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Cal Fire spokesperson Suzie Blankenship said Friday that personnel from the agency's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit had been sent to fight the Humboldt Fire in Butte County.
Lakeport Fire officials said Friday that, so far, no local fire districts have sent personnel to combat that fire.
Late Friday, Cal Fire reported that nearly 6,000 structures – both homes and businesses – were threatened by the fire, which has so far burned just under 23,000 acres along Highway 32 and Humboldt Road on Stilson Canyon. It was only 20-percent contained on Friday night.
The dangerous conditions have caused residents to be evacuated from the southernmost portion of the town of Paradise; the communities of Butte Valley and Butte Creek Canyon also have been evacuated, according to Cal Fire.
Earlier in the week, the Pine Fire broke out near Cloverdale. Blankenship said an engine and a bulldozer from Middletown, two engines from the Kelseyville-Cobb Cal Fire station, three crews from Konocti Camp, and a helicopter and helicopter tender – both from Boggs Station – were on that fire, the cause of which is still under investigation.
“We were still committed to the Pine Fire when the Humboldt broke,” said Blankenship.
Some firefighting assistance that had been sent from other parts of the state was released early to respond to the Humboldt Fire while the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit finished cleaning up at the Pine Fire, Blankenship said.
Since then, three “overhead” or supervisorial/logistical personnel, a strike team of Konocti Camp crews – including five engines and up to 18 firefighters – and some other incident command personnel from the unit have left for the Humboldt Fire, she said.
Some 2,842 firefighters – of which 1,094 are Cal Fire personnel – were on the Humboldt Fire Friday, Cal Fire reported. Costs to fight the fire so far have reached $1.2 million.
The Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit also has a strike team of five engines still committed at the Martin Fire in Santa Cruz County, said Blankenship. The Martin Fire has so far burned 600 acres and is 65-percent contained, Cal Fire reported.
Smoke from the Humboldt Fire could be seen making its way across Lake County's air basin in recent days, creating a haze and bringing with it a noticeable burning smell.
Bob Reynolds of the Lake County Air Quality Management District reported Friday that easterly winds had carried the smoke 60 miles to Lake County.
The smoke from the fire and existing weather with offshore flow causes the smoke to be trapped in a re-circulating path over Northern California and within the Lake County Air Basin, he explained.
The high sunlight input and moisture cause photochemical reactions in the air that further reduces visibility by forming secondary particles in addition to the smoke, according to Reynolds.
Unless weather patterns change, Reynolds said the smoke and haze over Lake County could continue for several more days.
In the Sacramento Valley, Reynolds said visibility has reportedly dropped to a quarter of a mile in some areas, and the heavy smoke conditions were raising health concerns.
Reynolds said that, despite the poor air quality, the pollution levels have not been high enough to be a health threat to Lake County's air quality. The measured levels are only about 65 percent of the allowed ambient air quality health standards.
Anyone who is especially sensitive to respiratory irritants or suffers breathing impairment should stay indoors and avoid unnecessary exercise, he said. If using air conditioners, place them on recirculation mode.
Reynolds urged people who are sensitive, who suffer from asthma or pulmonary disease, or have other health problems to consult their health care professional if they experience any health problems.
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District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing will host the meeting, which will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Upper Lake High School cafeteria, 675 Clover Valley Road.
During the meeting's first hour, county officials and local coordinators will provide an update on local projects and issues.
Officials planning to attend include County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox, Deputy Redevelopment Director Eric Seely, Sheriff Rod Mitchell, Public Works Director Brent Siemer and Water Resources Deputy Director Pam Francis.
The second half of the meeting will include an open forum with a question-and-answer session moderated by Rushing. Community members will have the chance to discuss critical issues of concern to the Upper Lake community.
For additional information contact Rushing at 263-2368 or email at
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The House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on a Thompson-authored bill that would give these veterans health benefits and compensation for illnesses resulting from “Project 112” weapons tests.
Thompson hopes this hearing will ultimately push his bill toward consideration by the House, his office reported Thursday.
Project 112, which included ship-based Project SHAD, was conducted between 1963 and 1973 by the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies.
The DoD now admits that during these projects, unknowing military personnel were involved a number of chemical weapon tests such as VX nerve gas and Sarin nerve gas and were exposed to biological weapons such as E. Coli, Rabbit Fever and Q fever.
“First the government denied the tests existed,” Thompson said in a written statement. “Then they said the tests happened but were harmless. Now they admit dangerous substances were used on our military personnel, yet they still refuse to give them care for their illnesses. We can’t change the past, but we can begin to right this wrong by giving these men the proper health care and compensation they earned.”
HR 5954, introduced by Thompson (D-St. Helena) and Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-MT) in May, provides veterans of Project 112 a “Presumption of Service Connection.” This means the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) presumes the relationship between service and a health condition, making the veterans involved eligible for medical benefits and/or compensation for their conditions. For example, veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War are already given a “Presumption of Service Connection.”
“I understand security classifications and the sensitivity of our operation,” said Jack B. Alderson, a retired Lt. Commander from the U.S. Navy Reserves and resident of Thompson’s district. “However, these were not volunteers but service personnel ordered to do a dangerous job and they did it, and did it well, now their nation needs to take care of them.”
In 1964, Alderson was the officer in charge of five U.S. Army light tug boats that were used to test chemical and biological weapons, as Lake County News has reported. The tug boats acted as sampling stations and targets for disseminated weapon clouds.
After the DoD admitted to Thompson that the tests did exist and included harmful agents, they released more than 6,000 names of military personnel used in the tests.
However, the GAO reported in February that the DoD had halted their efforts to disclose additional names and many veterans remain unaware that they were even involved. The Thompson-Rehberg legislation would require the DoD to hand over all the names to the VA, which must then notify the veterans.
The subcommittee didn't indicate on Thursday when a vote might take place. However, Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner has indicated support for the measure.
The Thompson-Rehberg legislation has been endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America.
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The two suspects – believed to be women – ditched a stolen Dodge Ram pickup filled with stolen items in the area of Martin Street after the chase, as Lake County News reported Wednesday.
CHP Officer Adam Garcia said CHP Officer Mark Crutcher spotted the pickup speeding at about 9:30 p.m. while it was traveling northbound on Highway 29 near Argonaut Road, between Kelseyville and Lakeport.
When Crutcher attempted an enforcement stop on the pickup, the vehicle took off, said Garcia.
The pursuit continued northbound on Highway 29 until Park Way, where the pickup turned off and headed down to Lakeshore, continuing back into town, said Garcia.
CHP was joined by sheriff's deputies and Lakeport Police, who continued the pursuit down Main Street. The vehicle was finally abandoned on Martin near Hartley, said Garcia, with the two suspects escaping on foot.
Inside the vehicle investigators found a large amount of stolen credit cards and driver's licenses, said Garcia.
While there are no arrests in the case yet, Garcia said the investigation has yielded some good leads.
The pickup, said Garcia, was stolen out of Vallejo.
The vehicle also sported metallic First Choice Abbey Carpet signs on its sides. The owner of the Danville store told Lake County News that the signs had been stolen from him about a week ago. The business' phone number had been cut off the bottom of the signs.
Harold LaBonte contributed to this report.
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