CLEARLAKE OAKS >> In the midst of the waning Sulphur Fire, as evacuation orders were rescinded, residents in the area of Clearlake Oaks woke up to Nixle notifications and law enforcement alerting them of a new wildland fire that ignited early Saturday morning.
The blaze, dubbed the Long Fire, occurred off of Highway 20 and Long Valley Road, about five miles east of Clearlake Oaks. Those affected were in the New Long Valley and Spring Valley areas.
The mandatory evacuation order was sent out at 5:23 a.m. by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Soon after that alert, a second notification prompted people to shelter in place or evacuate to the Spring Valley Community Center, located on Wolf Creek Road. Things turned a little chaotic as traffic built up on New Long Valley Road, the only exit out of the area, when residents began to flee.
At the time, many misunderstood why they were advised to evacuate at the Community Center, fearing the fire would strike the Center’s area. Locals heavily relied on Nixle alerts and Cal Fire updates to find out the direction of the fire. Via Northshore Fire Protection District in Lucerne, the Fire headed west as it began to pick up momentum, moving away from the Spring Valley Community.
The Long Fire hit 20 acres by approximately 6 a.m. and quickly grew to 100 acres by 7:30 a.m. Firefighters reported their access to the blaze was through a New Long Valley Road winery. Several ambulances were requested for evacuations, while multiple structures were threatened at the time.
LCSD Lieutenant Corey Paulich sent out an advisory saying the Spring Valley community was “no longer in immediate danger” by 9 a.m. Saturday. Evacuations, which extended to Highway 53, were then considered an “advisory.”About an hour after, Cal Fire reported the Long Fire to be 10-percent contained and forward progress had been stopped.
According to Cal Fire, the fire was 100-percent contained as of Monday morning. Cal Fire spokeswoman Katyann Pudewell said it grew to be 100 acres.
The cause of the Fire remains unknown at the time.
Residents returned home once the evacuations were lifted. Also canceled was the evacuation advisory for the Middletown and Lake Pillsbury area, according to LCSD Lieutenant Rich Ward on Monday at noon in regards to threats by the Tubbs Fire and Redwood Valley Fire.
For the Pocket Fire, which headed toward Cobb, District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown calmed reassured residents that the blaze was “several miles” away from Lake County. In a said in prepared statement on Saturday he said, “I went up to the Geysers, and from Bottle Rock Road all the way through to 101, and got a good look at the Pocket Fire…and there are several ridges and hillsides it would need to go up and down to get here.”
With firefighters continuing to battle these surrounding fires and with no immediate threat to Lake County residents, safety officials advise to remain vigilant.
