LAKE COUNTY — Downed power lines and exploding dog pine trees presented challenges for local and state firefighters Wednesday night. One fire that ignited on Old Long Valley Road sparked a second about a quarter mile off Pomo Ranch.
Northshore Fire Protection District (NFPD) Battalion Chief Pat Brown said the fallen tree tripped power breakers severing service to the Spring Valley area. A PG&E spokesperson said that the company showed no power outages in the area Wednesday evening. However, a power outage occurred at 1:14 p.m. Thursday cutting service to 57 consumers. Cause of the outage was undetermined as of press time Thursday.
According to Brown the first fire on Old Long Valley Road and Pomo Ranch was reported at 9:49 p.m. after a fallen tree downed a power line. Brown said the fire expanded into neighboring properties and had a potential to expand further. He said additional equipment was requested including Lake County Sheriff for possible evacuation of residents.
Brown said none of the four structures threatened by the fire were damaged. The blaze burned six acres.
The second fire started from spotting from the first fire about a quarter mile off Pomo Ranch. Brown said the second fire was quickly controlled. He said about an acre of brush on very steep terrain burned in the second blaze.
Monitoring and mop-up operations continued into early Thursday morning. The last unit was released from the scene around 3 a.m.
The fires were battled under unified command of NFPD and CALFIRE. NFPD responded with two battalion chiefs, two engines and a water tender out of the Clearlake Oaks Station; an engine out of the Spring Valley Station; an engine out of the Lucerne Station; a water tender out of the Upper Lake Station; and an engine and medic unit out of the Nice Station. Personnel totaled 21. CALFIRE responded with five engines, two dozers, two hand crews and a battalion chief. Lake County Fire Protection District provided mutual aid responded with an engine.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
