Valley Fire claims first victim:
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Monday that a Middletown area woman died in the Valley Fire.
Law enforcement officers and firefighters located the victim inside the remains of her home on Hot Springs Road northeast of Middletown. According to LCSO Lt. Steve Brooks, the victim was apparently unable to leave the area on her own and responders could not reach the scene in time.
After a day of hurried evacuations, law enforcement officers received a request by phone to assist an elderly, disabled female. The call came in to the Dispatch Center at 7:12 p.m. on Saturday evening. At 7:29 PM, officers and deputies arrived in the area, but were unable to reach the subdivision, as it had already been engulfed by flames.
When the fire subsided enough for crews to respond, personnel arrived at the burned down residence to find the remains of the victim.
As of Monday morning, authorities had yet to positively identify the woman. Once they do, Identification will be withheld until next of kin can be notified.
“The Sheriff’s Office and all first responders express their condolences to those who have been affected by this disaster,” Brooks said in a press statement. “We are hopeful that the fire does not claim any more lives.”
Both Fire and Law Enforcement first responders reported to numerous requests for evacuation assistance in the Cobb and Loch Lomond areas. Hundreds of homes were evacuated during the first few hours.
“There have been so many heroic rescues,” State Senator Mike McGuire observed.
Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin reported on Sunday that one deputy was hospitalized briefly for smoke inhalation. This occurred after the deputy has rushed back into a fire zone to pull out a resident almost trapped by the rapidly spreading blaze.
On Saturday four firefighters working with a helicopter on Cobb Mountain suffered burns when the fire turned and swept over them. They were transported to the UC Davis Medical Center.
In a Twitter statement, Daniel Berlant of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported that all were in stable condition.
