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Cal Fire reported Tuesday that the Summit Fire was 100-percent contained at 4,270 acres. Full control of the fire is expected Friday.
Last week, firefighters from Cal Fire, Lakeport Fire, Northshore Fire, Kelseyville and South Lake County fire districts, along with personnel from Mendocino County's Redwood Valley and Anderson Valley fire districts, made the trek south to do battle with the fire, as Lake County News has reported.
Northshore Fire Chief Jim Robbins said Tuesday he had spoken to some of his firefighters who are still on scene, and they are expected to be released to come home on Thursday.
As of Tuesday night, Cal Fire reported a total of 2,519 personnel had been involved in the firefighting effort.
Officials reported that road closures in evacuated areas were being lifted and residents were being allowed back to their homes.
The fire has cost $12.2 million to fight, and resulted in 12 injuries, and the destruction of 31 residences and 63 outbuildings, according to Cal Fire.
The cause remains under investigation, Cal Fire reported.
Getting the firefighters home likely will be a relief for local districts and Cal Fire as fire season gets into full swing. A large retinue of Cal Fire personnel had been sent to the Summit Fire last Thursday, a day after the 450-acre Braye Fire near Lake Berryessa was ruled contained.
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LOWER LAKE – A local winery has garnered the highest honors given to a US winery in a prestigious international wine competition.
Snows Lake Vineyard has won a "great gold" and three gold awards at the 2008 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles International Wine Competition held in Bordeaux, France.
The local winery was among eight US wineries that received 14 awards, four of which went to Snows Lake.
Lake County Winegrape Commission Executive Director Shannon Gunier said the awards have gotten a lot of attention, especially among local winegrape growers.
"It's the big buzz," she said,
Snows Lake's two entries – limited production wines Snows Lake One and Snows Lake Two – were among 6,200 wines and spirits judged by a panel of 240 internationally renowned judges, according to a statement from the competition.
John Adriance, the winery's chief executive officer, said it was great to be recognized on an international level. This was the winery's first entry in the competition.
Snows Lake One's 2005 vintage, made from the winery's Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, won the great gold, and its 2004 vintage won a gold. In addition, Snows Lake Two's 2005 and 2004 won golds, said Adriance. That wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Adriance said he believes Lake County's wines are on par with the best in the world, which is why they entered the international competition.
The two award-winning wines are currently in limited production, with only about 250 cases of wine each year produced, said Adriance.
He added that they're planning to double production this year, and double it again this year. Both wines come from grapes grown in the county's Red Hills appellation.
The growing reputation of the county's Cabernet Sauvignon grapes is a vindication of sorts.
Gunier said wine magnate Jess Jackson, whose Kendall Jackson empire spent its early days in Lake County, once declared the county would never produce Cabernet Sauvignon, a statement that has stuck with the area for a long time.
Gunier said Snows Lake's performance in the competition proves what local winegrape growers have been saying all along. "This is good dirt for good wine.
"You're going to see more awards like this come out of Lake County," she said.
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NORTHSHORE – A vehicle's faulty catalytic converter is believed to have caused a small grass fire along Highway 20 that firefighters quickly contained Tuesday evening.
The fire, located near Kono Tayee, was out by about 8 p.m., according to Northshore Fire Chief Jim Robbins.
Three engines, Robbins and Battalion Chief Pat Brown were on scene, along with a Lake County Sheriff's deputy who directed traffic as firefighters dealt with the small blaze, which had burned a strip on the highway's lake side.
A large retinue of firefighters initially had been called but most were canceled after the fire quickly was placed under control, Robbins said.
Robbins and Brown had been concerned that the fire could have jumped the highway and started burning up the steep, dry hillsides – a serious possibility considering the high evening winds Tuesday.
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Judith Tilt, 72, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, which took place on Highway 20 east of Walker Ridge Road at about 2:20 p.m. Monday, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia.
Tilt was riding in a 2002 Lexus RX300 driven by 78-year-old Delores Zeni of Santa Rosa which was hit by a 2001 Ford Escape driven by Debra Curtis, 49, of Suisun City, Garcia said.
Curtis, who was driving eastbound, lost control of her vehicle during a short rain shower, according to Garcia.
Her vehicle spun out around and entered the westbound lane, hitting Zeni's Lexus.
Both Delores Zeni and 79-year-old Robert Zeni, also of Santa Rosa, sustained major injuries and were
flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital by REACH air ambulance, Garcia said.
Curtis was flown by CALSTAR air ambulance to Chico's Enloe Hospital where she was treated for major injuries, according to Garcia's report.
The accident shut the highway down for several hours as emergency officials cared for the injured, cleared the roadway and investigated the crash, according to reports from the scene.
Garcia said CHP Officer Dallas Richey is investigating the collision.
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