks, Macedo said.
Later in the night, evacuees were moved to the Highlands Senior Center in Clearlake, 3245 Bowers Lane, according to Red Cross Lake County Disaster Coordinator Pam Plank.
“It’s a mess,” said Plank.
She said she had at least 250 people come into the emergency shelter, being run by six Red Cross staffers.
Plank said additional Red Cross personnel will come from Santa Rosa on Monday, and a public health nurse will be on site.
Lake County Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons said the fairgrounds was contacted by the sheriff’s office Sunday evening about providing shelter for animals being evacuated from Spring Valley.
Person said he and his staff were standing by and would make stalls and other facilities available for evacuees.
He said he also had been contacted by Cal Fire about using the fairgrounds as a possible incident command center.
Local amateur radio operators were working from the evacuation shelters and also were in Spring Valley and Long Valley, according to Donna Hutton of the Lake County Amateur Radio Society. In the event phone and power went down, there would still be communications, she said.
Hutchinson said Cal Fire did not have information on a cause for the fires yet. She said the agency was concentrating on evacuating communities and getting the fires under control.
Reports from the scene indicated that a Cal Fire investigator had arrived at the scene Sunday evening.
Firefighters are scheduled to meet early Monday before the daytime firefighting effort continues.
They will face hot summer conditions on Monday; the National Weather services predicts a daytime high of 103 degrees for Lake County.
Caltrans said Highway 20 between Highway 16 and Highway 53 was to remain closed due to the fires, with no estimated time of reopening offered Sunday. The agency said it would provide an update on the highway closure on Monday morning.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With hundreds of people evacuating the Spring Valley community, a number of groups and individuals are offering assistance in moving and housing animals out of harm’s way.
The Wye Fire that broke out Sunday afternoon resulted in evacuations of the Spring Valley area, as Lake County News has reported.
Offers for assistance regarding evacuated animals were coming from a number of corners.
The following is a list of livestock evacuation and housing resources compiled from Lake County News’ Facebook page and the Lake County Horse Council.
Clearlake Veterinary Clinic: 3424 Emerson St., Clearlake, telephone 707-994-9100. The clinic started accepting animals Sunday night; its answering service reported the clinic staff was planning to be working through the night to help.
Cole Creek Equestrian Center: 4965 Steelhead Drive, Kelseyville, telephone 707-775-5880. Offerings include several pastures to accommodate animals.
Nicolette Keithly: Telephone 707-245-4277. Stalls and round pen available; trailering assistance available.
Hannah Lilly: Flying Diamond J Ranch, Tish A Tang Road, Lower Lake, telephone 707-292-1479 or 530-917-1635.
Linda Olivieri: 14821 Saroni Parkway, Clearlake, telephone 707-995-1721 or 707-295-2341. Olivieri isn’t just accepting animals, she also has spots for displaced people to camp.
Helen Stimpson-Owen: Owen Ranch, telephone 707-355-0121 or 707-355-0121. Stalls, Pens and arenas available near Hidden Valley Lake. Stock trailer also available for hauling animals.
Lisa and Joe Valdez: Telephone 707-349-6779. The couple will help with trailering and housing livestock; they also have crates for smaller animals.
Juliana Vidich: Highland Springs Equestrian Center, Wight Way, Kelseyville, telephone 707-279-1903.
To report additional locations, email
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A fire broke out on the Hopland Grade Sunday night as firefighters were working on the other end of the county on two major wildland fires.
The fire, three miles from the top of Highway 175/Hopland Grade on the Lake County side, was first reported at about 7:30 p.m.
Lakeport Fire Protection District Chief Ken Wells said the fire burned about seven acres.
Cal Fire, Lakeport Fire and Kelseyville Fire all responded, with Wells estimating there were about 10 engines plus a water tender on scene.
He said they had a shaky containment line around the fire shortly after 10:30 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol received a report that a subject in a red pickup truck threw something out of the vehicle that started the fire.
Wells said he didn’t have information on whether or not a cause had been investigated and identified.
The California Highway Patrol reported late Sunday night that Highway 175 was closed in the area due to emergency traffic.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
THIS STORY WAS UPDATED AT 7:45 P.M. WITH A NEW ACREAGE ESTIMATE.
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Two fires that began burning along Highway 20 Sunday afternoon had burned thousands of acres by evening.
The “Wye” Fire – named for the “Y,” the nickname for the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 53 – was reported shortly before 4 p.m. and by 7 p.m. had ballooned to about 3,000 acres, according to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Julie Hutchinson.
Within an hour, the Wye Fire was up to 5,000 acres, Cal Fire reported.
“It is burning on both sides of Highway 20 and it’s burning in an easterly direction toward the community of Spring Valley,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said the Spring Valley evacuations were mandatory.
No injuries were reported, but one structure had been destroyed, she said.
Shortly before 8 p.m. the California Highway Patrol reported that about 30 vehicles were being escorted out of Spring Valley.
The Walker Fire, which had been reported shortly before the Wye, had reached 300 acres, according to Hutchinson.
It was burning in grass and oak woodlands, with a hot springs ahead if it, she said.
Earlier in the afternoon fire officials had reported that Wilbur Hot Springs had been evacuated, as had some areas inside the Colusa County line.
Air resources were hitting both fires aggressively from the air.
Reports from the scene indicated that the Walker Fire could get to 1,000 to 1,200 acres before it’s done.
Caltrans reported that Highway 20 between Highway 16 and Highway 53 was remaining closed Sunday evening due to the fires.
Additional updates will be posted as more information becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
