As PG&E turns the power off once again for some Californians last week in Red Flag weather, a new report shows last year, when they first started the public safety power shutoffs, there were few emergency personnel for the utility who knew how to manage an emergency. The Associated Press reports only a handful of staff last year were trained on disaster response. Last October there were intentional power downs that hit more than 2 million people. PG&E says it’s done more training and that 90% of their 676 workers in emergency centers have done the required initial training.
There’s a new fire weather watch for the North Bay. Later today forecasters say, there will be windy, dry conditions in higher elevations which could potentially lead to dangerous conditions. Expected gusts of 40 mph along higher ridges and peaks with the strongest winds overnight tonight into tomorrow. But the weather watch starts tonight and doesn’t end until Wednesday morning. The biggest threat in the eastern Sonoma Valley and across Napa County where the Glass Fire is still smoldering. The fire has burned over 67,000 acres, but there has not been any forward movement for weeks. It’s 97% contained. Forecasters say the warning could turn into another Red Flag event. Another wind advisory could be coming at the end of the week.
A man from Calpella has been found guilty for driving drunk and having blood alcohol at two times the legal limit. The jury found Skyler Blue Dausman guilty Friday afternoon for the April motorcycle incident. Someone reported seeing a motorcycle speeding without its lights on and the CHP saw the bike at Little Baker’s Market in Redwood Valley and contacted Dausman, who seemed drunk. He failed field sobriety tests and his breath tests came back at .23/.24. He said he was not drinking before driving but had 190 proof Everclear after he was already parked at the market. His friend that he says provided him the Everclear was not called as a witness at trial by the defense though.
The August Complex fire is still actively burning in some spots as seasonably warm temperatures continue in the fire area. The West Zone is 100% contained and Cal Fire is no longer providing daily updates. In the Northwest Zone, firefighters in the Kettenpom area were working to improve containment lines and in other areas where the containment lines are done, they’re pulling out equipment and working on suppression repair. In the Northeast Zone, they say there was increased fire behavior in unburned areas near Pony Buck Creek, Texas Chow Creek, south of Rattlesnake Creek and near Progeny, but there’s no threat to containment lines. Marines from Camp Pendleton are helping near Progeny and Bear Wallow Mountain. In the South Zone firefighters finished containment lines in the Eel River Canyon and helicopters were dropping water on isolated areas of heat near the river. There are still several evacuation orders and warnings throughout Mendocino County and a forest closure is still in effect for the Mendocino National Forest.
Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama and Trinity Counties
Elk Creek and Stonyford area (Mendocino National Forest)
*1,032,264 acres, 86% contained
*South Zone 499,830 acres
*North East Zone 272,089 acres
*North West Zone 119,401 acres
*West Zone 140,944 acres
*1 fatality
*210 structures destroyed
*Includes multiple fires including the Elkhorn, Hopkins, Willow, Vinegar, and Doe fires
*The fire is being managed in four zones by 4 national Incident Management Teams
The Lake County Public Health Office has reported 2 more deaths from coronavirus. The Public Health Officer, Dr. Gary Pace put out a statement over the weekend to remind how highly infectious COVID-19 is. Dr. Pace says they’re trying to prevent and control outbreaks in congregate living facilities and slow the spread in the wider community with mask wearing and social distancing. Dr. Pace reports infection rates are 2-3x higher among Latino Lake County residents, and 2x greater in Native American communities, as compared to the general population data. He says they sent a plan into the state last week to address the disparities in these communities. The 14th death from the virus in Lake County was reported last Tuesday in someone over 65 with other underlying health conditions. And this weekend, the 15th death in someone over 60 years old, but no other information will be shared at this time.
The President has changed his mind and is approving a disaster relief package for Calif that he earlier said no to for fire ravaged areas, including in Mendocino County from the Oak Fire. Apparently the Governor spoke to him and the White House says he and the House Minority Leader who’s from Bakersfield presented a strong case for why the state should get help. It will cover six major wildfires that torched almost 2 million acres and killed three people last month. The fires just one of more than two dozen that had been burning at once last month. The federal government said last week that the fires weren’t big enough to warrant help – but one of them, the Creek fire near Fresno was one of the biggest to ever burn in the state.
A vehicle reported driving over a cliff between Elk and Manchester on Highway 1. The Elk Fire Dept. was on the scene yesterday afternoon along with the Sheriff’s Dept after the vehicle went about 200 feet down the cliffside. The CHP reported it was a two door pickup that went over the cliff and onto the beach. A helicopter helped to rescue the driver who was identified as a woman in her mid-30’s. The pickup left behind after a cable to pluck it back up broke. They will reportedly return today to get the vehicle off the beach. Mendo Fever reports the CHP saying there’s no obvious evidence that the truck was purposely driver over the cliff.
More money for staff in Lake County possible as the Board of Supervisors considers recommendations from a classification and compensation study. The matter to be looked at tomorrow for management employees starting Nov. 1st and lasting for a year. They were supposed to be discussing it back in March, but the pandemic delayed it. The Lake County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson’s report to the board says it’s the first classification and compensation study since 2003, looking at comparable government employee salaries in neighboring counties. They’re reportedly looking at a 5-step system and raise salaries for staff at 85 percent of the market median in the Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Lake County Employees Association, the Lake County Safety Employees Association, the Lake County Correctional Officers Association, the Lake County Deputy District Attorney’s Association and the Lake County Sheriff’s Management Association.
The DEA’s national Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up. In Lakeport they will be part of the campaign. This Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a drive-thru drop off at the police station on Main St. They ask to follow all safety protocols due to the ongoing pandemic and stay in your car. They’re accepting all over-the-counter or prescription meds in pill, tablet or capsule form, but they need to be in a plastic bag, not in their container or paper. They’re also collecting vape pens and other e-cigarette devices with no batteries. They’re not taking illegal drugs, needles, inhalers or aerosol cans.
The Calif. Conservation Corp is helping on the August Complex Fire. The team joining firefighters working up to 16-hours a day. Hundreds of Corps members on the fire lines or working at basecamps to support firefighters. For their work, where-ever they are, they get a monthly stipend of $1,905 and can also get up to $8,000 in scholarships for every year they enroll. If they’re on the fire line, they get training from Cal Fire and the U.S Forest Service.
The Mendocino County Public Health Officer says he thinks the county’s doing better and he feels “cautiously optimistic”. Dr. Andy Coren had his Covid-19 update on Friday saying the daily case rate over the week before is under 7. And if it stays that low for another week, the county may be able to move into the red tier, and out of the most restrictive, purple tier. He says even though the state recently relaxed gathering rules, the county would not be. But last Thursday there were 14 new cases, and on the Health Office’s dashboard, it shows another 14 yesterday. 9 on Saturday and 3 Friday. The total now at 1,103 positives and 21 deaths.
Mari Rodin says she’s taking a break from her 2nd District Mendocino County Supervisor race as she’s recently been diagnosed with Cancer. On Saturday Rodin put out a statement that she is suspending her campaign focusing on her treatment and recovery and that she wanted to thank her many volunteers and supporters who are continuing campaign activities. She has not officially withdrawn from running, she’s just not personally working on the campaign against Maureen “Mo” Mulheren, a current Ukiah City Council member.
2 men in Clearlake busted in a robbery in April report to court for jury trial next month. Julius Mulvaney and Orlando Savalis Thomas, Jr. in court, with their lawyer asking for a continuance. The court said no, so they go to trial November 12th for the April 11 incident. Police say one guy near three cars acting as a lookout, was arrested, that was Mulvaney. Officers looked around the area finding a home with a door open, one man inside and several other people contacted saying, the intruder, Savalis Thomas, Jr. hit them in the head with a gun and beat several people demanding money. Then took off. Officers found two firearms at the home, one reported stolen earlier out of Sacramento County. A car connected to them stolen from San Francisco. Another man, Orlando Thomas of Oakland and a juvenile who police say were connected to the incident were also arrested. Others could still be arrested in the case.
There could soon be some tiny homes dotting the Clearlake landscape. The City Council considering an updated zoning ordinance, but held off on doing anything because of concerns about code enforcement allowing tiny houses in regular neighborhoods. Some complained it could bring down their property values. The City Council says they should restrict tiny homes to other areas zoned specifically for them. There were a few public comments some for, others against. No vote was taken and no other moves were made like how big a house could be. The Record Bee reports it appeared that the consensus was a minimum of 200 square feet, and up to 749 square feet.
The fire weather watch we told you about this morning has been upgraded in the North Bay mountains to a red flag warning. The National Weather Service has Mendocino County and Lake County still on fire weather watch, but dry, windy conditions across a large swath of land could possibly ignite fires. The weather expected to land later tonight and last thru Wednesday morning with gusty offshore winds. The Press Democrat reports a great risk for fire in the Mayacamas Mountains along the eastern Sonoma Valley and in Napa County where vegetation is historically dry. Mt. St. Helena is being watched closely as that’s where the Glass Fire’s been burning for almost a month. There could be wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
A couple of travel trailers have reportedly caught fire at the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints on Dora St. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority got a call to the parking lot of the church finding two fully involved 5th Wheel Travel Trailers and the church being threatened by the fires. It never reached the structure. CalFire responded to the scene to help Ukiah firefighters. It took about 90 minutes to knock it down and mop up. The cause of the fire’s under investigation but was apparently not suspicious.
