LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors held a followup discussion on Tuesday regarding its passage last month of an emergency declaration on the Wye Fire, with the board deciding to hold the matter over for a few weeks until an assessment of the county’s response to the incident is completed.

On Aug. 21 the board approved the emergency resolution in response to the Wye Fire incident, which included two fires, the Wye and Walker.

The fires began on Sunday, Aug. 21, burning approximately 7,934 acres and destroying three structures east of Clearlake Oaks.

That supervisors’ resolution is meant to help get disaster assistance from state and federal sources, although local officials have been concerned that Lake’s damages may be considered below a required threshold.

A total estimate of damages for the county resulting from the fire has not been available, outside of the $7.3 million Cal Fire said the fire suppression effort cost.

“The fire's out, however, it's a devastated area,” with concerns about rain and floods ahead, said Supervisor Denise Rushing.

County Counsel Anita Grant said those issues of collateral damage could constitute an emergency that the board will have to consider this winter.

Supervisor Jeff Smith said he took a flight over the fire area last Thursday that was arranged by Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Wink.

Smith said 245 acres in the burn area have runoff that flow into Clear Lake – particularly, the Burns Valley Watershed – with the rest of the runoff going into Cache Creek and flowing to Yolo County.

Smith said he would like to have additional input from agencies like the Natural Resources Conservation Service on how the damage can be addressed.

Rushing said the Lake County Office of Emergency Services is convening a group of county department heads to assess the response to the Wye Fire.

The meeting is expected to take place by the end of September and will be led by Capt. Chris Macedo of the Lake County Sheriff's Office, she said.

Rushing said there are many sources of funding and many rules in such emergency situations, which needed to be considered before they closed the emergency.

Rushing suggested they continue the matter and have an assessment of the response and an update on the incident at the same time at the board's meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25.

The board agreed, with the matter being scheduled for 9:15 a.m. Sept. 25.

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