LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Carol Brown is all too familiar with fire in Northern California.

Since the Clearlake VA Clinic opened in 2010, Brown and her 30-person staff have experienced nearly a dozen fires near the clinic that serves veterans in Lake and Mendocino counties.

So, when the devastating Mendocino Complex – which includes the River and Ranch fires – ignited on July 27, threatening thousands of Lake County residents, VA staff sprung into action.

“Sadly, we knew exactly what to do,” said Brown, the clinic’s director and a lifelong Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks resident.

The clinic, which serves close to 1,700 veterans, continued to stay open even as the complex spread, sending smoke and ash into the building. Masks and artificial tears were sent to the clinic for staff and patients. However, by Aug. 1, the air quality inside the clinic had become so poor and hazardous that a decision was made to close the clinic.

“I had staff who still came to work on that day, even though they had headaches and their eyes and throats were hurting from the smoke,” said Brown.

Despite the clinic’s closure, the San Francisco VA Health Care System staff were still able to provide health care services to veterans.

Fifteen to 20 staff members volunteered to make wellness calls to all veteran patients in the Clearlake clinic’s service area.

More than 2,000 calls were made and all veterans were reached. They were given information about where to go to get care and where to get medication refills, if needed.

Social workers from the Santa Rosa and Ukiah VA Clinics visited local area evacuation shelters to see if any veterans needed assistance. They also provided amenity kits and gift cards to displaced veterans.

Meanwhile, the Clearlake staff worked to get the clinic back in business. A cleaning company was called in on Aug. 5 to scrub the clinic clean of ash and smoke, and seven industrial air purifiers were installed to keep the air clean.

“The air quality is bad outside, but it’s good inside the clinic,” said Brown.

The clinic reopened on Aug. 6.

The San Francisco VA Health Care System deployed a mobile van to the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center in Lucerne where the local assistance center was located after the mandatory evacuations for the Northshore were lifted. The 40-foot truck is equipped with video capability that can connect veterans to primary care and mental health providers. A social worker also was on hand to answer question and assist veterans through Aug. 17.

The complex has burned 459,123 acres and is expected to be fully contained by Sept. 9. It has destroyed 280 structures – including 157 residences – and claimed the life of Utah firefighter, Battalion Chief Matt Burchett.

The River Fire, which like the Ranch fire started in neighboring Mendocino County on July 27, threatened the Ukiah VA Clinic with smoke and ash, but the clinic was able to remain open.

Staff navigated around road closures and, in some cases, endured two-hour commutes to work in order to keep the clinic open.

“I am enormously grateful for, and impressed by, the dedication and passion displayed by everyone throughout the San Francisco VA Health Care System in serving our veterans during these devastating fires,” said Bonnie Graham, the system’s director. “Many of the Clearlake staff were evacuated from their homes, but yet they still came to work to provide quality health care to our veterans.”