TWIN LAKES — A barn and outbuildings, 10 cars and more than 300 acres burned in a wildfire that is now 20 percent contained. The forward spread of the fire was reported to be stopped as of 8 p.m. Thursday.
One-way traffic control will remain in effect until at least 8 a.m. Friday.
The blaze began along Highway 29 near A Street in the Twin Lakes area at about 2:45 p.m. according to CAL FIRE.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for Murphy Springs Road to Perini Road and will remain in place until at least 8 a.m. Friday. Voluntary evacuations were set for Joseph Trail and Candy Lane in the Twin Lakes community and are now lifted.
An American Red Cross evacuation center was set up in the old gymnasium at Lower Lake High School for about four hours Thursday evening. No evacuees arrived at the shelter.
“This is very typical,” shelter manager Jim Plank said. “It”s a guessing game.”
The old gymnasium was prepared to house displaced residents, and animals could have been kept near the high school football field.
“We”ve thought about this over the years, what we can do and what we can”t do,” Dana Moore, of the Konocti Unified School District, said.
It took Red Cross officials and school staff about an hour to open the shelter.
“I thought it was very reassuring,” Red Cross public affairs representative Susanne LaFaver said. “That”s one of the reasons I became a volunteer. I”m someone who needs to know what”s going on.”
One-way traffic control remains in place at Highway 29 from Spruce Grove Road North to Spruce Grove Road South.
Involved agencies include CAL FIRE, California Highway Patrol, Office of Emergency Services, Lake County Sheriff”s Office, Department of Fish and Game, and LEAP animal rescue.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to county representative, Debra Sommerfield. As of 9 p.m. no injuries were reported.
For updates, visit the CAL FIRE website at http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current. Find information on Twitter, #29Fire.
