MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – If there was any question about who Lake County’s best football was (and there seemed to be some opposing opinions floating around recently in both the clear skies over Middletown and the smoky haze that’s enveloped Upper Lake), the Middletown Mustangs gave the definitive answer in a rare Monday night performance.

Austin Benson rushed for 192 yards in 24 carries and scored all four touchdowns and Middletown’s defense, after some adjustments at halftime, shut down Upper Lake’s power running game as the Mustangs pulled away for 28-8 victory at Bill Foltmer Field.

The game, originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Upper Lake, was pushed back to Monday afternoon – still at Upper Lake – because of all the smoke in the air generated by the Scotts Valley fire west of Scotts Valley Road and east of Ukiah.

But when Monday morning came around, the air quality wasn’t any better, so it was decided that if the non-league game was to be played, it had to be played at Middletown on Monday night. Kick-off was at 5:30 p.m. and, not surprisingly, a smaller-than-usual crowd attended the game.

“Playing at home is always an advantage,” said Mustang coach Bill Foltmer, but that could only partially explain Upper Lake’s problems on both sides of the ball.

The Cougars, who ran over Kelseyville in its opener, 52-6, had just one impressive drive, marching 74 yards midway through the second quarter, with Travis Coleman running it in from the 4.

Coleman’s pass to Wes Thaxton on the PAT gave the Cougars an 8-7 lead.

And it looked like a good game was starting to unfold between the county’s top two teams.

But that was about it for Upper Lake, which not only couldn’t stop Benson and the Middletown offense, but couldn’t generate any offense of its own.

“Middletown wanted it more than we did,” said a disappointed Alex Stabiner, coach of the Cougars.

Benson played like he wanted to score a lot of touchdowns. On the Mustangs’ first possession of the game, it looked like he would score on what would have been a 15-yard run, but had the ball stripped from him inside the Cougars’ 5-yard line, with Ward Beecher recovering for Upper Lake.

“I thought it could be a break-out game for him,” Foltmer said of his 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back. “He’s come close to breaking a few runs, nearly broke a couple against Salesian (in the season-opening 7-3 loss).”

And breaking out is what Benson did. The big play for him on Monday is called “toss right,” where he takes a quick pitch from quarterback Ben Pike and tries to get outsides the Cougar defense.

His 14-yard sweep made it 7-0 early in the second quarter and his 20-yard sweep made it 14-8 with 2:30 left in the half (with Tyler Drew adding both PAT kicks).

Benson, in a career-best performance, scored on yet another “toss right” touchdown on a 10-yard sweep that pushed the lead to 20-8 with 10:30 left in the third quarter.

And he added a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

The Mustangs made some adjustments on defense in the second half, basically involving the linebackers and defensive backs remembering to shift accordingly to the Cougars’  offensive formation.
 
“We weren’t making the adjustments,” Foltmer said, “and they put together a couple of early drives on us. It was something we practiced all week, but we didn’t execute.”

Upper Lake coach Alex Stabiner had a different explanation for his team’s poor showing. “We got our butts whipped,” he said.

Email Rich Mellott at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local officials said air quality conditions are expected to be much improved on Tuesday following days of heavy smoke due to a wildland fire on Cow Mountain.

With firefighters making significant advances in controlling the Scotts Fire and favorable weather in the forecast, the Lake County Air Quality Management said air quality in the “good” range is expected on Tuesday.

Air quality conditions on Monday afternoon were notably improved over the weekend, the district reported, due primarily to better meteorological conditions and increasing control over the fire, which by Monday night had burned 4,618 acres, with containment at 35 percent.

Areas close to the fires may have experienced degraded air quality early Monday, but most areas of the Lake County experienced good to moderate air quality much of the day, according to county Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart.

Gearhart said levels of ozone and particulate were elevated, but did not exceed state health-based air quality standards.

The prediction is for “good“ air quality in Lake County, though areas near active burn areas and where cleanup efforts are under way may experience “moderate” air quality intermittently on Tuesday and until recovery efforts are complete, Gearhart said.

Despite the favorable forecast, Gearhart urged county residents to be cautious, as conditions can change rapidly.

Residual haze and particulate from the wildfires can be expected to intermittently impact areas of Lake County until the fires are out and recovery efforts are completed, Gearhart said.

UKIAH, Calif. – Mendocino College will officially open its new library and learning center this week.

The public is invited to celebrate the opening at a gathering beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14.

After a brief presentation and welcome, guests will participate in a self-guided tour and featured presentations of the new facility.

Following the tour refreshments, prepared by the Mendocino College Culinary Arts students, will be served.

Visitors will be greeted by College Board President Joel Clark and by Richard Cooper, chair of the Measure W Oversight Committee.

“This new building provides the opportunity for students to increase their learning in a facility that maximizes the use of technology with an emphasis on interaction among staff, faculty and students,” said Interim Superintendent/President Roe Darnell.

The center includes a spacious library, a learning center, the Math Engineering Science Achievement program, a disabled resource center and a new language lab.

Visitors touring the facility will have the opportunity to enjoy student and staff demonstrations of programs provided by the center.

The library/learning center was designed by TLCD Architecture and constructed by Midstate Construction at a cost of $28 million.

The center was built as a result of community support through Measure W.

On Nov. 7, 2006, voters in the Mendocino-Lake Community College District passed Measure W authorizing $67.5 million in facility bond funds.

Measure W passed with 62 percent voter approval, substantially greater than the 55 percent required for passage under Proposition 39.

The Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee was formed in December 2006 by appointment by the college board of trustees.

This committee, as required by law, is comprised of members representing specific interests, including business, senior citizens, taxpayer organization, Mendocino College students, a college support organization and at-large members.

The oversight committee is charged with overseeing the expenditure of bond proceeds and ensuring that bond proceeds are expended only for the purposes set forth in Measure W.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Wildland fires in Lake’s neighboring counties are close to being fully contained.

The North Pass Fire, located 10 miles northeast of Covelo in Mendocino County, and the 16 Complex in the Rumsey Canyon area of Colusa and Yolo counties were set to be fully contained on Monday, but by Monday night officials reported that some work still remained to be done.

The North Pass Fire, which includes two fires caused by lightning on Saturday, Aug. 18, has burned 41,983 acres and was 97-percent contained by Monday night.

The estimate for full containment for the North Pass Fire was pushed back to this Friday at 6 p.m.

The 391 fire personnel assigned to the incident were working on patroling the fire area, making repairs and mopping up, officials reported.

A forest closure order remains in effect for the area, and Forest Highway 7 is closed due to fire line repairs, according to the US Forest Service.

The 16 Complex, two fires four miles apart on Highway 16, was 95-percent contained at 17,944 acres, with 980 personnel on scene, Cal Fire reported.

Firefighters were continuing to strengthen control lines, extinguish hot spots and make repairs, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said full containment is expected on Tuesday.

The complex’s cause remains under investigation.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Firefighters kept a wildland fire on Cow Mountain from expanding on Monday, and at the same time more than doubled containment on the blaze.

The Scotts Fire remained at 4,618 acres on Monday night, with containment rising to 35 percent over the course of the day, Cal Fire reported.

Based on a perimeter map Cal Fire issued on Monday, which can be seen above, the fire is primarily located in Lake County, with a small spur stretching eastward into Mendocino County.

Cal Fire spokesman Mike Carr said firefighters’ efforts had paid off, and the fire – which began burning Friday afternoon west of Scott Valley Road and east of Ukiah – had been slowed down considerably by Monday.

In the first hours of the fire it had burned quickly, running up ridges through dry brush and vegetation, burning a total of 1,600 acres by nightfall Friday.

The fire had moved quickly in the first two days due, in part, to hot weather and topography. With regard to topography, Carr explained that fires burn more quickly when moving uphill.

Over the last day, the fire has slowed as it’s backed down hillsides. Carr said firefighters also have been able to prevent it from moving into drainages.

Based on how the fire was looking on Monday evening, Carr said they were optimistic about keeping the fire in its current footprint, with Cal Fire continuing to estimate that full containment would be reached on Saturday.

Thanks to a number of factors – among them, aggressive firefighting, more containment lines, a slowing of the fire’s action and better weather, including reduced winds – Carr said the threat had been reduced for the Blue Lakes and Scotts Valley Road areas, where an estimated 300 homes and 40 outbuildings were in the fire’s path at one point.

As a result, early on Monday evening the evacuation warning for Scotts Valley Road – which had been issued the previous day for the area from Highway 20 to Hendricks Road – was lifted. Blue Lakes had been under an evacuation order for several hours on Friday night before residents were allowed to return home.

Scotts Valley Road remains open to residents only. The Cow Mountain Recreation Area has been closed at both the Scotts Creek and Mill Creek entrances, Mill Creek Road is closed, and the Glen Eden and Valley View Trails are closed, officials reported.

The number of personnel assigned to the incident was increased again by about 260 on Monday to 1,642, with 161 engines, 44 fire crews, 12 helicopters, 30 bulldozers and 27 water tenders, Cal Fire reported.

On Monday afternoon a 50-year-old male firefighter from a strike team was taken off the lines with heat exhaustion. Carr said the firefighter was taken to the hospital and treated, and will be able to return to work on the fire.

There have so far been three to four such cases of heat exhaustion, but all of the firefighters have been able to return to duty, and thus are not counted as injuries, Carr said. Based on that definition, no injuries have occurred so far.

Carr said the fire’s cause remains under investigation.

In recent days a number of community members have voiced concerns about what role arson might have played in the recent string of wildland fires.

In response to those concerns, Carr explained, “California is prone to wildfires.”

That’s due to the hot climate, terrain and large numbers of people living in the wildland-urban interface. “You have all of those fire causes coming together,” he said.

All of the recent major wildland incidents in Lake and neighboring counties remain under investigation, with no final causes given. Carr said those investigations can take time – some are left open for months while the fact finding process takes places.

“Sometimes it’s premature to rush to a judgment,” he said.
                  
In other fire-related news, a California National Guard Black Hawk helicopter that was being used for water drops had to touch down in Scotts Valley early on in the firefighting effort due to mechanical issues.

Torie Clay posted a picture of the helicopter on Lake County News’ Facebook page, reporting that it landed on her family’s property on Friday.

Carr said the helicopter had transmission problems and had to be taken out of commission.

On Monday the helicopter remained grounded. “They haven’t decided what they’re going to do with it yet,” Carr said.

A crane could be brought in to put it on a truck or another helicopter may be used to lift it out and transport it, he said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Monday evening officials lifted an evacuation warning for the Scotts Valley Road area outside of Lakeport.

The evacuation warning was issued on Sunday morning for Scotts Valley Road, from Highway 20, south to Hendricks Road.

Cal Fire said the warning was lifted Monday based on increased containment on the Scotts Fire, burning since Friday afternoon.

By Monday morning, the fire had burned approximately 4,618 acres and was 15 percent contained.

Officials said the potential threat to the Blue Lakes and Scotts Valley Road areas has been reduced.

Fire crews are continuing to work toward full containment of the fire, Cal Fire said.

Residents are reminded that fire equipment and personnel will remain in the area for several days and are urged to use caution when traveling the fire area.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While acreage continued to climb on Monday on a wildland fire burning on Cow Mountain, firefighters also made more progress in getting containment on the blaze, which resulted in one report of heat exhaustion on Monday.

The Scotts Fire, burning since last Friday, increased to 4,618 acres on Monday, with 15 percent containment, Cal Fire reported.

The fire is located on Cow Mountain, west of Scott Valley Road and east of Ukiah, in steep and rugged terrain.

Incident command, based at the Lake County Fairgrounds, continued to utilize aircraft, fire crews and dozers on the incident, where 1,380 personnel were assigned on Monday. The focus was on building and strengthening containment lines.

Resources assigned included 131 engines, 38 fire crews, nine airtankers, 11 helicopters, 26 bulldozers and 20 water tenders, Cal Fire reported.

Cal Fire said fire crews and equipment have been successful in holding the fire south of Highway 20, west of Scotts Valley Road and east of Cow Mountain Road.

Cal Fire officials said Sunday that the fire had two flanks moving laterally, to the east and west, with the progression stopped on part of the fire that had been moving toward Blue Lakes.

A case of heat exhaustion also was reported on Monday. Just after 3 p.m. one male strike team member was being transported out of the fire area.

The Scotts Valley Road area – from Hendricks Road to Highway 20 – remained under an evacuation warning on Monday.

The fire was reported to be within a mile of both Scotts Valley Road and the Blue Lakes area, with a total of 340 structures threatened.

Officials said the Cow Mountain Recreation Area has been closed at both the Scotts Creek and Mill Creek entrances. Mendo Rock Road access to North Cow Mountain Road is closed at Mill Creek, with Mill Creek Road also closed.    

Cal Fire said Scotts Valley Road was open to residents only on Monday.

Highway 20 through Blue Lakes remained open with no traffic control reported.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Amidst a conversational throng of scientists and experts in geothermal power production, Calpine reopened The Geysers Geothermal Visitors Center on Thursday, Aug. 30.

Approximately 40 people attended the grand reopening, including geothermal representatives, local officials and business leaders.

During the event geothermal experts spoke on geothermal production and gave a walk through of the newly remodeled facility in Middletown.

The Geysers is the world’s largest geothermal production facility.

Mike Rogers, Calpine’s senior vice president of the geothermal region, described the geothermal fields below the area straddling the Lake and Sonoma County line as “a phenomenal resource.”

The new exhibition room is filled with interactive learning tools to help demystify the science of geothermal power production and give visitors a greater understanding of Lake County’s role in energy production.

The visitor’s center, located at 15500 Central Park Road in Middletown, is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Email John Jensen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – More kittens and cats have arrived at Lake County Animal Care and Control and are awaiting the chance at new homes.

This week’s cats  range in age, size and color, with all ready to go home with you if you have the space.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

Domestic short hair kitten

This domestic short hair kitten is 8 months old.

He has gold eyes and a black coat. He is not yet neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 1a, ID No. 34174.

Female tortie

This female kitten is 4 months old.

She has “tortie” coloring, a short coat and gold eyes. She has not yet been spayed.

Fine her in cat room kennel No. 1b, ID No. 34173.

Male orange tabby

This orange tabby of undetermined age is a male.

He is not yet altered, and has a short coat.

He’s in cat room kennel 15b, ID No. 34146.

Domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix is of undetermined age.

She has a short coat and is not yet spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 15c, ID No. 34147.

Male domestic short hair mix

This male domestic short hair mix is of undetermined age.

He has a gray coat and is not yet neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 15d, ID No. 34148.

Male gray tabby

This male gray tabby is of undetermined age.

He has a short coat and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 15e, ID No. 34149.

Short-haired calico

This female domestic short hair mix is 2 years old.

She has a calico coat and has not been spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No. 27, ID No. 34139.

Female Siamese mix

This female Siamese mix kitten is 14 weeks old.

She has blue eyes and a short coat.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 55, ID No. 34114.

Orange and white tabby kitten

This male orange and white tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

He has a short coat and is not yet altered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 84a, ID No. 34179.

Male orange and white tabby kitten

This male orange and white tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

Like his littermate he has a short coat and has not yet been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 84b, ID No. ID: 34180.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – With nearby residents advised to be ready to evacuate, a wildland fire continued to burn up vegetation in a rugged area northwest of Lakeport on Sunday.

The Scotts Fire had reached 4,100 acres by Sunday evening, with firefighters containing 15 percent of the blaze, burning on Cow Mountain west of Scotts Valley Road and east of Ukiah since Friday afternoon.

Cal Fire spokesman Mike Carr said firefighters had made good progress and built a lot of containment line throughout Saturday and Sunday, with the fire expected to be fully contained on Saturday, Sept. 15.

Officials had issued an evacuation warning for Scotts Valley Road, between Highway 20 south and the northern intersection with Hendricks Road late Sunday morning. Hendricks Road was not included.

Lake County Deputy Administrative Officer Debra Sommerfield said Sunday evening that it was still a warning and not yet an order to evacuate.

Red Cross set up an evacuation shelter in preparation for a full order at the Lakeport Senior Center, 527 Konocti Ave. On Friday evening Red Cross had briefly opened a shelter at Upper Lake High School after Blue Lakes area residents had been ordered to evacuate; they were allowed to return home later that night.

Altogether, a total of 340 structures remained threatened Sunday, with the fire one mile from both Scotts Valley Road and Blue Lakes, according to Cal Fire.

Carr said there were two flanks – the east and the west – which were moving laterally.

The part of the fire that had been moving north toward Blue Lakes “had been reduced considerably” by Sunday, he said.

He said the concern had shifted toward the part of the fire burning toward Scotts Valley Road to the east and the one moving toward Cow Mountain to the west.

Base camp for the incident is at the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street in Lakeport, where Cal Fire had based its operations for the Wye Fires in August.

The Cal Fire Incident Management Team in charge of the incident is led by Cal Fire Division Chief Eric Hoffman, who also was incident commander for the Wye Fire.

Cal Fire and cooperating agencies – including local fire districts from Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties – continued to bulk up the number of personnel on scene, which totaled 1,340 on Sunday night. Radio traffic indicated calls for additional out-of-area strike teams to respond to the incident.

Resources on scene included 131 engines, 39 fire crews, 11 helicopters, 26 bulldozers and 20 water tenders, according to Cal Fire.

Due to the difficulty in accessing the fire from the ground, air resources continued to be heavily utilized in the firefighting effort, with a DC-10 and helicopters conducting numerous drops.

Since the fire started, a low supply of retardant at the Ukiah airbase had forced tankers to go to Sonoma to be refilled. Reports from the scene indicated a new shipment of retardant was set to arrive in Ukiah Sunday afternoon, with Ukiah reopened for reloading tankers shortly after 5 p.m.

Lampson Field in Lakeport was being used as a base of operations for Cal Fire air resources. Effective at 7 a.m. Sunday the airport had been closed to general aviation traffic, based on an order issued by the Lake County Department of Public Works on Saturday, as Lake County News has reported.

Another challenge for firefighters on Sunday were gusting winds which, along with low humidity, was the focus of a red flag warning the National Weather Service issued for Lake County.

The winds were pushing the western flank over Lyons Creek to Scotts Creek Sunday evening, according to fire officials.

Radio traffic shortly after 7 p.m. indicated dozer lines had been built into the Scotts Creek area, with plans for the dozers to work throughout the night to make it to the next ridge in order to cut off further advance of the fire.

Retardant lines also had reportedly been set down along the western side of the fire, according to radio reports.

The smoke from the Scotts Fire hung thickly in the air Sunday, and turned the evening sky red.

Lake County Air Quality Management issued an alert warning of “unhealthy” air quality conditions on Monday, with the possibility of “hazardous” conditions if winds continued in the area.

On Sunday evening Highway 20 remained open between Upper Lake and Ukiah.

There was controlled traffic on Scotts Valley Road, which was to be open to residents only.

In addition, Cal Fire said the Cow Mountain Recreation Area has been closed at both the Scotts Creek and Mill Creek entrances, the Mendo Rock Road access to North Cow Mountain Road was closed at Mill Creek, and Mill Creek Road was closed, as were Glen Eden and Valley View trails.

Cooperating agencies on the fire Sunday included Cal Fire; Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma County fire agencies; Bureau of Land Management; Mendocino and Lake County Sheriff’s offices; California National Guard; Red Cross; California Emergency Management Agency; Pacific Gas & Electric Co; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; California Department of Fish and Game; Caltrans; and Lake County Department of Public Works.

McKenzie Paine of Velocity Video contributed to this report.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Firefighters continued moving toward full containment on two wildland fires burning in the Rumsey Canyon area on Sunday.

The 16 Complex, two fires four miles apart off of Highway 16 in Colusa and Yolo counties, burned 17,944 acres by the end of Sunday, with containment at 85 percent, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire said firefighters were successful with their efforts on Sunday to improve control lines and further contain the fire. Smoke continues to rise from hot spots located primarily within the interior sections, with further spread expected to be minimal.

Personnel and equipment were being released to other incidents, including the Scotts Fire, Cal Fire said.

On Sunday there were 1,176 firefighting personnel still assigned, along with 55 engines, 40 fire crews, four helicopters, seven bulldozers and nine water tenders, according to Cal Fire’s report.

Officials said Highway 16 has been reopened. Due to decreased visibility, a smoke advisory is in effect for both Highway 16 and Highway 20 in the fire fire area.

Motorists are advised to use extra caution and to be alert for fire vehicles and the possibility of debris on the roadway, Cal Fire said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – A wildland fire complex burning the last three weeks in portions of the Mendocino National Forest is expected to be fully contained by Monday evening.

By Sunday night, the North Pass Fire was 90-percent contained after having scorched 41,983 acres, the US Forest Service reported.

The North Pass Fire consists of two fires that began burning in the Williams Valley, 10 miles northeast of Covelo, on Saturday, Aug. 18, due to lightning strikes. The fires later moved to the north and east, spreading into the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness.

At the incident’s height, it was burning up to 4,000 acres a day, officials reported. It has since destroyed 26 structures and damaged four others.

The US Forest Service said the incident is expected to be fully contained by 6 p.m. Monday.

Approximately 422 personnel remained assigned to the fire on Sunday, officials said.

The Forest Service said hand crews are still required to improve and hold fire line in the north and west portion of the fire, and crews are working to repair fire line on Forest Highway 7, which will result in the road staying closed.

The main effort has shifted to mop up, fire suppression repair and roadside chipping, according to forest officials. Crews continue to cut down snags and remove fallen trees along M1, M2, M4, FH-7 and Blands Cove Road.  

Dirt roads used for access or contingency lines are being regraded, and officials said roadside chipping operations involve heavy equipment that may block the forest roads, which are closed for this reason.

Indian Dick Road (Forest Road M-1) is open to Boardman Ridge Campground, and Mendocino Pass Road (Forest Highway 7) is open to benchmark 2444 (second driveway entrance to Bauer subdivision) for residents only with a valid ID, the forest reported.

Officials are asking that people help the firefighting effort by staying off roads in the fire area.

The North Pass Fire’s management is transitioning to a smaller management team on Tuesday at 6 a.m. A type 3 management team is scheduled to shadow Southern California Team 1 on Monday in preparation for assuming command on Tuesday. The Forest Service reported that the base camp and the incident command post will be co-located at the Round Valley Airport.

Repair efforts are expected to continue for weeks after containment is complete, forest officials said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .