LAKE COUNTY — Crews battling the Wye Fire in eastern Lake County made more progress toward full containment Wednesday.
The blaze is now 70-percent contained, burning 7,934 acres since Sunday. On Monday, CAL FIRE merged the separate Walker Fire and Wye Fire into one incident.
The fires broke out minutes apart along Highway 20 and spread east, prompting the highway to shut down in between highways 53 and 16 and mandatory evacuations for Spring Valley residents.
Highway 20 re-opened Monday evening to allow Spring Valley residents back to their homes after the evacuation notice was lifted. Evacuation orders for the Wilbur Hot Springs area near the Lake-Colusa county line were lifted as of 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Traffic on Highway 20 is restricted to one lane and requires a California Highway Patrol escort between highways 53 and 16. The Fire Command Team will evaluate fire operations on Highway 20 Wednesday to gauge when the highway can be opened to full traffic, according to CAL FIRE.
Because of fire conditions and firefighter safety, hunting is restricted 10 miles north and south of Highway 20, between highways 53 and 16.
More than 1,200 firefighters from 28 crews are battling the blaze, which destroyed two structures and one outbuilding as well as damaged two structures. Three injuries were reported, though not specified. Crews are utilizing 157 fire engines, 24 dozers, 14 water tenders, eight helicopters and two air tankers.
Lake County Air Quality officials estimated air quality to range from “moderate” to “unhealthy for sensitive individuals,” Wednesday because of smoke and particulate matter present in the air. Greatest concern exists for the Northshore communities, the city of Clearlake and the eastern portions of the county.
Areas closer to the fires may experience “unhealthy” to “hazardous” air quality because of high levels of fine particulates and ozone. Poor air quality, haze and particulate matter from the fires are expected to continue throughout the county until the fires are out.
The Wye Fire Call Center has two phone numbers in use: 967-4207 and 967-4208.
