LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The fire that began Thursday afternoon and moved at a fast rate in the Clearlake area ultimately was controlled before it could destroy any structures, while authorities arrested a woman on suspicion of setting the fire.

The Ogulin fire, first dispatched just before 1 p.m. Thursday in the area of Highway 53 and Ogulin Canyon Road, prompted evacuations along Highway 53 south of Ogulin Canyon Road, and closed a portion of Highway 53 for several hours.

The fire, driven by the wind, grew at what fire officials called an “extreme rate of spread,” quickly going from less than an acre in 10 acres within minutes, according to reports from the scene.

By early evening, the fire had been contained at 17.2 acres, evacuations were called off and the roads reopened.

Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta said the fire agencies that responded included Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Northshore Fire, South Lake County Fire and the United States Forest Service.

“Everybody jumped in,” said Sapeta.

At one point there were 14 engines on scene, Sapeta said. That’s in addition to the numerous air tankers, helicopters and air attack from Cal Fire that were part of an aggressive response.

Sapeta said the city of Clearlake sent a water tender, as did Lake County Public Services, whose director, Lars Ewing, sent the truck from the landfill. That was important because the fire area had no water supply.

He said everyone did an amazing job on the ground and in the air, fighting a fire in an area with so much vegetation for fuel.

As a result of the response, Sapeta said no structures were damaged or destroyed, and only one power pole might need to be replaced.

“It’s nice that we live in a county where there's that high level of cooperation” and response, said Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White.

White said the response was seamless, with everyone working together.

White’s agency was on scene and receiving help from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly after firefighters arrived, sheriff’s deputies also got to the scene, where they were in contact with 41-year-old Angela Smith of Clearlake, who made statements about starting the fire.

White said Smith was found to have what were believed to be drugs in her possession and she was making erratic comments. She had mentioned the fire had started due to her lighting a cigarette.

During the encounter with police she invoked her right to counsel, White said.

White said a Cal Fire investigator and Clearlake Police detective took over the investigation and interviewed witnesses.

He said Smith was arrested for unlawful burning of forestland, arson of forestland during a state of emergency — in this case, due to drought conditions — and possession of a controlled substance.

Back on the fire lines, work continued overnight to monitor the fire area, Sapeta said.

“We’ll have crews on it all night,” and hit it again first thing Friday morning, Sapeta told Lake County News Thursday evening.

While fire crews did a good job of overhaul, Sapeta said there were areas within the interior that were still smoldering.

This summer, there have been several close calls with small fires that could have grown to be destructive and devastating, had they not been quickly spotted by community members of volunteers at the Mount Konocti fire lookout — as happened with the 21-acre Main fire in Lower Lake July 8 — and had a strong response from firefighters.

Sapeta acknowledged that the county has been lucky, with firefighters being very aggressive and bringing all of their resources to the fight early.

“We’re stopping them,” he said of the fires.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTH COAST, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will host a wildfire safety webinar for all of its customers on Wednesday, Aug. 10, to share its wildfire prevention plans for 2022 and listen to customer feedback.

The webinar will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The event can be accessed through the link or dial-in below or through PG&E’s website, www.pge.com/firesafetywebinars.

Click this link to join: https://bit.ly/3nKIAc9. Attendee dial-in: 800-619-7898; conference ID: 5949849.

PG&E experts will provide a brief presentation, after which participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

During the webinar event, the PG&E team will discuss:

• PG&E’s wildfire prevention efforts;
• Resources to help customers and communities before, during and after wildfire safety outages;
• Improvements and updates to PG&E’s safety technology and tools.

Closed captioning will be available in English, Spanish and Chinese and dial-in numbers will be available for those who aren’t able to join online.

For additional information on how to join, recordings and presentation materials from past events and to learn more about PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program, visit www.pge.com/wildfiresafety.

More information and resources to help you and your family prepare for and stay safe in the event of an emergency can be found at https://www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com/.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Need a new friend? Head on over to Clearlake Animal Control and meet one of their great dogs.

The City of Clearlake Animal Association also is seeking fosters for the animals waiting to be adopted.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.

The following dogs are available for adoption.

‘Terry’

“Terry” is a handsome male shepherd mix with a short brindle coat.

He gets along with other dogs, including small ones, and enjoys toys. He also likes water, playing fetch and keep away, and has been undergoing training.

He is dog No. 48443693.

‘Andy’

“Andy” is a male American pit bull mix with a short gray and white coat.

He is dog No. 48995415.

‘Bear’

“Bear” is a male Labrador retriever-American pit bull mix with a short charcoal and fawn coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 48443153.

‘Betsy’

“Betsy” is a female American pit bull mix with a short white coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 50236145.

‘Bluey’

“Bluey” is a male retriever mix with a short black coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 50552999.

‘Big Phil’

“Big Phil” is a 13-year-old male American pit bull terrier mix with a blue coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 49951647.

‘Bro’

“Bro” is a male terrier mix with a short tan coat.

He has been neutered.

Bro is dog No. 50262527.

‘Colt’

“Colt” is a male Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with a short rust and black coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 49812106.

‘Hakuna’

“Hakuna” is a male shepherd mix with a tan coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 50176912.

‘Kubota’

“Kubota” is a male German shepherd mix with a short tan and black coat.

He has been neutered.

Kubota is dog No. 50184421.

‘Luna’

“Luna” is an 8-month-old Labrador retriever-terrier mix with a black and white coat.

She is dog No. 50339254.

‘Mamba’

“Mamba” is a male Siberian husky mix with a gray and cream-colored coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 49520569.

‘Matata’

“Matata” is male shepherd mix with a tan coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 50176912.

‘Newman’

“Newman” is a 1-year-old male American pit bull terrier mix with a black and white coat.

He has been neutered.

Newman is dog No. 49057809.

‘Sadie’

“Sadie” is a female German shepherd mix with a black and tan coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 49802563.

‘Tiramisu’

“Tiramisu” is a female Alaskan husky mix with a short brown and cream coat.

She is dog No. 49652833.

‘Ziggy’

“Ziggy” is a male American pit bull terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.

He has been neutered.

Ziggy is dog No. 50146247

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

 

Adult members of Generation Z are experiencing food insecurity at over twice the rate of the average American, according to our latest consumer food survey. In fact, about 1 in 3 Americans born from 1996-2004 have had trouble affording enough food in 2022.

That compares with fewer than 1 in 5 millennials and members of Generation X, and fewer than 1 in 10 baby boomers.

We run the Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability at Purdue University, and every month, through our Consumer Food Insights survey, we query over 1,200 Americans with the goal of tracking national food security as well as many other behaviors, attitudes and preferences related to food.

Food insecurity means having a lack of money or other resources for food. And when food insecurity surges, it can take a long time for affected populations to recover. After the Great Recession that ran from 2007 to 2009, food insecurity increased by 34%. It took a decade for food insecurity to drop to its pre-recession levels.

With COVID-19, food insecurity increased again, particularly among the most vulnerable groups in society, such as seniors and households with children.

But it also increased for members of Gen Z, who were the most likely to face unemployment due to the pandemic. And for those attending college, the pandemic reduced essential food services on campus and increased the number of students dropping out of school.

Now, with inflation soaring at the fastest pace in 40 years, those who lost jobs during the pandemic and college students with fixed incomes must stretch their limited resources even further at the grocery store.

We have found that education, income and race are three of the biggest factors driving food insecurity among America’s youngest generation. Members of Gen Z without a college degree or who make less than the federal poverty line have a much higher risk of being food insecure – over three times the risk of other Gen Z households. The rate of food insecurity among Gen Z Black and Hispanic households is almost double that of white and Asian households.

Other research shows that factors like marriage and owning your own home typically improve food security. Since young people typically aren’t married or own a home, Gen Z by and large isn’t benefiting from these factors.

Additionally, full-time college students are generally not eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Although student eligibility has been expanded during the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, the paperwork required to apply can potentially discourage young people who have much less experience navigating the government bureaucracy.

Our survey also shows a significant portion of Gen Z – 30% – has relied on free groceries from a pantry, church or other charity.

Prices for food consumed at home are currently jumping at over 12% a year. That’s the fastest pace since 1979. Our survey data only reflects some of these recent price gains, so it’s unclear yet how much this will affect food insecurity. But what is clear is that Gen Z Americans, like other vulnerable groups, need more support to ensure they can access an affordable diet.

Sam Polzin, Food and Agriculture Survey Scientist, Purdue University; Ahmad Zia Wahdat, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, and Jayson Lusk, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

This story is being updated.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A fast-moving wildland fire in Clearlake has prompted evacuations of homes and businesses along a stretch of Highway 53, with reports indicating that the fire may have been intentionally set.

The Ogulin fire in the area of Highway 53 and Ogulin Canyon Road was first dispatched just before 1 p.m. Thursday.

Trees were reported to be on fire and the first units on scene, which arrived less than five minutes after dispatch, said the fire was half an acre to three quarters of an acre, with a rapid rate of spread and spotting ahead of the fire.

A minute later, the incident command reported that power utility infrastructure was threatened and that the fire was already up to five to seven acres.

Before 1:10 p.m., the fire was reported to have an extreme rate of spread and was up to 10 acres.

That prompted the closure of Highway 53 between Ogulin Canyon Road and Olympic Drive.

Fire and police officials also called for mandatory evacuations of all businesses and residences on Highway 53 at Ogulin Canyon Road. The Clearlake Police Department said the evacuations are for all areas south of Ogulin Canyon Road along the highway corridor.

Radio reports indicated that sheriff’s deputies were investigating reports of an individual who was seen setting the fire. They were reported to be contacting witnesses and also speaking with the suspect.

Cal Fire has sent air resources to the incident, including air attack and tankers, along with additional ground crews, and Cal Fire and Lake County Fire are in unified command on the incident.

The latest reports size given by Cal Fire air attack shortly after 1:30 p.m. stated the fire was 10 acres, with a moderate rate of spread, with firefighters making good progress with hose lay and dozers. Some spotting is still taking place.

At 1:41 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued a Nixle alert stating that an evacuation order had been issued for the CLE-E130 zone, which covers the areas north of Olympic Drive and east of Highway 53, and Zone CLE-E124 for the Ogulin Canyon area.

A map of the evacuation area can be found here and is shown above.

At 1:51 p.m., Copter 104 reported that there was a flare up on the fire near Highway 53.

Shortly before 2 p.m., air attack said it was looking good, that there had been a spot fire over the ridge on the same side of Highway 53 as the main fire that was addressed.

Due to getting “stacked up” on tankers, air attack released two tankers to clear up the air space.

At 2:09 p.m., forward progress was reported to be stopped, with the fire holding at 10 acres. Air attack said it was keeping aircraft overhead for the time being.

Pacific Gas and Electric also was responding to the scene at that time for a report of a downed power line.

At around 2:30 p.m., remaining air resources were reported to be leaving the scene.

Clearlake Police and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported that all evacuations were lifted as of 4 p.m., but road closures remained in effect.

The fire was reported to be contained just before 5 p.m. at 10.5 acres. Crews will be checking on the fire on Friday.

About 20 minutes later, Cal Fire terminated unified command with Lake County Fire, which will remain in command of the incident. At that time, the updated size was given as 17.2 acres.

Additional information will be added to this report as it becomes available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday approved a supplemental law enforcement services agreement between the police departments of Lakeport and Clearlake that in the short-term will help Lakeport deal with being short-handed.

The Clearlake City Council approved the agreement at its July 21 meeting, with the Lakeport City Council’s approval the final step.

The two police departments have a history of working collaboratively, and the two chiefs — Brad Rasmussen of Lakeport and Andrew White of Clearlake — said the agreement will allow them to help each other when having personnel shortages.

“We’ve had some ongoing staffing issues,” Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen told the council.

Rasmussen’s department has 13 sworn officers in its $2.5 million budget while White’s has 24.5 sworn positions in a $7 million budget. Lakeport’s population is just under 5,000 residents compared to more than 16,500 for Clearlake, according to the California Department of Finance’s May population estimates.

Rasmussen has been dealing with several vacancies. Thanks to recent hires, they’re just down two positions, but four new hires are in training that Rasmussen said will continue for some time.

In the meantime, the department is short-staffed, with not enough police on the street to keep officers safe and quickly handle calls.

White, referring to the two departments’ long history of helping each other, recalled that his first day on the job in the summer of 2018 was spent in Lakeport helping with the response to the Mendocino Complex, which resulted in the entire city being under mandatory evacuation.

He assured the council that his officers will provide professional and trustworthy service, and will help protect the community and officers. Whatever way they can support the city and keep it safe and officers safe, they will do it.

Rasmussen said the unions of both departments were in overwhelming support of the agreement because they felt it is important.

He said there is no fiscal impact at this time due to salary savings. Costs will be tracked every month.

Councilman Kenny Parlet wondered why Clearlake was doing so well with hiring compared to Lakeport. Rasmussen said he didn’t have the answer.

Clearlake’s officers will be able to use their own vehicles of Lakeport’s, it was explained during the discussion.

Rasmussen said they will strive to have Lakeport Police officers be the lead on investigations.

During the discussion White said that his department is in the position to help right now and it might be the opposite in a few years, with Clearlake needing the help. In that case, the framework will be in place.

In events such as fires, Rasmussen said the departments won’t bill each other but will maintain their mutual aid agreement.

“This is just a more specific patrol type service” that needs to be dealt with, he said.

There was no public comment. Parlet moved to approve the agreement and Councilman Michael Froio seconded.

“I appreciate the cooperation,” said Mayor Stacey Mattina before the vote. “I think it’s really forward thinking.”

She added that it’s exciting, and that they never know when the tables will turn.

The council then voted 5-0 to approve the contract.

In other news on Tuesday, the council held a public hearing and approved a resolution identifying delinquent utility accounts with a total of $8,000 in unpaid bills and sending them to the Lake County Auditor-Controller’s Office for inclusion on the property tax roll.

Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Nick Walker said the action will create a lien on the properties in question, meaning they will be paid when the properties change hands. He said the city also has applied to the state for funds to pay off the unpaid utility bills.

On Tuesday the council also approved a plan to help the Lake County Fair address its parking concerns by designating 20 disabled parking spaces.

The spaces will be located in the entire 200 block of C Street, between South Forbes Street and the C Street entrance to the fairgrounds and the entire block of D Street, between South Forbes Street and the D Street entrance to the fairgrounds from the time period of 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, through Sunday, Sept. 4, at midnight.

Other items the council approved included a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement for apportionment of Retirement Obligations of California Intergovernmental Risk Authority and approval of a $51,000 professional services agreement with Quincy Engineering Inc. for the Lakeport Blvd Project Study Report Equivalent.

Just before the hour-long meeting ended, there was a short interruption due to a full power outage. That required the council to use a staff computer to close out the meeting.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.