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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Firefighters on Tuesday made gains in attempting to stop the rapid growth of the Glass fire across Napa and Sonoma counties, with the first containment reported.
Cal Fire said Tuesday night that the Glass fire, burning since early Sunday, had reached 46,600 acres, with containment at 2 percent.
Tens of thousands of North Coast residents remain under evacuation on Tuesday as 22,310 structures are threatened, but officials said some evacuations were downgraded in the city of Santa Rosa due to improving conditions.
As of Tuesday night, Cal Fire had confirmed 43 structures had been destroyed in Sonoma County, 28 of them residences and 15 minor structures. In Napa County, the fire has destroyed 72 structures, including 52 residences, two commercial buildings, 17 minor structures and one classified as “other.”
Cal Fire said firefighters continued to focus on structure defense on Tuesday while also building and reinforcing containment lines.
Firefighters have been using fire lines from the 2017 North Bay fires to help control the movement of the Glass fire, officials said Tuesday.
Changing winds led to some areas of increased fire activity. Aircraft operations also were inhibited by smoky conditions and poor visibility, although Cal Fire officials said on Tuesday morning that aircraft were working around the community of Angwin.
The fire has been burning in Trione-Annadel State Park, and Cal Fire said a fire operation was conducted there on Monday night. Officials said the fire also has become established in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, which is an area of concern.
Cal Fire said firefighters will continue to aggressively fight the fire overnight.
Hot dry weather is anticipated over the next several days, with the National Weather Service issuing a heat advisory for Thursday for parts of the fire area, where temperatures are forecast to pass the century mark.
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.
Cal Fire said Tuesday night that the Glass fire, burning since early Sunday, had reached 46,600 acres, with containment at 2 percent.
Tens of thousands of North Coast residents remain under evacuation on Tuesday as 22,310 structures are threatened, but officials said some evacuations were downgraded in the city of Santa Rosa due to improving conditions.
As of Tuesday night, Cal Fire had confirmed 43 structures had been destroyed in Sonoma County, 28 of them residences and 15 minor structures. In Napa County, the fire has destroyed 72 structures, including 52 residences, two commercial buildings, 17 minor structures and one classified as “other.”
Cal Fire said firefighters continued to focus on structure defense on Tuesday while also building and reinforcing containment lines.
Firefighters have been using fire lines from the 2017 North Bay fires to help control the movement of the Glass fire, officials said Tuesday.
Changing winds led to some areas of increased fire activity. Aircraft operations also were inhibited by smoky conditions and poor visibility, although Cal Fire officials said on Tuesday morning that aircraft were working around the community of Angwin.
The fire has been burning in Trione-Annadel State Park, and Cal Fire said a fire operation was conducted there on Monday night. Officials said the fire also has become established in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, which is an area of concern.
Cal Fire said firefighters will continue to aggressively fight the fire overnight.
Hot dry weather is anticipated over the next several days, with the National Weather Service issuing a heat advisory for Thursday for parts of the fire area, where temperatures are forecast to pass the century mark.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As the Glass and Zogg fires continued to tear through parts of Northern California on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for three counties.
The Glass fire, which began early Sunday morning, more than tripled in size on Monday, with Cal Fire reporting by nightfall that it had burned 36,236 acres across neighboring Napa and Sonoma counties, with zero containment.
The fire, which has prompted tens of thousands of North Coast residents to leave their homes under mandatory evacuation orders, is threatening 8,543 structures. Cal Fire said Monday night that it has destroyed 113 buildings and damaged two others.
Farther to the north, the Zogg fire in Shasta County, which began Sunday afternoon, was up to 31,237 acres and no containment on Monday night, Cal Fire said. It has killed three civilians, is threatening 1,538 structures and has so far destroyed 146 buildings.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which concluded on Monday a public safety power shutoff to 65,000 customers across 15 counties due to the red flag warning in effect through the weekend, said it’s continuing to closely monitor the Glass and Zogg fires and is working closely with first responders and Cal Fire.
On Monday night, the company said approximately 24,000 of its customers in Napa, Sonoma, Shasta and Tehama counties impacted by wildfires are without power. In some instances, power was turned off in partnership with Cal Fire and for the safety of firefighters in active fire areas or due to damage caused from wildfire-related impacts to equipment.
Also on Monday night, Gov. Newsom issued his state of emergency declaration for Napa and Sonoma counties due to the Glass fire and for Shasta County due to the Zogg fire.
The governor on Monday also sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting a presidential major disaster declaration to assist state and local wildfire response and recovery efforts in the counties of Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, San Bernardino, San Diego and Siskiyou.
California previously secured a presidential major disaster declaration to bolster the state’s emergency response to the Northern California wildfires as well as Fire Management Assistance Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support the state’s ongoing response to fires burning across the state.
In addition, Gov. Newsom has declared a statewide emergency due to the widespread fires and extreme weather conditions, activated the State Operations Center to its highest level and signed an executive order to streamline recovery efforts in communities impacted by the devastating fires.
Through the night on Monday and into early Tuesday, scanner traffic indicated the struggle firefighters are facing with the Glass fire, as it makes runs over ridges, spot fires develop and some residents who refused to evacuate called in for help as the fire approached their homes.
Calistoga, which was placed under evacuation on Monday evening, appeared abandoned later in the night, according to Lake County News correspondent Gemini Garcia.
Garcia said the fire was burning along Silverado Trail at Highway 29. She said dozers were headed up Palisades Road near Calistoga. “It’s the only sound you can hear from any viewpoint.”
Fires burning now among state’s largest
In a briefing on Monday morning, Gov. Gavin Newsom said 27 major wildland incidents were burning across the state.
Separately, Cal Fire reported that there have been more than 8,100 wildfires that have burned more than 3.7 million acres in California since the start of the year.
Since Aug. 15, when California’s fire activity elevated, there have been 26 fatalities and over 7,000 structures destroyed, Cal Fire said.
Five of the six largest wildland fires in recorded California history are now burning.
They include the August Complex in the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests, an area that includes northern Lake County, the largest fire in state history at more than 902,463 acres; the SCU Lightning Complex, the third-largest in history, which has burned 396,624 acres in Alameda, Contra Costa, Merced, San Joaquin, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties; the LNU Lightning Complex, No. 4, at 363,220 acres, burning in Colusa, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Solano and Yolo counties; the North Complex, No. 5, which has burned 306,135 acres in Butte and Plumas counties; and the Creek fire, at 304,640 acres, burning in Fresno and Madera counties, is No. 6.
The 2018 Mendocino Complex, which burned 459,123 acres in Colusa, Glenn, Lake and Mendocino counties, is the second-largest fire in state history.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s Public Health officer said Monday that the state has delayed by one week moving the county into the most restrictive tier in its Blueprint for a Safer Economy following a spike in local COVID-19 cases and several more deaths in recent weeks.
Dr. Gary Pace said last week that, based on information from the state, Lake County was set to be moved fully into the purple tier, the highest when assessing COVID-19 transmission risk, as early as Tuesday, as Lake County News has reported.
For the weeks of Sept. 6 to 12 and Sept. 13 to 19 Lake County’s case and positivity rates put it in line for greater restrictions.
However, Pace said many of those cases were associated with a single outbreak, referring to the situation at a skilled nursing facility, Lakeport Post Acute.
The California Department of Public Health reported the outbreak has resulted in 37 residents and 22 staffers testing positive, with Lake County Public Health confirming seven residents have died.
Pace said Monday that the state agreed to grant Lake County another week – Sept. 20 to 26 – to observe whether the case rate in the general population stays high.
“Data for Sept. 20 to 26 is still coming in, but it is probable we will move to the purple tier Tuesday, Oct. 6, with businesses having three additional days to comply. Business owners are encouraged to plan for this,” Pace said.
If the county is moved into that higher tier, Pace said businesses and enterprises considered high-risk must move all services outdoors. That includes restaurants, movie theaters, worship services and gyms/fitness centers, etc.
Select a purple tier county (such as Butte) to see all restrictions on the state website.
Pace said schools that have opened for on-site learning prior to the county joining the purple tier can stay open.
Schools offering remote learning only will have to wait until the county returns to the red tier – which has to be sustained over two consecutive seven-day reporting periods – to offer on-site instruction, Pace said.
“We are all tired and frustrated by how long the COVID-19 pandemic has endured, but rising cases mean we all must observe recommended and mandated precautions. COVID-19 can be serious, even fatal. If it continues to spread, we will be forced to further limit activities. The state will get increasingly involved in local affairs,” Pace said.
“We all want to be free to live our lives. Right now, we promote that when we wear a mask, keep a safe distance and avoid gatherings, particularly indoors, with people outside of our households,” as well as by taking special care if working with vulnerable people, Pace said.
“Our actions make a difference,” he said.
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.
Dr. Gary Pace said last week that, based on information from the state, Lake County was set to be moved fully into the purple tier, the highest when assessing COVID-19 transmission risk, as early as Tuesday, as Lake County News has reported.
For the weeks of Sept. 6 to 12 and Sept. 13 to 19 Lake County’s case and positivity rates put it in line for greater restrictions.
However, Pace said many of those cases were associated with a single outbreak, referring to the situation at a skilled nursing facility, Lakeport Post Acute.
The California Department of Public Health reported the outbreak has resulted in 37 residents and 22 staffers testing positive, with Lake County Public Health confirming seven residents have died.
Pace said Monday that the state agreed to grant Lake County another week – Sept. 20 to 26 – to observe whether the case rate in the general population stays high.
“Data for Sept. 20 to 26 is still coming in, but it is probable we will move to the purple tier Tuesday, Oct. 6, with businesses having three additional days to comply. Business owners are encouraged to plan for this,” Pace said.
If the county is moved into that higher tier, Pace said businesses and enterprises considered high-risk must move all services outdoors. That includes restaurants, movie theaters, worship services and gyms/fitness centers, etc.
Select a purple tier county (such as Butte) to see all restrictions on the state website.
Pace said schools that have opened for on-site learning prior to the county joining the purple tier can stay open.
Schools offering remote learning only will have to wait until the county returns to the red tier – which has to be sustained over two consecutive seven-day reporting periods – to offer on-site instruction, Pace said.
“We are all tired and frustrated by how long the COVID-19 pandemic has endured, but rising cases mean we all must observe recommended and mandated precautions. COVID-19 can be serious, even fatal. If it continues to spread, we will be forced to further limit activities. The state will get increasingly involved in local affairs,” Pace said.
“We all want to be free to live our lives. Right now, we promote that when we wear a mask, keep a safe distance and avoid gatherings, particularly indoors, with people outside of our households,” as well as by taking special care if working with vulnerable people, Pace said.
“Our actions make a difference,” he said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said Monday night that it had restored power to nearly all of the 65,000 customers whose power it turned off on Sunday in response to a red flag warning.
The company said it reduced the scope of its public safety power shutoff from 89,000 customers in 16 counties to 65,000 customers in 15 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama and Yuba counties.
As of Monday night, 1,300 customers were awaiting restoration, PG&E said.
In Lake County, PG&E said 55 customers, two of them in the medical baseline program, were impacted, along with two customers within Sonoma County. A few customers in Kern County had initially been included, but due to improved weather conditions, were removed from the scope.
The shutoffs began early Sunday morning and continued into the evening, when Lake County’s customers – in an area near the Lake and Napa County line south of Middletown – were reported to have had their power shut off.
On Monday morning, PG&E said meteorologists in its Emergency Operations Center issued a weather all-clear for most – but not all – areas impacted by the shutoff.
PG&E crews – consisting of nearly 1,700 ground personnel and 50 helicopters – then began inspecting nearly 3,915 miles of transmission and distribution lines for damage or hazards.
They began to restore powers to customers in areas where no damage or hazards to the company’s electrical equipment was found.
However, PG&E said preliminary data from the inspections revealed 13 instances of weather-related damage and hazards in the PSPS-affected areas. Examples include downed lines and vegetation on power lines.
The company said that, had it not deenergized power lines, those types of damage could have caused potential wildfire ignitions.
During the wind event, PG&E said top wind speeds throughout the power shutoff area included 61 miles per hour sustained and 73-mile-per-hour gusts on the Mt. St. Helena West weather station in Sonoma County; 44-mile-per-hour sustained winds and gusts of 72 miles per hour at Jarbo Gap in Butte County; and at Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County, sustained winds were recorded at 52 miles per hour, with gusts of 66 miles per hour.
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 said it reduced the scope of its public safety power shutoff from 89,000 customers in 16 counties to 65,000 customers in 15 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama and Yuba counties.
As of Monday night, 1,300 customers were awaiting restoration, PG&E said.
In Lake County, PG&E said 55 customers, two of them in the medical baseline program, were impacted, along with two customers within Sonoma County. A few customers in Kern County had initially been included, but due to improved weather conditions, were removed from the scope.
The shutoffs began early Sunday morning and continued into the evening, when Lake County’s customers – in an area near the Lake and Napa County line south of Middletown – were reported to have had their power shut off.
On Monday morning, PG&E said meteorologists in its Emergency Operations Center issued a weather all-clear for most – but not all – areas impacted by the shutoff.
PG&E crews – consisting of nearly 1,700 ground personnel and 50 helicopters – then began inspecting nearly 3,915 miles of transmission and distribution lines for damage or hazards.
They began to restore powers to customers in areas where no damage or hazards to the company’s electrical equipment was found.
However, PG&E said preliminary data from the inspections revealed 13 instances of weather-related damage and hazards in the PSPS-affected areas. Examples include downed lines and vegetation on power lines.
The company said that, had it not deenergized power lines, those types of damage could have caused potential wildfire ignitions.
During the wind event, PG&E said top wind speeds throughout the power shutoff area included 61 miles per hour sustained and 73-mile-per-hour gusts on the Mt. St. Helena West weather station in Sonoma County; 44-mile-per-hour sustained winds and gusts of 72 miles per hour at Jarbo Gap in Butte County; and at Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County, sustained winds were recorded at 52 miles per hour, with gusts of 66 miles per hour.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Voters in Lake County will have numerous local offices to decide on when they vote for the Nov. 3 election.
School and special districts boards are among the seats up for election this fall.
That’s in addition to District 5 supervisorial runoff between Bill Kearney and Jessica Pyska.
The Lakeport and Clearlake city councils also have elections this November.
In Clearlake, on the ballot will be David Claffey and Joyce Overton, while in Lakeport candidates are Michael Froio, Michael Green, Nathan Maxman and Kenny Parlet.
While many positions will be on the ballot, in several cases where there are not enough candidates for seats or the same number of candidates as seats, those will not go on the ballot.
The following are the lists of seats for fire, school and special districts that will be filled by the fall election as well as those that have been filled and will not be on the ballot.
More information about the general election is available on the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office website.
SEATS THAT WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT
Callayomi County Water District
Rosemary Córdova, incumbent
Sandra Harris, retired administrative assistant
Roger Rosenthal, refrigeration controls technician
Kelseyville Unified School District
Beniakem D. Cromwell, appointed incumbent
Natalie Higley, labor advocate/mother
Mary Beth Mosko, mother
Gilbert Rangel, school literacy director
Konocti Unified School District
Susan C. Burton, incumbent
Michael “Mac” McMurtrey, assistant education director
Zabdy Neria, mental health specialist
Mary Silva, incumbent
Upper Lake Unified School District
Franklin Gudmundson, correctional deputy for the county of Lake
Don Meri, lead construction foreman
Claudine Pedroncelli incumbent
SEATS THAT WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE BALLOT
Buckingham Park Water District
Tom Brandon, incumbent
Shannon Maurer, appointed incumbent
Callayomi County Water District
James Rayburn, retired staff sergeant
Clearlake Oaks County Water District
James Burton, retired fire chief
Michael L. Herman, appointed incumbent
Mary M. Medeiros
Cobb Area County Water District
James “Jim” Agur, incumbent
Kees Winkelman, incumbent
Joshua Dixon, appointed incumbent (two-year unexpired term)
Konocti County Water District
Kirsten Priebe
Jeffrey Stanley, incumbent
Lake County Board of Education
Trustee Area No. 1: Melissa Nevin Kinsel, incumbent
Trustee Area No. 2: Mark A. Cooper, incumbent
Lakeport Unified School District
Dan Buffalo, incumbent
Philip Kirby, incumbent
Jeannie Markham, appointed incumbent
Lucerne Elementary School District
Stacia Fetzer, incumbent
Mendocino-Lake Community College District
Trustee Area No. 7 (Lake County): Temashio Anderson, appointed incumbent
Middletown Unified School District
Zoi Bracisco, retired program manager
Misha Grothe, incumbent
Upper Lake County Water District
Dawn R. Binns, incumbent
Valerie Duncan, incumbent
Allen Merriman, incumbent
Villa Blue Estates Water District
Donna Lynn Brooks
Ann Knudsen
Gary Pierce, incumbent
Yuba Community College District
Trustee Area No. 7: William Roderick, student services director
School and special districts boards are among the seats up for election this fall.
That’s in addition to District 5 supervisorial runoff between Bill Kearney and Jessica Pyska.
The Lakeport and Clearlake city councils also have elections this November.
In Clearlake, on the ballot will be David Claffey and Joyce Overton, while in Lakeport candidates are Michael Froio, Michael Green, Nathan Maxman and Kenny Parlet.
While many positions will be on the ballot, in several cases where there are not enough candidates for seats or the same number of candidates as seats, those will not go on the ballot.
The following are the lists of seats for fire, school and special districts that will be filled by the fall election as well as those that have been filled and will not be on the ballot.
More information about the general election is available on the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office website.
SEATS THAT WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT
Callayomi County Water District
Rosemary Córdova, incumbent
Sandra Harris, retired administrative assistant
Roger Rosenthal, refrigeration controls technician
Kelseyville Unified School District
Beniakem D. Cromwell, appointed incumbent
Natalie Higley, labor advocate/mother
Mary Beth Mosko, mother
Gilbert Rangel, school literacy director
Konocti Unified School District
Susan C. Burton, incumbent
Michael “Mac” McMurtrey, assistant education director
Zabdy Neria, mental health specialist
Mary Silva, incumbent
Upper Lake Unified School District
Franklin Gudmundson, correctional deputy for the county of Lake
Don Meri, lead construction foreman
Claudine Pedroncelli incumbent
SEATS THAT WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE BALLOT
Buckingham Park Water District
Tom Brandon, incumbent
Shannon Maurer, appointed incumbent
Callayomi County Water District
James Rayburn, retired staff sergeant
Clearlake Oaks County Water District
James Burton, retired fire chief
Michael L. Herman, appointed incumbent
Mary M. Medeiros
Cobb Area County Water District
James “Jim” Agur, incumbent
Kees Winkelman, incumbent
Joshua Dixon, appointed incumbent (two-year unexpired term)
Konocti County Water District
Kirsten Priebe
Jeffrey Stanley, incumbent
Lake County Board of Education
Trustee Area No. 1: Melissa Nevin Kinsel, incumbent
Trustee Area No. 2: Mark A. Cooper, incumbent
Lakeport Unified School District
Dan Buffalo, incumbent
Philip Kirby, incumbent
Jeannie Markham, appointed incumbent
Lucerne Elementary School District
Stacia Fetzer, incumbent
Mendocino-Lake Community College District
Trustee Area No. 7 (Lake County): Temashio Anderson, appointed incumbent
Middletown Unified School District
Zoi Bracisco, retired program manager
Misha Grothe, incumbent
Upper Lake County Water District
Dawn R. Binns, incumbent
Valerie Duncan, incumbent
Allen Merriman, incumbent
Villa Blue Estates Water District
Donna Lynn Brooks
Ann Knudsen
Gary Pierce, incumbent
Yuba Community College District
Trustee Area No. 7: William Roderick, student services director
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Thanks to the work of firefighters protecting communities around Lake Pillsbury against the approach of the August Complex, evacuation orders in the area have been reduced to warnings.
The US Forest Service said Monday that the August Complex had grown to 878,470 acres – up about 8,000 acres since Sunday – with containment up two percentage points to 45 percent.
The complex, which began due to lightning on Aug. 17, is burning on the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests. Fire officials continue to anticipate it will be fully contained on Nov. 15.
Firefighters have been on high alert across the complex’s vast acreage due to an ongoing red flag warning that the National Weather Service issued last week because of high winds from an offshore wind event.
Critical fire weather conditions continue, officials said, with winds on Monday expected to be sustained at 12 to 18 miles per hour with gusts to 25 miles per hour on ridges and high areas, and 6 to 12 miles per hour in valleys.
Officials said temperatures will be close to 100 degrees and the humidity will be in the single digits. Relative humidity values did not increase much overnight, so fuels will start out dry this morning. As a result of these conditions, there will be significant potential for rapid fire growth for most of the day.
Despite the high winds and critical fire weather Sunday, crews successfully defended control lines in the Lake Pillsbury area and the east side of the South Zone is still fully contained, the US Forest Service reported.
On Monday, fire crews are continuing their work to secure firelines in the Pillsbury Lake and Rice Fork areas, the Forest Service said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that the evacuation orders have been reduced to warnings for all residents and areas south of fire’s edge, north of North Ridge and West Crockett Camp, east of the Lake-Mendocino County line and west of the Lake-Glenn County line.
Also, evacuation orders have been lifted for all areas south of North Ridge and West Crockett Camp, east of the Lake-Glenn-Colusa County line and north of Pack Saddle Creek, the sheriff’s office reported.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for all areas north of the fire’s edge, south and west of the Lake-Glenn County line, and east of the Lake-Mendocino County line, the sheriff’s office reported.
Full evacuation information can be found here.
The Forest Service said the last remaining elements of the 14th Brigade Engineering Battalion from Joint Base Lewis-McChord departed the August Complex on Sunday after fighting the fire for 30 days.
“The hard work by these dedicated soldiers made a significant impact on the South Zone of the August Complex,” said Mike Quesinberry, incident commander of the National Incident Management Organization. “This unit provided additional capacity when national resources were critically low and played an important role in increasing containment and protecting structures.”
On the east side of the complex, the Burned Area Emergency Response team, or BAER, is
mobilized and prepared to start their analyses of the burned area, the Forest Service said.
After a fire, officials said the priority is emergency stabilization in order to prevent further damage to life, property or natural resources on Forest Service lands.
The stabilization work begins before the fire is out and may continue for up to a year. Rehabilitation focuses on the lands unlikely to recover naturally from wildland fire damage, officials said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at