LAKE COUNTY ? State responders continue to battle a wildland fire that ignited Monday evening in the Cache Creek Wilderness Area about 17 miles east of the Highway 20 and 53 junction in Clearlake Oaks.
As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the blaze had consumed about 1,000 acres and was 40 percent contained, according to CalFire Information Officer Stacie McCambridge.
According to CalFire Communications Operator Melinda Crabtree all firefighters participating in the suppression operation are state responders as the fire is located within Bureau of Land Management”s (BLM) area of responsibility. She said that no Lake County units are currently engaged in the effort.
Crabtree said the suppression effort primarily consists of an aerial and ground attack.
“Most of the fire is being fought from the air and with hand crews due to access issues. We have dozers out there as well,” she said. “We are having problems with spotting and slop-overs in a couple of divisions.”
According to McCambridge, as of 3 p.m. Tuesday the fire had crossed Cache Creek and was heading toward Bald Mountain. The fire had entered the Payne Ranch property as well. The fire, she said, is located northwest of Guinda and southwest of Wilbur Springs.
McCambridge said that fire crews reported fuel and terrain as steep, brushy and oak and grassy hills. At 3 p.m. light winds of about four miles per hour were coming out of the northwest.
Personnel totaled 400 including one air attack, seven tankers, six helicopters, 20 engines, 16 hand crews and dozers and seven water tenders. A DC10 airplane was on order. According McCambridge personnel were reporting multiple control problems with spotting from the original fire.
Cause of the fire has yet to be determined and remains under investigation.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
