CLEAR LAKE RIVIERA >> On Sunday afternoon, firefighters responded to an incident that began as a structure fire, later extended into a small vegetation fire in the Clear Lake Riviera area. One structure was destroyed as a result.
Fire crews responded to the initial report of a home on fire in the 9000 block of Takelma Way around 3:40 p.m. The structure was a residential, single-story home that was a complete loss.
According to Kelseyville Fire Protection District Captain Jim Dowdy, the blaze made its way onto a small lot, threatening neighboring structures. Eventually, the fire reached an adjacent property, causing minor damage.
Five fire trucks responded quickly to the incident. Three agencies, including Cal Fire and Lake County Fire, assisted Kelseyville Fire in ending forward progression of the fire slightly before 5 p.m. The fire grew to be less than one-quarter acre.
Though small in size, the blaze had an “aggressive” and “moderate” rate of spread, fire personnel described via scanners. Dowdy added that the mop-up lasted up to one hour and 30 minutes.
While firefighters took control of the scene, the scare among residents spread farther out of the neighborhood as a large, dark cloud of smoke could be seen from the outskirts of the Clear Lake Riviera area during the incident.
Eyewitness Patricia Prettie said from the neighborhood that the smoke was so “large” she believed there was a possibility it could be seen from across Clear Lake.
She also shared that neighbors in the area were worried the fire would spread to their homes.
“One of the neighbors lives next door to the burning house, but said her children were out of the house,” Prettie said. “She was worried that the fire would engulf her house as well, as the houses in this neighborhood are very close together.”
Residents around the affected structure were using their garden hoses to wet their roofs and yards as firemen attended the burning areas, Prettie added.
To make matters more worrisome, several neighbors reported multiple sounds of explosions. One bystander said the explosions sounded like “ammo popping off.”
Dowdy said despite the loss of one home and minimal damages to a neighbor’s home, there were no injuries reported.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.
On Monday morning, units were requested to return to the area after the report of smoke showing. The request for additional assistance was canceled by around 8:30 a.m. but the area was monitored periodically, fire crews communicated via scanner during the late morning hours of Monday.
