The National Weather Service has extended our Excessive Heat Warning until 10pm Friday. Today’s High for Ukiah could hit 111 and Friday’s High is forecast to be 107. And while we made it through another day without rolling blackouts, Cal ISO has again called for a Flex Alert to reduce power usage this afternoon, and this one is longer than the usual Flex Alert from 3pm to 10pm. Yesterday demand peaked over 50,000 Megawatts at 4pm. Today they are forecasting a peak of 51,288 at 430pm.
Cal Fire confirms about another 15 acres were burned in a flare-up at the Walker Fire in Willits Tuesday. Officials say the flare-up was spotted around 5pm at Morris Dam and air and ground resources quickly hit the scene. Cal Fire reports the Walker Fire has scorched 124 acres since it started September 1 on the east side of Highway 101. As of this morning Cal Fire reported the fire was 87 percent contained. Officials say no structures have been damaged or are currently threatened.
In all Cal Fire reported Wednesday there were over 5,600 firefighters making progress on 10 major wildfires and two extended attack wildfires in California. Since the beginning of the year, 251,002 acres have burned in California but officials call this week crucial as Northern California continues to see a high risk of fire through Friday due to the heat wave conditions with very low day and nighttime relative humidity and periods of locally gusty afternoon winds plus the possibility of scattered thunderstorms.
A Mendocino County infant has passed away from COVID-19. The Mendocino County Health Department announced Wednesday that County death #135 was an infant that was not yet eligible for vaccination. They did not disclose in what part of the County the child lived. County Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren says COVID-19 has become one of the top 3 leading causes of death in California over the last year with an increase in children testing positive over the summer.
The Ukiah Boys & Girls Club Chili Cook-Off is back. After being canceled for a couple of years due to the pandemic, Granite Construction’s annual Chili Cook-Off fundraiser for the Club will be back in downtown Ukiah tomorrow at the Alex R. Thomas Plaza with tasting beginning at 6 p.m. Granite Construction tells the Willits News that with the event being gone so long they are expecting a huge crowd this time around. Among the fundraising goals for the Boys & Girls Club of Ukiah this year is to buy a 15-passenger van to counteract the shortage of school bus drivers.
The Lakeport City Council has taken steps to fill the council seat of former Mayor Pro Tem Mireya Turner who left last month to become the Lake County Community Development director. At their meeting Tuesday the Council asked city staff to start taking applications for the seat. Lake County News reports state law requires the council to take action within 60 days to either make an appointment or call a special election but city officials say there wasn’t time for a special election because the seat expires in December. Meanwhile the council elected Kenny Parlet as Mayor Pro Tem.
The State Controller has published the 2021 self-reported payroll data for California special districts. Lake County has 30 special districts. Lake County News reports the largest special district payrolls in 2021 in Lake County were the Lake County Fire Protection District with 40 employees earning a total of $1,911,823, the Kelseyville Fire Protection District with 29 employees earning a total of $1,502,623 and the Northshore Fire Protection District with 39 employees totalling $1,350,935.
Mendocino County has gotten a credit rating upgrade from S&P Global Ratings. The County announced Tuesday that S&P bumped it up from “AA-” to “AA”. S&P cited several key factors in the upgrade, including the County’s “improved financial position, supported by enhanced financial management policies and practices”. The upgrade comes as the county refinances some 2012 bonds for cash flow savings and funds $10 million in new capital projects including the jail expansion and some roofing and HVAC projects at essential County facilities.
