LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week continued emergency disaster declarations related to the county's wildland fires over the past two summers and also got an update on the process to remove debris from the Clayton fire.

Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait and Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski went to the board on Tuesday to ask for the continuation of the health emergency Tait  declared regarding the Clayton fire, which must be renewed every two weeks based on state law.

Tait encouraged the board to continue the health emergency through the end of the debris removal process.

And that process – specifically, the state-led cleanup – is close to nearing completion, according to Ruminski.

The 3,929-acre fire burned 300 structures, about 200 of which were homes, as Lake County News has reported.

Ruminski said that, as of the end of the day on Monday, 89 of the lots have been cleared, and 52 more were scheduled and in the pipeline. That work is being led by CalRecycle, which also was responsible for the Valley fire debris removal and cleanup.

Of the 89 that were cleared, soil samples have been taken on 76 of them to confirm completion. Ruminski said they are now getting soil sample results back. Nineteen have passed and five have not and must have more soil removed.

“At this point there are 10 teams working,” he said, and they're getting ready to start winding down.

Ruminski said some of the teams are expected to be released soon. The debris removal is scheduled to be finished a week and a half after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Followup tasks include soil sampling, erosion control and some damage repair, all of which is expected to continue until the middle of December, Ruminski said.

Running parallel to the state-run cleanup program is one involving private contractors. “That is nearly completed at 42 lots,” he said. “Most of them were done by one local contractor.”

Board Chair Rob Brown estimated that about 70 lots total are left to be cleaned up. Ruminski added that properties that are potential abatement candidates are now down to 15 at most.

Ruminski said the geography of the Clayton fire area and the way the homes were grouped together has enabled the crews to more efficiently move from one lot needing cleanup to another, as compared to the fire areas for the Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fires.

“It's amazing how quickly things are getting done,” said Supervisor Jeff Smith. He added that it will be good to get the lots cleaned up before Christmas, which will allow people to move forward.

Supervisor Jim Comstock lauded Ruminski and the crews for their work.

He said he also has been monitoring the creek in the fire area due to concerns from community members, and that he has observed no impacts on the creek.

Brown also thanked the crews working at the debris removal operations center, which is open six days a week.

Comstock moved to continue the health emergency, which the board unanimously approved.

The board also approved an emergency declaration for the Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fire, and a separate declaration for the Clayton fire.

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