The 18-acre Sky Fire near Clearkake is almost fully contained. Cal Fire puts it at 97 percent, with firefighters strengthening containment lines and extinguishing hot spots. Crews have been at the location off Morgan Valley Road since Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, about 20 miles south near Calistoga in northern Napa County near the Lake County line, the 6,800-acre Pickett Fire is just 17 percent contained. Cal Fire reports that front-line and interior work continues over the steep, rugged terrain. Evacuation orders remain in effect with dozens of structures threatened.
Lake County residents have another opportunity to apply for grants for seismic retrofits to strengthen wood-framed homes with raised foundations and built before 1980 against earthquake damage. The second application period for the California Residential Mitigation Program, or CRMP, runs until October 1st. The first round of funding went out in January. The program has been expanded this time around, so non-primary residential property owners, including landlords, can also apply. Grants of up to $3,000 will go to qualified owners to cover the cost of bolting their houses to their foundations and bracing crawl space walls. The program has more than 20 million dollars available statewide. The website EarthquakeBraceBolt.com has information.
The Mendocino Land Trust has acquired two new conservation easements. The first was donated by PG&E to prevent future development on a 30-acre parcel just outside of Point Arena. The Windy Hollow property is an open grassland with several protected special status plant varieties and special status wildlife habitats. In particular, it is home to the endangered Point Arena Mountain Beaver. The other easement is for a 2.3-acre private property between Pudding Creek and the Noyo River just east of Fort Bragg. The trust says the redwood trees and wildlife habitat there will now be preserved so they can continue to flourish.
The Lake County library has announced a new online catalog, which it says will offer a modern and intuitive experience for library patrons county-wide. It provides features that County Librarian Christopher Veach makes it more than just a list of books. Among them: smart searching with the ability to narrow results to make it easier to find the material you’re looking for, and a new way to personalize your library experience with reading lists, reviews, and other customizations.. The classic layout will still be available. You can check it out at the website lakcounty.ca. bibiliocommons.com.
Cal Fire’s Mendocino unit has acquired a piece of history. They now have a vintage 1953 fire engine, once used by what was then called the California Division of Forestry. CAL FIRE staff, unit leadership, and fire apparatus experts have restored the engine to its original condition so it can be featured in future displays and events. Cal Fire says the new old fire truck will help keep its roots alive, showcasing just how far California’s wildfire equipment has come over the last 72 years.
