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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters on Monday afternoon quickly stopped a fast-moving fire in the city of Clearlake, with some early help from passersby, one of them an off-duty firefighter himself.
The Box fire was first dispatched around 1:30 p.m. Monday on Dam Road near Jack in the Box.
The first firefighters on scene minutes later reported it was two acres, with a high rate of spread.
Radio traffic indicated the fire was between Dam Road and Highway 53, near the city’s major shopping center.
Lake County Fire responded with Cal Fire sending a full wildland dispatch, including Copter 104 and other air resources.
However, at 1:44 p.m. Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta said forward progress had been stopped, and additional units responding were told to cancel.
Copter 104 continued in to help size up the fire but left the scene shortly afterward.
The firefighters got help in quickly knocking out what could have been a damaging blaze from some passersby who were the first on the scene.
Stephenie Hargrove, a nurse practitioner who works in Lake County, said she and her boyfriend, Tommy Scalfaro, were driving through the area when they saw the fire and noticed that fire resources hadn’t yet arrived.
Scalfaro, a Cal Fire firefighter who was off-duty at the time of the incident, turned his truck around, made sure his 2-year-old son, Hargrove and their newly adopted puppy were safely away from the danger, grabbed the McCleod firefighting tool that he keeps in his pickup for emergencies and ran into the fire, Hargrove said.
She said Scalfaro “went right into the fire to cut hand line to stop the spread of fire to keep it from jumping across Highway 53 due to the high winds.”
Hargrove shared video with Lake County News of Scalfaro at work at the scene.
Two other men also pulled over. Hargrove said they had a shovel and switched off with each other to try to get fire under control, lauding them as heroes for their actions.
When the on-duty firefighters arrived, Hargrove said Scalfaro helped the crew with fighting the fire and discussed where the fire appeared to have started.
Hargrove noted the very high winds in the area, and said she wasn’t sure how much further it would have spread had Scalfaro not quickly gotten to work.
She called Scalfaro a hero, noting that he couldn’t bear to pass this fire and not fight it. That’s despite the physical toll — including coughing and vomiting due to the smoke and having no protective gear. But, she said, he noted he’s “used to that.”
The weather occurred during a red flag warning that was in effect for much of Lake County due to high winds and dry vegetation. The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With thousands of its customers out of power due to a public safety power shut-off, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said Monday night that it has called the all clear and will begin the work to restore power but warned that another approaching weather system could trigger another shut-off on Wednesday.
The company began turning off power early Monday to an estimated 24,000 customers in 23 counties, including Lake, due to high winds that had also led to a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service.
The public safety power shut-off, or PSPS, is impacting 4,008 Lake County customers, of which 304 are in the medical baseline program. Those customers primarily are in and around Cobb, Hidden Valley and Middletown, with some also north of Clearlake Oaks.
PG&E said some of the highest wind gusts reported in the PSPS de-energized areas included Butte County, 55 miles per hour; Shasta County, 52 miles per hour; and Tehama County, 47 miles per hour.
With its meteorologists calling the all clear by Monday night, PG&E said it had begun restoring power where possible.
However, the company said before power can be turned back on in the PSPS area, its crews must patrol 2,549 transmission and distribution lines to ensure that no damage or hazards exist before those lines are re-energized and those customers restored.
Efforts related to this PSPS event will include up to 1,494 ground patrol units and 43 helicopters, the company said.
No estimated time of restoration was given by PG&E on Monday night for Lake County’s impacted customers.
While the PSPS continues, four community resource centers in Lake County will remain open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. so impacted customers can charge medical equipment and electronic devices, get up-to-date information about the PSPS, and also pick up water and snacks.
The centers are located at:
— Live Oaks Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks;
— Little Red Schoolhouse, 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb;
— Hidden Valley Lake Association mailboxes, 18090 Hidden Valley Road, Hidden Valley Lake; and
— Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.
Another PSPS possible this week
PG&E said it is also monitoring weather forecasts that could bring high winds to parts of the company’s service area from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, which might trigger another shut-off.
The company said that the incoming weather system could impact portions of its northern, central and southern regions of its service area.
Specifics of which communities could be impacted were not released on Monday night.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The company began turning off power early Monday to an estimated 24,000 customers in 23 counties, including Lake, due to high winds that had also led to a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service.
The public safety power shut-off, or PSPS, is impacting 4,008 Lake County customers, of which 304 are in the medical baseline program. Those customers primarily are in and around Cobb, Hidden Valley and Middletown, with some also north of Clearlake Oaks.
PG&E said some of the highest wind gusts reported in the PSPS de-energized areas included Butte County, 55 miles per hour; Shasta County, 52 miles per hour; and Tehama County, 47 miles per hour.
With its meteorologists calling the all clear by Monday night, PG&E said it had begun restoring power where possible.
However, the company said before power can be turned back on in the PSPS area, its crews must patrol 2,549 transmission and distribution lines to ensure that no damage or hazards exist before those lines are re-energized and those customers restored.
Efforts related to this PSPS event will include up to 1,494 ground patrol units and 43 helicopters, the company said.
No estimated time of restoration was given by PG&E on Monday night for Lake County’s impacted customers.
While the PSPS continues, four community resource centers in Lake County will remain open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. so impacted customers can charge medical equipment and electronic devices, get up-to-date information about the PSPS, and also pick up water and snacks.
The centers are located at:
— Live Oaks Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks;
— Little Red Schoolhouse, 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb;
— Hidden Valley Lake Association mailboxes, 18090 Hidden Valley Road, Hidden Valley Lake; and
— Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.
Another PSPS possible this week
PG&E said it is also monitoring weather forecasts that could bring high winds to parts of the company’s service area from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, which might trigger another shut-off.
The company said that the incoming weather system could impact portions of its northern, central and southern regions of its service area.
Specifics of which communities could be impacted were not released on Monday night.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet this week to discuss a project for a city restaurant.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. In accordance with updated guidelines from the state of California and revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards, persons who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are required to wear a face covering at this meeting.
The agenda is available here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 986 6166 5155. To join by phone, dial 1-669-900-9128.
Comments can be submitted by email toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Please indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that are read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council before the meeting.
The main item on the agenda is an application from Santana’s Cottage Cafe at 1090 N Main St.
The business is seeking an architectural and design review and categorical exemption to allow for a 540 square foot patio cover.
Community Development Director Jenni Byers’ report notes that while the size of the project requires the commission to review it.
At the same time, she notes that as proposed, the expansion of a commercial project meets a general plan objective to “provide support for the promotion of local businesses.”
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. In accordance with updated guidelines from the state of California and revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards, persons who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are required to wear a face covering at this meeting.
The agenda is available here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 986 6166 5155. To join by phone, dial 1-669-900-9128.
Comments can be submitted by email to
Please indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that are read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council before the meeting.
The main item on the agenda is an application from Santana’s Cottage Cafe at 1090 N Main St.
The business is seeking an architectural and design review and categorical exemption to allow for a 540 square foot patio cover.
Community Development Director Jenni Byers’ report notes that while the size of the project requires the commission to review it.
At the same time, she notes that as proposed, the expansion of a commercial project meets a general plan objective to “provide support for the promotion of local businesses.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee will meet this week to continue its work on a city strategic plan.
The committee, or LEDAC, will meet via Zoom from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13.
The meeting is open to the public.
The meeting will be held via Zoom: Meeting ID, 847 9466 6151; pass code, 619840. Dial by your location, 669-900-6833.
LEDAC will continue its work on the Lakeport Economic Development Strategic Plan for 2022 to 2027.
Also on the agenda are updates on city projects and activities, member reports and citizens input.
The remaining LEDAC meetings this year will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10, and Wednesday, Dec. 8.
LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.
Members are Chair Wilda Shock and Vice Chair Denise Combs, Bonnie Darling, Candy De Los Santos, Monica Flores, Pam Harpster, Andy Lucas, Alicia Russell, Laura Sammel and Marie Schrader, with Bill Eaton as an ex officio member. City staff who are members include City Manager Kevin Ingram and Community Development Director Jenni Byers.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The committee, or LEDAC, will meet via Zoom from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13.
The meeting is open to the public.
The meeting will be held via Zoom: Meeting ID, 847 9466 6151; pass code, 619840. Dial by your location, 669-900-6833.
LEDAC will continue its work on the Lakeport Economic Development Strategic Plan for 2022 to 2027.
Also on the agenda are updates on city projects and activities, member reports and citizens input.
The remaining LEDAC meetings this year will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10, and Wednesday, Dec. 8.
LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.
Members are Chair Wilda Shock and Vice Chair Denise Combs, Bonnie Darling, Candy De Los Santos, Monica Flores, Pam Harpster, Andy Lucas, Alicia Russell, Laura Sammel and Marie Schrader, with Bill Eaton as an ex officio member. City staff who are members include City Manager Kevin Ingram and Community Development Director Jenni Byers.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
As California honored Indigenous Peoples’ Day for the third year in a row, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced a partnership between the California Truth & Healing Council and the Decolonizing Wealth Project to support philanthropic and community engagement, grantmaking and narrative change.
Through this partnership, the Office of the Tribal Advisor and the Truth & Healing Council will work directly with the Decolonizing Wealth Project — an organization that strives to promote community healing and narrative change through education, philanthropy and storytelling — to convene philanthropic ambassadors for the work of the Truth & Healing Council, develop a grantmaking program and galvanize philanthropy broadly to support the recommendations from the Council’s final report, among other activities.
“As we honor the perseverance, rich diversity and contributions of all Indigenous peoples today, California is advancing our commitment to collaborating with tribal communities throughout the state to make real the promise of a California for all,” said Gov. Newsom, who on Monday issued a proclamation declaring Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “This new partnership will expand the Administration’s efforts to engage Native American families in the important dialogue created by the Truth & Healing Council, helping to build bridges and begin healing deep wounds.”
The California Truth & Healing Council was established by the governor in 2019 to provide an avenue for California Native Americans to clarify the record — and provide their diverse experiences, histories and perspectives — on the troubled relationship between Native peoples and the State in the spirit of truth and healing.
The council is led and convened by the governor’s tribal advisor and includes representatives from California Native American tribes throughout the state.
The council officially launched in December 2020 and is slated to issue a final report on or before Janu. 1, 2025.
"The Truth & Healing Council is pleased to partner with Decolonizing Wealth Project on this difficult journey,” said Council Member Frankie Myers, who serves as vice chairman for the Yurok Tribe. “California Native peoples have not forgotten the true history of the State of California, and we hope that our reexamination of the historical record is the first of many steps towards restoring the balance between California indigenous people and the State. Through philanthropy, and the healing tools it will empower us to provide, we are excited to advocate for real change through reparative justice.”
With a goal to develop civic infrastructure within California’s Native American community, this partnership will also support the engagement of Native American families across the state to participate in the council’s meetings, talking circles, listening sessions, and other general activities.
The Decolonizing Wealth Project will leverage its expertise in community healing to ensure Native American families, and other participants involved, have access to culturally competent healing opportunities and other tools as they navigate this process.
Ultimately, this partnership aims to catalyze deeper community engagement in truth and healing conversations and build political will for truth and healing work in other states and at the national level.
“Decolonizing Wealth Project is excited to amplify the work of the Council and California’s Native American tribal leaders,” said Edgar Villanueva, principal of Decolonizing Wealth Project and a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. “By helping to raise awareness among Californians and the philanthropic community to advocate for truth and reconciliation, it is our hope that the reparative efforts being put forth by the Council will one day be replicated on a national level. Especially on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we as a nation can only get to a state of reconciliation when we are able to reflect on and acknowledge America’s history of oppression and erasure of Indigenous communities.”
Visit https://tribalaffairs.ca.gov/cthc/help/ to learn more about ways community members from both within and outside of California can support the council.
Through this partnership, the Office of the Tribal Advisor and the Truth & Healing Council will work directly with the Decolonizing Wealth Project — an organization that strives to promote community healing and narrative change through education, philanthropy and storytelling — to convene philanthropic ambassadors for the work of the Truth & Healing Council, develop a grantmaking program and galvanize philanthropy broadly to support the recommendations from the Council’s final report, among other activities.
“As we honor the perseverance, rich diversity and contributions of all Indigenous peoples today, California is advancing our commitment to collaborating with tribal communities throughout the state to make real the promise of a California for all,” said Gov. Newsom, who on Monday issued a proclamation declaring Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “This new partnership will expand the Administration’s efforts to engage Native American families in the important dialogue created by the Truth & Healing Council, helping to build bridges and begin healing deep wounds.”
The California Truth & Healing Council was established by the governor in 2019 to provide an avenue for California Native Americans to clarify the record — and provide their diverse experiences, histories and perspectives — on the troubled relationship between Native peoples and the State in the spirit of truth and healing.
The council is led and convened by the governor’s tribal advisor and includes representatives from California Native American tribes throughout the state.
The council officially launched in December 2020 and is slated to issue a final report on or before Janu. 1, 2025.
"The Truth & Healing Council is pleased to partner with Decolonizing Wealth Project on this difficult journey,” said Council Member Frankie Myers, who serves as vice chairman for the Yurok Tribe. “California Native peoples have not forgotten the true history of the State of California, and we hope that our reexamination of the historical record is the first of many steps towards restoring the balance between California indigenous people and the State. Through philanthropy, and the healing tools it will empower us to provide, we are excited to advocate for real change through reparative justice.”
With a goal to develop civic infrastructure within California’s Native American community, this partnership will also support the engagement of Native American families across the state to participate in the council’s meetings, talking circles, listening sessions, and other general activities.
The Decolonizing Wealth Project will leverage its expertise in community healing to ensure Native American families, and other participants involved, have access to culturally competent healing opportunities and other tools as they navigate this process.
Ultimately, this partnership aims to catalyze deeper community engagement in truth and healing conversations and build political will for truth and healing work in other states and at the national level.
“Decolonizing Wealth Project is excited to amplify the work of the Council and California’s Native American tribal leaders,” said Edgar Villanueva, principal of Decolonizing Wealth Project and a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. “By helping to raise awareness among Californians and the philanthropic community to advocate for truth and reconciliation, it is our hope that the reparative efforts being put forth by the Council will one day be replicated on a national level. Especially on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we as a nation can only get to a state of reconciliation when we are able to reflect on and acknowledge America’s history of oppression and erasure of Indigenous communities.”
Visit https://tribalaffairs.ca.gov/cthc/help/ to learn more about ways community members from both within and outside of California can support the council.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Due to an incoming windstorm across a large portion of its service area, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will move forward early Monday with shutting off power to about 25,000 customers in 23 counties.
PG&E said it expects to begin its public safety power shut-off, or PSPS, across parts of California as early as 4 a.m. Monday.
In Lake County, 4,008 PG&E customers — 304 of them in the Medical Baseline program — are set to be included, most of them in the south county or north of Clearlake Oaks.
The power is expected to go off in those areas in Lake County between 6 and 8 a.m. Monday, PG&E said.
Customers can look up their address at www.pge.com/pspsupdates to see if they are being included in the shut-off.
PG&E said it’s calling this PSPS due to a dry, offshore wind storm expected to start overnight and bring wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour by Monday morning, combined with extremely dry conditions.
Beginning on Monday morning, PG&E will open 24 community resource centers in 14 counties to offer charging of medical equipment and electronic devices, up-to-date information about the PSPS, and water, snacks and other essential items.
The centers will open at 8 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. for the remainder of the shut-off.
In Lake County, community resource centers are planned for the following locations:
— Live Oaks Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks;
— Little Red Schoolhouse, 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb;
— Hidden Valley Lake Association mailboxes, 18090 Hidden Valley Road, Hidden Valley Lake; and
— Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.
The company anticipates weather “all clears” will occur as early as Monday evening with restoration expected to begin Tuesday afternoon, with times varying based on individual locations.
After the all clear is called but before restoring power, PG&E said its electric crews will begin patrolling in the air, in vehicles and on foot to visually check de-energized lines for hazards or damage to make sure it is safe to restore power. Inspections must occur during daylight hours. Once hazards are found and repaired, power can be turned back on to customers.
PG&E said it will notify customers when the weather system has passed and will provide continuous updates on when to expect the power to turn back on.
In addition to Lake, the shut-off is expected to affect customers in these counties:
Alameda: 134 customers, 10 Medical Baseline customers
Butte: 1,342 customers, 98 Medical Baseline customers
Colusa: 566 customers, 39 Medical Baseline customers
Contra Costa: 597 customers, 40 Medical Baseline customers
Fresno: 189 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
Glenn: 376 customers, 22 Medical Baseline customers
Kern: 633 customers, 34 Medical Baseline customers
Monterey: 854 customers, 27 Medical Baseline customers
Napa: 2,441 customers, 113 Medical Baseline customers
Plumas: 309 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
San Benito: 84 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
San Luis Obispo: 223 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
Santa Barbara: 27 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customer
Shasta: 2,336 customers, 172 Medical Baseline customers
Solano: 4,698 customers, 433 Medical Baseline customers
Sonoma: 87 customers, 1 Medical Baseline customer
Stanislaus: 30 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
Tehama: 5,342 customers, 498 Medical Baseline customers
Yolo: 515 customers, 16 Medical Baseline customers
The list above only includes counties with 25 or more customers impacted. There are three other counties with fewer than 25 customers impacted.
The following Tribal Communities are also expected to be impacted.
Cortina Rancheria: 8 customers, 1 Medical Baseline customer
Grindstone Rancheria: 50 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
Middletown Rancheria: 34 customers, 1 Medical Baseline customer
Mooretown Rancheria: 1 customer, 0 Medical Baseline customer
Pit River Tribes: 8 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
Email Elizabeth Larson at