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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred just before 4:30 p.m. on Highway 29 north of Western Mine Road.
Minutes later, CHP officers were dispatched to the wreck, the report said.
A preliminary investigation indicated the unidentified adult male driver was driving a 2003 Toyota Camry northbound on Highway 29 at a high rate-of-speed.
For reasons pending further investigation, the driver lost control of the Toyota and it struck a tree east of the roadway, the CHP said. Radio traffic indicated that the vehicle sustained major damage.
As a result of the crash, the CHP said the driver and one of two male adult passengers sustained major injuries. They were transported by helicopter to a hospital in Santa Rosa.
The second passenger — whose identification is pending next-of-kin notification — sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by Cal Fire, the CHP said.
All occupants were wearing their safety belts. The CHP said alcohol use is suspected to be a factor in the crash.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Five Star Towing also responded to the scene and assisted CHP.
Highway 29 at the crash scene was reduced to one-way traffic control during the course of the on-scene investigation, the CHP said.
The wreck is being investigated by CHP Officer A. Sanchez.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
On Wednesday afternoon, the Scotts fire broke out in Scotts Valley, as Lake County News has reported.
Cal Fire said it was fully contained on Thursday at 50 acres.
The largest fire in the region, the Sites near Stonyford in Colusa County, grew to 19,195 acres on Thursday — an increase of only 71 acres after having jumped in size every day since it began on Monday afternoon.
Containment on the fire doubled to 20% on Thursday, while 326 structures remain threatened.
Fire crews are continuing to reinforce control lines around the massive fire, which Cal Fire said is burning primarily in oak woodland. High temperatures and low humidity remain a concern in bringing it to full containment.
At the same time, evacuation orders and warnings remain in place, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said 1,899 personnel are assigned. Other resources include 122 engines, 20 water tenders, 18 helicopters, 20 dozers and 58 hand crews.
In Sonoma County, the Point fire was held at 1,207 acres while containment rose to 75% on Thursday.
That incident has injured one firefighter, destroyed three structured and damaged two others, Cal Fire said.
Resources including 558 personnel, 50 engines, nine water tenders, eight dozers and 24 hand crews continue to work on the Point fire, burning near Geyserville since Sunday.
Cal Fire said crews are continuing to mop up and secure lines around the fire, and to make fire suppression repairs.
In addition, all evacuations have been lifted, Cal Fire said.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
NORTH COAST, Calif. — A Napa County man walked away uninjured after having to conduct an emergency landing of his plane on Thursday in Humboldt County.
Joseph McCoy, 67, was the pilot in the crash, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.
At 10:35 a.m. Thursday, Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge in the Loleta area for a report of a possible small aircraft accident.
Along with the sheriff’s office, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Humboldt Bay Refuge, Loleta Volunteer Fire Department and City Ambulance also responded.
Once on scene, responding personnel were able to locate a small, single engine, fixed winged aircraft that had come to rest upside down in a dry marsh area.
McCoy, the pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft, was found to be uninjured, authorities said.
Preliminary information indicates McCoy had just departed the Eureka area when the aircraft lost power, resulting in McCoy making an emergency landing at the refuge.
Upon landing, the soft ground of the marsh appears to have contributed to the aircraft coming to rest in an inverted position. McCoy was able to extricate himself from the aircraft and contact emergency services.
Officials with Humboldt County Environmental Health later responded to assist with evaluating and containing any possible fluid leakage from the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board will be conducting an investigation into the potential cause of this incident.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office thanked all allied agencies that responded to assist.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
On Wednesday afternoon, one fire after another occurred in Lake County, beginning with a small fire on Wilkinson Road in Kelseyville that was quickly controlled, which was then followed by the beginning of the Scotts fire in the Scotts Valley area, which began shortly after 2 p.m.
Firefighters arriving at the scene were challenged in accessing the fire by an unrated bridge that raised a potential weight issue for fire equipment being the only entry point, besides the creekbed.
In addition to engines and other ground units, Cal Fire air resources were used to fight the fire.
The fire burned a barn as well as vegetation, based on radio reports.
There also was a report of a firefighter that needed to be taken off the line due to difficulty breathing. The firefighter was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment, according to radio reports.
Lakeport Fire units were released by 6 p.m. However, Cal Fire continued to work the fire into the night. By nightfall, the fire was reported to be 38 acres with 15% containment.
As the work on the Scotts fire was underway, a fire in the 6800 block of Hammond Avenue in Nice was reported just before 3 p.m.
With firefighters on the north end of the lake already committed to the Scotts fire, dispatch called for more units to come from the south county.
Firefighters arriving on the scene shortly after 3 p.m. found an estimated half-acre fire. Minutes later, it measured an acre in size and was starting to burn a structure.
By 3:20 p.m., the sheriff’s office had issued an evacuation order for the immediate area, opening an evacuation point at Upper Lake High School’s gymnasium later in the afternoon.
The Hammond Avenue fire was reported to be contained at 6:20 p.m., with two hours of mop up required. It burned a total of 1.2 acres.
The sheriff’s office said that, as of 6:45 p.m., the evacuation warning for zones NIC-E042 and NIC-E047B had been reduced to normal, and the evacuation order for zone NIC-E047A reduced to a warning.
Firefighting efforts continue around the region
Efforts to contain wildland fires in Lake’s neighboring counties continued on Wednesday.
In Sonoma County, the Point fire — burning since Sunday afternoon — remained at 1,207 acres, with containment up to 60%.
One firefighter has been injured, with three structures destroyed and two damaged, Cal Fire reported.
Cal Fire said that 1,011 personnel are assigned, along with 85 engines, 12 water tenders, nine dozers and 32 hand crews.
On the other side of Lake County, the Sites fire continued growing in Colusa County on Wednesday.
The fire, burning since Monday southeast of Stonyford, reached 19,124 by day’s end, with containment at 10%.
The Sites fire is threatening 326 structures, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said there are 107 engines, 18 water tenders, seven helicopters, 16 dozers, 18 hand crews and 741 personnel assigned to the incident.
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