LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is asking the public to avoid the area around the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street due to the increased traffic related to Valley fire support crews.

The agency asked the community to use alternate routes and avoid the area from Martin Street to Lakeport Boulevard and Bevins Street from 6 to 9 a.m. daily until further notice.

At this point there are more than 4,300 personnel, hundreds of fire engines and other vehicles moving in and out of the area, and the police department said it wanted to make sure that traffic safety is maintained for the firefighters as well as the public.

“Thank you for your patience and thank you to the firefighters, law enforcement and all other support personnel who are here protecting our communities,” the agency said in a Sunday statement.