LAKEPORT, Calif. – The state crews conducting the cleanup of properties burned in the Clayton fire are taking a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, with work expected to resume next week.

On Tuesday, Lake County Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski gave the Board of Supervisors  an update on how the cleanup work is progressing.

The Clayton fire, which burned in August, destroyed about 300 structures – two thirds of them homes – in its 3,929-acre footprint.

Ruminski estimated that about 145 properties burned in the fire have been registered with CalRecycle, the state agency in charge of the cleanup.

Of those, 118 lots had been cleared by the end of business on Friday, with the rest scheduled for cleanup, Ruminski said.

Approximately 101 of the 118 cleared lots have had soil sampling completed. Of those, 62 have passed, with the others needing to have more work done so soil can be retested, he said.

Ruminski said Tuesday was the last work day for the cleanup crews before the holiday break.

When work resumes next Tuesday, the number of work teams will be scaled back, Ruminski said.

While the state cleanup is under way, Ruminski said a private cleanup operation also is taking place in which individual owners are hiring their own contractors.

He said 43 properties are registered in the private cleanup, with 23 completed. Fourteen or 15 properties that aren't in the program and haven't been cleaned up are being considered for county abatement action.

Supervisor Jim Comstock asked about the fail rate for initial soil sampling. Ruminski said that, compared to the Valley fire, the Clayton fire fail rate is higher, which he said may be due to the older buildings in Lower Lake that burned, and which had lead paint. Some areas have tested high for lead, while others have tested high for arsenic.

Ruminski told the board last week that the state cleanup is anticipated to be completed by Christmas.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.