How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters are on the scene of a fast-moving wildland fire in Clearlake.
The North fire was first reported at about 2:10 p.m. Friday on Sulphur Bank Drive about a mile south of North Drive, according to reports from the scene.
Within minutes, Cal Fire’s St. Helena Dispatch Center sent a full wildland dispatch of ground and air resources to join Lake County Fire Protection District units.
The fire, as of 2:15 p.m., was estimated to be between 10 and 15 acres and moving north toward the ridgeline to Clearlake Oaks. No structures were believed to be threatened at that time.
A portion of Country Club Drive at Bush Street in Clearlake is being temporarily closed and air resources are inbound, officials said over the radio.
At 2:20 p.m., the Clearlake Police Department issued a Nixle alert asking people to avoid the fire area.
By 2:30 p.m., air attack estimated the fire to be 20 acres in grass, with the head of fire hitting a ridgetop road. Air attack estimated the fire has the potential to reach 50 acres.
Tankers are reported to be dropping retardant on the two flanks of the fire, and the fire is being held on the ridge.
At about 2:40 p.m. there was a report of another fire on Huron Avenue at Crawford Avenue, which burned a spot estimated at 50 feet by 100 feet.
It was contained by locals in about five minutes and unit, according to radio traffic.
At 2:56 p.m., incident command said the main fire was still between 15 to 20 acres, with forward progress stopped and containment estimated at 20%.
The firefighting effort remains active, with fire activity still active on the lines and a helicopter continuing to make water drops, based on radio reports.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Two environmental groups that have been the staunchest opponents of a proposed south county luxury resort said Thursday they have reached an agreement with the developers to protect habitat and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Center for Biological Diversity and the California Native Plant Society reached the agreement with the developers of the Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Planned Development Project.
The agreement calls for the conservation of more than 3,700 acres of the 16,000 acres that’s part of the overall Guenoc property, as well as implementation of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with an $2 million secured for additional off-site conservation.
The announcement of the agreement comes as the Lake County Planning Commission is set to continue its hearing on Friday morning regarding the new environmental impact report for the Guenoc Valley project.
“A large swath of open space will be permanently protected with this agreement, allowing wildlife to roam and benefiting the entire community,” said Peter Broderick, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “As temperatures rise and wildfires become more destructive, developers need to focus on projects that minimize climate risks and keep communities safe. The common-sense measures in this agreement are a big improvement from what was proposed five years ago.”
The agreement will permanently preserve 3,717 acres of the project site, which includes oak woodlands habitat for golden eagles, foothill yellow-legged frogs and western pond turtles and serves as an important wildlife corridor for the region.
Other terms of the agreement include funding for local projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, groundwater monitoring, increased development setback for perennial streams and wetlands, and additional protections for sensitive plants.
“In addition to permanently protecting a large area of sensitive serpentine habitat, today’s settlement also ensures better monitoring of rare plant mitigation efforts and adds more buffer zones to protect riparian and aquatic habitats from development,” said Nick Jensen, California Native Plant Society conservation director. “These changes mark major improvements to the project, made possible by years of advocacy and negotiation.”
These terms in the agreement are in addition to others previously reached between the developer and California’s attorney general. Those include measures to reduce wildfire ignition risks and reduce the number of dead-end roads originally planned for the project. The separate agreement also calls for solar panels and electric vehicle charging equipment in all residential and commercial buildings.
The Board of Supervisors approved the project’s first EIR in July 2020, and the Center for Biological Diversity and the California Native Plant Society sued the county in September of that year for approving the development in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act. The California attorney general later filed his own legal challenge.
A 2021 trial in Lake County Superior Court led to a January 2022 ruling in which Judge J. David Markham found that the county’s EIR on the project was insufficient due to its conclusions that community fire evacuation routes were “less than significant.” Markham’s ruling led to a new EIR.
Late last year, the California First District Appellate Court ruled in the matter, also ordering a new EIR and determining that the county failed to assess how the project would worsen existing wildfire risks.
The revised project now being considered by the county expects a multiple-phase development of up to 400 hotel rooms, 450 resort residential units, 1,400 residential estates, 500 workforce co-housing units, a community clubhouse and associated infrastructure, a proposed water supply well on an off-site parcel and pipeline located adjacent to and within Butts Canyon Road, and intersection and electrical transmission line improvements.
As part of the newly announced agreement, the Center for Biological Diversity and the California Native Plant Society agreed to not challenge this revised version of the development currently pending before the Lake County Planning Commission.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.8 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
The California Native Plant Society is a statewide nonprofit organization that protects California’s native plants and their natural habitats through science, education, stewardship, gardening and advocacy.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it will provide its annual report on military equipment later this month.
On Aug. 6, the sheriff’s office completed a military equipment annual report and posted the report to the agency’s website.
On Monday, Aug. 18, at noon, the sheriff’s office will hold a public meeting to present the report to the community and answer questions or address concerns as it pertains to the report, use, and possession of equipment deemed “military equipment” by California Government Code 7070.
The meeting will take place in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
Join the meeting at this link.
The webinar ID is 891 3022 0726; the passcode is 793324.
To join by one-tap by phone: +16694449171,,89130220726#,,,,*793324# US or
+16699006833,,89130220726#,,,,*793324# US.
In accordance with Section 7072 of the California Government Code, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is required to submit an annual military equipment report to the Board of Supervisors and make it available to the public.
Pursuant to 7071 California Government Code, the Lake County Board of Supervisors shall annually review any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section and vote to either approve or disapprove the renewal of ordinance No. 3123.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has dozens of dogs needing new homes.
The shelter has 48 adoptable dogs listed on its website.
This week’s dogs include “Happy,” a male pit bull terrier mix with a short black and white coat.
The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at