How to resolve AdBlock issue? SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Officials said Friday that several agencies are working together to soon reopen a portion of Highway 29 over Mount St. Helena near Middletown that was closed due to the region’s wildland fires.
The closure, which has variously been implemented at Western Mine Road and more recently Bradford Road, went into effect on Oct. 10 as a result of the Central LNU Complex burning in Napa and Sonoma counties, as Lake County News has reported.
Highway 29 between Middletown and Napa County is a crucial commuter route for many south Lake County residents. Due to the closure, it’s estimated that commuters now have several additional hours to travel to reach jobs in neighboring counties.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office was asked by Cal Fire to close the road, said Sgt. Steve Krul.
Krul said Friday that crews have been working to make repairs and remove debris every day on Highway 29 over Mount St. Helena, with the highway expected to reopen within the next few days.
Cal Fire officials told Lake County News that the closure was requested due to the need to mitigate a safety hazard.
In the video above, which shows a drive over Mount St. Helena coming from Napa County on Friday evening, fire and Caltrans crews could be seen working along the highway, with large amounts of prunings from trees and brush lying on the roadside.
While the closure is on the Lake County side of the highway, Phil Frisbie, spokesman for Caltrans District 1 – which covers the Lake County area – said the closure was being controlled by Caltrans District 4, which includes Napa County, and Cal Fire.
Vince Jacala, Caltrans public information officer for Napa and Solano counties, told Lake County News on Friday that Caltrans is working closely with Cal Fire on reopening the highway.
“At this point, I’m told that stretch of SR-29 could be reopened to motorists as early as Saturday, Oct. 21, or as late as Sunday, Oct. 22,” Jacala said.
In response to the fires, which Cal Fire said are nearing full containment, crews also are clearing hundreds of dead trees along Highway 128, a crucial route between Calistoga and Sonoma County, Caltrans reported.
Highway 128 has remained closed to allow that tree removal work to take place, according to Jacala, who is featured in a Caltrans video on that work on that highway that can be seen below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
