How to resolve AdBlock issue? The fire, which was reported at about 5:45 p.m., began in an open field near a homeless camp and southeast of the Tractor Supply and Big 5 Sporting Goods stores on Dam Road, according to Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White.
“We have one in custody,” White told Lake County News on Saturday night.
While the investigation remains under way, “At this time it does appear that it was an arson,” and not an accidental fire, White said.
Pushed by wind and burning in heavy brush, the fire was spotting and headed toward the nearby Cache Creek Apartments.
Pictures posted online by residents showed the flames approaching the complex.
“It was really close to the apartments,” said White.
Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta, the incident commander, said the incident had huge potential for damage.
Sapeta said evacuations were implemented immediately by the Clearlake Police Department with help from the California Highway Patrol – which happened to have units in the area – before firefighters arrived on the scene.
Altogether, between 150 and 200 people were evacuated from the complex’s four buildings, Sapeta said.
While the apartment residents weren’t in any immediate threat, “You just don’t want to take a chance anymore,” Sapeta said.
Cal Fire sent a full wildland fire dispatch of engines plus aircraft, with tankers dropping retardant and helicopters making water drops to hem in the fire, according to radio reports.
In addition to Lake County Fire and Cal Fire, Sapeta said Northshore Fire and South Lake County Fire also sent units to assist.
A chaotic scene
In the midst of the firefighting effort, a chaotic situation developed around the shopping center, as people tried to leave the apartments and onlookers were reportedly gathering to watch the fire, blocking traffic.
Within about 10 minutes of dispatch, authorities began to receive reports of a male subject who witnesses said set the fire. Radio reports stated that they were provided with pictures of the man.
Later, White confirmed they had taken a subject into custody and were questioning him.
Firefighters stopped the fire’s forward progress by 6:40 p.m., with size estimated at up to four acres, according to scene reports.
About an hour later, residents of buildings A, B and C at Cache Creek Apartments were allowed to start returning to their homes, with residents of building D – which had fire apparatus staged there – allowed to return just after 8:30 p.m., White said.
In the midst of the firefighting effort, White said police were tracking down the male subject believed responsible for setting the fire, responding to numerous other nearby incidents – including fights and a man making threats at a nearby business – and helping control traffic.
At one point, they had four individuals in connection to those various incidents in custody, White said.
“It’s pretty chaotic,” White said.
White said a police volunteer was helping to conduct traffic control at the Dam Road entrance into Saturday evening as mop up continued and residents returned home.
He said Saturday’s fire was in the same general area but more to the west of a blaze that burned two acres on the afternoon of Saturday, July 13, as Lake County News has reported.
For his part, when asked if the Saturday fire was arson, Sapeta said it was too early to make that determination, noting fire investigators were still at that point working with police to speak with witnesses and validate stories.
He said the July 13 fire was definitely suspicious but the cause was undetermined and there was no suspect, so they will look at whether Saturday’s fire was connected to the fire two weeks ago or any other incidents.
More fire incidents
After containing the Saturday evening fire, firefighters – who already had been through a hectic 48 hours that included a structure fire and shooting – weren’t done yet.
Just before 10:15 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to a small wildland fire in the 16000 block of Dam Road near the site of the earlier fire.
Units arriving on scene minutes later found a 25 foot by 25 foot spot in the brush, outside of the previous fire’s burn area, according to scene reports. Forward progress was quickly stopped, with firefighters spending about 45 minutes in overhaul.
“This was not associated with the first fire,” Sapeta said of the smaller fire, the cause of which he said was undetermined.
“We’re going to continue to patrol the area,” Sapeta said.
Then, shortly after 10:35 p.m., a vehicle fire was reported at the intersection of Lake Street and Dam Road, near the Cache Creek Apartments.
Sapeta responded to that fire, which was quickly contained. He said that fire was associated with the car’s fuel system.
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