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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Cal Fire said Saturday that it’s making progress against the destructive Glass fire, but a red flag warning in effect through Sunday morning could create challenging conditions for firefighters.
The more than 2,600 firefighters assigned to the Glass five have continued to prevent it from the kind of explosive growth it saw in its earliest day while continuing to strengthen containment numbers.
On Saturday, Cal Fire said the incident was up to 62,360 acres, an increase of just over 2,200 acres since Friday morning. Containment on Saturday was reported to be 10 percent, an increase of 4 percent over the previous 24 hours.
It continues to threaten 28,835 structures, Cal Fire said.
The incident continues to burn in Napa and Sonoma counties. However, the latest mapping released by Cal Fire on Saturday showed the fire is burning about two miles south of the Lake and Napa County line.
Cal Fire said Saturday afternoon that Smoke and flames from the Glass fire may be visible from Middletown.
Officials said there are currently no evacuation warnings or evacuation orders for Lake County. However, they added that south county residents are reminded to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate in the event that fire activity changes.
Highway 29 south of Middletown, closed earlier this week, remains shut down due to the fire. Caltrans said there is no estimated time of reopening.
A red flag warning is in effect in parts of the fire area through Sunday morning, with reports on Saturday afternoon of winds picking up across the south county.
The red flag warning was issued due to high winds, hot temperatures and low humidity, which can create increased fire danger.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it has arrested a Hidden Valley Lake man for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman to whom he provided alcohol during a party at his home this summer.
Mark Greydon Tolson, 44, was arrested on Wednesday, Lt. Corey Paulich said.
On July 16, the female victim contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and reported she had been sexually assaulted by Tolson, Paulich said.
Paulich said the victim reported that on July 15 Tolson provided alcohol to her and other adults under age 21 at his residence. The victim reported that later in the night she woke up to Tolson sexually assaulting her.
Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit detectives continued the investigation. On Wednesday, detectives served a search warrant at Tolson’s residence, Paulich said.
Tolson subsequently was arrested on charges of oral copulation and sexual battery and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked on the charges. Paulich said Tolson later was released after posting bail.
The Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who may have further information regarding Tolson to please contact Det. Jeff Mora at 707-262-4224 or by email at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The August Complex was up to 970,930 acres and 55-percent containment on Friday night, officials reported.
The Forest Service said 583,201 acres of the complex is on the Mendocino National Forest.
Officials said 1,849 personnel remain assigned to the incident, which began on Aug. 17 due to lightning and is burning on the Mendocino, Six-Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests.
The complex is threatening 2,200 structures and has destroyed 108 to date, the Forest Services said.
The Forest Service said substantial work was carried out on Thursday along the southwestern corner of the fire near Big Signal Peak to mop up and secure unburned fuel within the control line.
Fire personnel began assessing areas farther north along the southwestern edge in anticipation of moving and focusing resources in areas with more active fire. Crews pulled eight miles of hose from the interior of the fire, from exterior lines that are fully contained, and contingency or back-up lines, officials said.
Good progress was made along the eastern and southern edge by removing equipment and 60 percent of the hose that will be reallocated to higher priority locations, according to the Forest Service report.
The Forest Service said Friday that crews moved clockwise around the perimeter toward the western area of the fire to gain further information to plan for next steps.
Although resources were moving in that western vicinity, activity continued elsewhere as crews focused on repair of fire suppression activities including dozer and handlines, officials said.
Officials said firefighters will continue patrolling and backhauling of equipment and hose along the eastern and southern edge, where there is good containment.
The structure protection group will remove pumps, hose, and other fire apparatus from areas around Pillsbury Ranch and Rice Creek areas, the Forest Service said.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said that due to significant fire activity this week, all of Lake County is forecast to have “unhealthy for sensitive groups” to “unhealthy” air quality through Sunday as smoke settles into the area.
Gearhart said smoke from the Glass fire in Napa and Sonoma counties, the August Complex, and other fires burning in California and Oregon will continue to impact Lake County in the coming weeks.
Current conditions are degraded from the Glass fire and the regional wind pattern transporting smoke into the Lake County Air Basin, he said.
There is a potential for periods of improved air quality and overall improvement as wind patterns change, Gearhart said.
He said early forecast information indicated that a wind shift that started Friday night and continuing into Saturday may push the smoke from the Glass fire out the air basin, but increased activity in the August Complex fire may contribute smoke into the air basin due to the wind direction.
Up-to-date air quality conditions for Lake County can be found at PurpleAir.