LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol has closed a portion of Highway 20 in Lake and Mendocino counties and Highway 101 in Mendocino County due to a wildland fire in Potter Valley that has prompted evacuations.

The CHP said Highway 20 is closed at the junction with Highway 29 in Upper Lake and west to Highway 101.

Highway 101 at Highway 20 east is closed near Ukiah, the CHP said.

The closures are the result of the Burris fire, which began Sunday afternoon off Potter Valley Road, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said in a Facebook video from the scene.

Cal Fire said that as of 3:45 p.m. the fire was 250 acres and at zero-percent containment.

Allman said Cal Fire is attacking the blaze but he urged vigilance from area residents.

“We really want people to pay attention to this,” Allman said, noting winds are heading to the south and the west.

He urged people to stay off the highway if possible.

He later reported the fire had reached Highway 20 and the winds had picked up.

At about 3:30 p.m. the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for Highway 20 to the Lake County line, including the Lake Mendocino Bridge and Del Lago areas.

Residents are directed to exit toward Highway 101 and continue north on Highway 101 as the only direction of travel will be west on Highway 20 and north on Highway 101.

At one point, radio traffic indicated the fire was running southeast on top of the ridge toward Lake County, but so far there have been no reports of it reaching Lake County.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

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.