The National Weather Service is issuing a red flag warning for Lake County and northeast Mendocino County including the Round Valley and Covelo areas. Starting tonight at 11pm through 8pm tomorrow the warning is being issued for high risk fire conditions. Strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures can bring extreme fire behavior. North winds gusting up to 35 miles per hour are expected tomorrow morning. Dried out brush and vegetation is also a contributor as wildfire fuels. On top of the red flag warning, is an air quality alert. MendoVoice reports widespread smoke impacts in Mendocino County are predicted with fires burning to the north. Residents are urged to be watchful of local alerts and are asked to take precautions during the red flag alert.
PG&E has issued a Power Safety Shutoff notice for counties in the area including Lake due to high winds and dry conditions for tomorrow and/or Thursday this week. Multiple factors could impact the decision including how widespread the event develops into and if damage to power infrastructure occurs. Weather, wind direction and strength and humidity are factors that may impact part of the grid in the area. With breezy conditions moving in via a low pressure system, they expect the strongest gusts along the coast. As that cell moves temps will increase as vegetation fuels are contributing to wildfires. Check the PG&E shut-off forecast online for more details.
Three people are hurt and a couple of buildings burned in a Clearlake fire early this morning. Lake County News reports around 1am a fire broke out on 13th Street between Country Club and Bush Streets. Power lines were reported down with with a large smoke plume reported in the area. Two homes were burning with spot fires spreading. Cal Fire responded with Lake County Fire Protection resources and addressed the downed lines along with PG&E crews. A Nixle alert was issued around 1:30am urging residents to avoid the area. A nine year old child and an adult woman were flown out of the county via life flight. There were taken to UC Davis in the 2am hour. A third victim was taken to the hospital with leg injuries. Firefighters were able to take care of the spot fire and contained the two house fires around 2am. Extensive mop up continues thru today.
PG&E has issued a Power Safety Shutoff notice for counties in the area including parts of Lake County due to high winds and dry conditions for tomorrow and/or Thursday this week. Multiple factors could impact the decision including how widespread the event develops into and if damage to power infrastructure occurs. Weather, wind direction and strength and humidity are factors that may impact part of the grid in the area. With breezy conditions moving in via a low pressure system, they expect the strongest gusts along the coast. As that cell moves temps will increase as vegetation fuels are contributing to wildfire risks. Check the PG&E shut-off forecast online for more details.
Three people are hurt and a couple of buildings burned in a Clearlake fire early this morning. Lake County News reports around 1am a fire broke out on 13th Street between Country Club and Bush Streets. Power lines were reported down with with a large smoke plume reported in the area. Two homes were burning with spot fires spreading. Cal Fire responded with Lake County Fire Protection resources and addressed the downed lines along with PG&E crews. A Nixle alert was issued around 1:30am urging residents to avoid the area. A nine year old child and an adult woman were flown out of the county via life flight. There were taken to UC Davis in the 2am hour. A third victim was taken to the hospital with leg injuries. Firefighters were able to take care of the spot fire and contained the two house fires around 2am. Extensive mop up continues thru today.
A Covelo man will spend four years in state prison. Brock Rogers was sentenced last week for assault with a deadly weapon that happened last Thanksgiving. Rogers believed a friend had stolen marijuana, so he reportedly hog tied the man and beat him with a wooden sword. The victim had significant health issues from the attack. The Mendocino County District Attorney reports in MendoFever that Rogers had a long relationship with illegal cannabis with a list of crimes related to marijuana dating back nearly two decades. He is expected to serve about two years before release on probation, but was given the warning that his conviction is a Strike, should be get into legal trouble again could face steep penalties.
CHP is investigating an accident in the Clear Lake Area. Early Friday morning there was a crash on State Route 29 north of Diener Drive. Andrew Parras was driving his Chevy truck north when it crossed into the path of Dale Brandt going southbound semi-truck, hitting the trailer. Lake County News reports the Chevy then ran off the road into a tree, killing Parras. Brandt was not hurt. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call CHP.
Mendocino County workers are rallying today at the Board of Supervisors meeting. In a release from SEIU Local 1021 in MendoFever, the union says the county is refusing to work in good faith while staff continues to leave. The group will meet around 8:30 this morning at 501 Low Gap Road in Ukiah with speeches and more. County workers on strike will be wearing purple union shirts. They are rallying as news from the county indicates a proposed wage freeze and increases in health insurance costs. The union says those proposals will make retaining employees even harder, reducing services, response times and putting vulnerable residents at risk. Mendocino County is short about a third of its normal size staffing, with a 70 percent vacancy rate for mental health professionals.
An arsonist is changing his plea to no contest with an admission to a special allegation filed against him. The Mendocino County District Attorney issued a release on Roland Eskind Jr who was charged in February for setting a building on fire, an arson felony with a sentencing enhancement for doing the act during a state of emergency. Eskind will stay in custody pending sentencing. He admitted to setting fire to the Gualala Community Center that totally demolished parts of the building. The arson conviction constitutes a Stike conviction. The potential state prison sentence is up to seven years. Sentencing is set for September 21st.
Groups interested in the Potter Valley Project are being left out of negotiations and are trying to play catch-up with the latest news. MendoFever reports the hydropower plant decommissioning plans from PG&E include a non disclosure agreement with 3 entities, not including the Planning Group with the Russian River Water Forum. The Mendocino County Inland Power and Water Commission, Sonoma Water and the Round Valley Indian Tribes submitted a proposal to PG&E before the deadline of July 31st. While the utility considers the proposal, water rights, facility financing and governance issues are still unresolved. The next meeting of the Russian River Water Forum will be September 7.
The Point Reyes National Seashore is proposing the removal of a 2 mile fence that encloses the tule elk at Tomales Point. There is controversy over the management plan with three different ideas up for public review in the next month as the National Park Service updates their management plan for the area. The Press Democrat reports other plans for the elk population include using lethal force. Another option would be to maintain the current operations over the nearly 3,000 acre area the elk herd is in now, with increased supplemental water when needed. The Seashore says they prefer to remove fencing and other barriers in coordination with the Graton Rancheria Tribe and more. The proposal would appoint Pierce Ranch as a core location for visitors with increased parking and trails.
The Smith River Complex Fires are spreading into Oregon and have been burning in over 67,000 acres in Del Norte County. The fast progression of the flames has over 2,500 firefighting crew members with still zero percent containment. Winds have blown the fires more to the north in recent days. The plan for attack includes areas north of Gasquet and working on lines around Highway 199. Evacuation levels were lowered Monday but residents are urged to stay vigilant. Currently in Mendocino County the air quality is in good shape, but weather may push smoke south down the road.
The Redwood Valley County Water District is busy pumping a lot of water. According to MendoFever, Redwood Valley’s domestic rationing has been lifted. Agricultural water sales are scheduled to continue. The board discussed the ongoing work for plans on the Potter Valley Project including diversion options, governance and fishery health. Meanwhile, the Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan was approved by the state and a proposed well at the Masonite site is being finalized. Flood Control users have different water rights which is making measuring how much water to be pumped a complex issue. The next meeting of Redwood Valley will be September 21st.
Mendocino County will be honoring August 30th, tomorrow, as International Opioid Overdose Awareness day. Tomorrow, Adventist Health Ukiah Valley will have a “Day of Remembrance and Hope” event beginning at noon. Professional and community speakers will be speaking on the resources available and share stories of opioid abuse in the area. MendoVoice reports the old helipad at the hospital is where the event will be held. Mendocino County faces the grueling statistic of being the county with the highest number of deaths due to opioid overdose. Speakers will include a Substance Use Navigation team talking about the available resources in the county.
The Leggett community will host the Mountain Folk Festival on Saturday, September 2. This fundraiser is for Leggett Valley Volunteer Fire Dept, first responders for Northern Mendocino County. This family event begins at 10:00 a.m. in downtown Leggett with a parade and ends at the Fire House just off Hwy 101 on Drive Thru Tree Road. The event is free and includes a classic car show. There will activities for kids and live music along with adult competitions. The Advocate news reports an auction will begin at 4:30 pm and vendor booths will be on hand.
The Mendocino County Cannabis Department is announcing approvals can be made via DocuSign. In Canna Notes issued recently, the department says immediately all applicants and agents are encouraged to use the software for permit approval and more. The department also noted phase 3 applicants may have some tax issues to deal with. They may be taxed without having the chance to grow yet. The department noted tax appeals can be filed as they verify license status. As the department works to streamline policy and procedure, they’ve announced a workshop on September 19th from 9am to noon. The streamline workshop will be held at the UC Coop Extension Conference Room in Ukiah. The meeting will also be available virtually
Senator Mike McGuire will be the pro tem designee. This week, the Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins announced that the Senate Democratic Caucus decided that McGuire will transition to the more powerful post next year. He will be the highest ranking member of the state Senate. Senator Atkins cited McGuire’s help with legislation successes including last year’s climate package and other negotiations in this year’s state budget. Lake County News reports Senator Dodd applauded the decision saying McGuire has been an advocate for wildfire safety and is an expert at bringing people together. Governor Newsom says he is grateful for Atkins work in the position since 2018. She was the first woman to hold the position, and the first person in 150 years to be both pro tem and Assembly Speaker.
