The National Weather Service is expanding red flag warnings to more of Northern California, with elevated fire weather conditions now expected to continue through tomorrow. The NWS Sacramento office issued the first Red Flag Warning of 2024 because of the anticipated weather and fuel conditions. The warning was already in effect in the Sacramento Valley, but was extended to the North Bay mountains, parts of the San Joaquin Valley and farther into Solano County.
Residents near a large vegetation fire in Sacramento were evacuated Sunday, in what’s being called the Excelsior Fire. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District ordered evacuations from Excelsior Road to Sunrise Boulevard along Jackson Road due to the fire, which has burned 800 acres, according to Cal Fire. The evacuation order was lifted around 4 p.m. Jackson Road remains closed in the area.
Several wildfires are raging in the state of California. CalFire says the Post Fire, south of Gorman is zero percent contained and has burned 11-thousand acres. Evacuation orders have been put in place. The Hesperia Fire in San Bernardino County is 7% contained with a little over 1,100 acres burned. Crews have been able to get some containment on the Junes fire in Northern California. That fire has burned over a thousand acres and is 50% contained.
A man has been arrested for starting a fire in Ukiah. The fire started behind the abandoned Carl’s Junior on North State Street on Saturday. UVFA crews responded to the fire just before 6pm. Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said Kristo Ousey of Ukiah and another person were smoking pot near the building. According to surveillance footage, Ousey’s negligently discarded ashes are what officers say started the fire in the nearby vegetation. Ousey was arrested on a parole violation and booked into Mendocino County jail while the arson investigation continues.
The long-delayed criminal case against suspended Mendocino County Auditor Chamise Cubbison is scheduled to begin on July 25th. The case, filed by District Attorney David Eyster, revolves around the alleged misuse of public funds. The case has seen delays and controversy, including the involvement of an outside prosecutor hired by Eyster. Supporters view the case as a political vendetta, while Cubbison contends that her due process was denied. She also has a pending civil lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of a man accused in the death of a teenage girl who overdosed on Fentanyl. According to a press release, the investigation found Joe Boggs Jr. of Lucerne was the man who gave the fentanyl to 17-year-old Illeana Frease in November of 2023. Boggs was arrested on Thursday and is being held in the Lake County Jail on murder charges. His bail has been set at a million dollars.
Crews are making some progress in their battle against the Point Fire in Sonoma County. The fire has burned just over 1000 acres of land and is 15% contained. The fire started near Lake Sonoma and northwest of Healdsburg shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday. Evacuation orders were issued for homes and wineries in rural parts of the Dry Creek Valley. The fire has destroyed at least three structures, but it’s unclear if they were homes. More than 400 people have been ordered to evacuate with another 44-hundred people put on notice to be ready to leave.
An inmate firefighter is recovering from an injury suffered while battling the Point Fire. On Sunday, the 25-year-old was hit in the head by a falling tree branch, leaving a gash in his neck. Authorities say the inmate, who was working off Mountain View Ranch Road, was conscious and alert. Cal Fire has not reported any injuries to its personnel.
Despite the Point Fire burning near its shores, Lake Sonoma Recreation Area will remain open today. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office says the lake is open to all but is asking visitors to be mindful of the firefighters, police and aircraft working in the area. There is also limited access in and out of the area due to fire-related road closures.
The CDC is warning about a salmonella outbreak in at least nine states, including California, that’s linked to pet bearded dragons. The CDC says at least 15 people, including four in New York, have contracted salmonella with symptoms including diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Four have been hospitalized. The other states involved are Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. The CDC is warning parents not to let their kids kiss or snuggle bearded dragons and says wash your hands thoroughly after handling the reptile or its habitat.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office responded to a panic alarm on Friday night at Hopland Food and Gas. When they arrived, employees told them an armed man had come in and demanded money, then took off with an undisclosed amount of cash. CHP was called in to help with the investigation, according to a press release. They were unable to locate the suspect. MCSO says anyone with information is asked to call the dispatch center or the anonymous tip-line.
Cal-Fire Mendocino will kick off a prescribed burn today along Highway 101. The burn will start at Nelson Ranch Road just south of Ukiah and go to the top of Ridgewood Grade just south of Willits. The burn will help reduce vegetation along the highway, and give firefighters live training opportunities. The prescribed burn is scheduled for 6pm to 11pm today and will continue every weeknight during those hours until July 17th. Residents can expect to see smoke in the area. Highway 101 will be under controlled traffic during the burning operations, look out for emergency vehicles in the area.
