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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Two small wildland fires continued burning near Upper Lake Saturday evening, with the largest of the two nearing full containment.
The Hunter and North fires were first reported early Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire spokesperson Suzie Blankenship reported that the Hunter Fire was in the Bachelor Valley Road area, while the North Fire was located in a U.S. Forest Service Direct Protection Area that Cal Fire is contracted to protect.
By early evening, the Hunter Fire was estimated to be between seven and 10 acres, with final acreage to be mapped later. It was then 85-percent contained, Blankenship reported.
She said it was burning in difficult terrain and heavy timber, with spotting and poor access.
Those factors increased the challenge for the 110 fire personnel from Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service and Northshore Fire who worked on the fire throughout the day. Ten engines were also part of the effort, Blankenship said.
Blankenship said the work on the Hunter Fire will continue through the night.
The North Fire was reported to be between three to five acres by Saturday evening, Blankenship said. A containment estimate was not given.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire reported Saturday afternoon that firefighters were continuing to work on wildland fires near Upper Lake, with a fire in Middletown destroying two buildings.
The Hunter and North fires in Upper Lake began on Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Suzie Blankenship.
Blankenship said shortly before 2:30 p.m. that the Hunter Fire was being held at 10 acres, with 75 percent containment reported.
She said it was burning in the area of Bachelor Valley Road in heavy timber, with spotting reported.
On scene were 110 firefighting personnel and 10 engines from Cal Fire, Northshore Fire and the U.S. Forest Service, Blankenship said. The cause remains under investigation.
Northshore Fire Deputy Chief Pat Brown said the agency had two engines, two water tenders and two chief officers on the Hunter Fire.
While the district’s resources were getting stretched, Brown said all Northshore Fire stations were manned with engine crews on Saturday afternoon.
The North Fire, in the U.S. Forest Service Direct Protection Area also was burning in heavy timber, and was at three acres and holding, according to Cal Fire’s latest information.
In the South County, the West Fire had started in the 23000 block of Hildebrand Road on Saturday morning.
Blankenship said the fire destroyed one residence and an outbuilding, and burned a 50-foot by 50-foot area of vegetation.
Additional information on the fire incidents will be posted as it becomes available.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Firefighters are battling a three-structure fire in the Middletown area.
The fire, reported Saturday morning, was located off of Hildebrand Road, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Suzie Blankenship.
She said three structures were involved – one house and two outbuildings.
Blankenship said the fire additionally burned a small 50-foot by 50-foot area of vegetation.
Additional information about the fire will be posted as it becomes available.
Saturday has so far proved to be another busy one for firefighters, who are battling two wildland fires near Upper Lake, with mop up and work still continuing on the Wye Fire incident east of Clearlake Oaks.
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THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters are on the scene of two new fires in the Upper Lake area.
The Hunter Fire is burning near Upper Lake, as is a second fire in the North Federal Direct Protection Area, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Suzie Blankenship.
Cal Fire said the Hunter Fire was located off Bachelor Valley Road, northwest of Upper Lake.
First reported early Saturday between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., the Hunter Fire was between five and seven acres by 10:30 a.m., and had reached 10 acres and 50-percent containment by noon, Blankenship said.
Blankenship said it was burning in heavy timber, with a slow to moderate rate of spread.
Resources on scene included 10 engines from Cal Fire, Northshore Fire and other local government agencies, Blankenship said.
Radio traffic also indicated a bulldozer had arrived at the fire.
The second fire was in the North Federal Direct Protection Area, where a Cal Fire helitack was working the fire, said Blankenship.
She said that fire was burning in heavy timber. It was three acres and holding at 10:30 a.m.
Blankenship said the Direct Protection Area is in the Mendocino National Forest, but Cal Fire has an agreement with the forest to protect that area.
Reports from the scene indicated Mendocino National Forest firefighting resources were on the way to the Direct Protection Area at about 10:40 a.m.
Mendocino National Forest spokesperson Tamara Schmidt said Saturday morning that the fires were not on the forest.
Lake County residents had reported seeing lightning strikes near Upper Lake late Friday night, but Blankenship could not say if the two fires were lightning caused.
Daniel Berlant, another Cal Fire spokesman with the agency’s headquarters, reported earlier Saturday morning that more than 900 lightning strikes had occurred across Northern California on Friday night, resulting in many new fires. As a result Cal Fire was on high alert.
Schmidt said there were lightning strikes on the Mendocino National Forest Friday night, and forest officials were planning a reconnaissance flight later Saturday.
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