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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Extreme heat and red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service for this week resulted in Cal Fire officials urging the public to avoid any activities that could ignite a wildfire.
Cal Fire said elevated fire weather conditions will be present from the combination of extreme heat, low humidity levels and gusty winds on top of an abundant and cured grass crop throughout much of California.
Such conditions are a recipe that can lead to significant fire potential risk, Cal Fire said.
“If a fire were to start in these conditions, it has the potential to spread rapidly and exhibit extreme fire behavior,” said Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Deputy Chief Matt Ryan. “We want to remind residents and visitors to take fire safety precautions this week and to make sure you are preparing yourself in the event a wildfire should start near you. Now is the time to have your evacuation plan in place, pack your go back and sign up for emergency alert notifications through the county you live in or will be visiting.”
It has already been one of the busiest starts to a fire year in the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, with over 20,000 acres burned this year. That is more acres burned than the unit saw over the entire three previous years combined.
Consecutive years of above average rain seasons have contributed to an abundance of tall grass throughout the North Bay area and most of California. Since Father’s Day, Cal Fire said it has seen rapid rates of spread and large fire growth, the results of having a substantial herbaceous fuel load — meaning, grasses and forbs — and moderate winds.
Overnight Sunday and into Monday, winds were expected to begin picking up across Northern California.
Cal Fire said the westerly “Konocti winds” that develop in the afternoons across Lake County, and northerly winds moving up from the Delta, are expected to bring gusts in the Bay Area, interior Mountain Ranges and Sacramento Valley.
The excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service is calling for major to extreme heat risk Tuesday through Saturday. Extended heat waves are what the area has experienced during previous extreme fire seasons.
With the July 4 holiday occurring during this forecast period, Cal Fire reminds North Bay residents that all fireworks are banned in the State Responsibility Areas of Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. That includes “safe and sane” fireworks.
In California, there is zero tolerance for the use and sale of illegal fireworks. It is your responsibility to check with your local ordinance regarding the use of fireworks.
In Lake County, the only place that safe and sane fireworks may be used legally is in Lakeport for a brief period around the July 4 holiday.
For information on how to plan and prepare to keep you and your family safe from wildfires, visit
https://readyforwildfire.org/.
Cal Fire said elevated fire weather conditions will be present from the combination of extreme heat, low humidity levels and gusty winds on top of an abundant and cured grass crop throughout much of California.
Such conditions are a recipe that can lead to significant fire potential risk, Cal Fire said.
“If a fire were to start in these conditions, it has the potential to spread rapidly and exhibit extreme fire behavior,” said Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Deputy Chief Matt Ryan. “We want to remind residents and visitors to take fire safety precautions this week and to make sure you are preparing yourself in the event a wildfire should start near you. Now is the time to have your evacuation plan in place, pack your go back and sign up for emergency alert notifications through the county you live in or will be visiting.”
It has already been one of the busiest starts to a fire year in the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, with over 20,000 acres burned this year. That is more acres burned than the unit saw over the entire three previous years combined.
Consecutive years of above average rain seasons have contributed to an abundance of tall grass throughout the North Bay area and most of California. Since Father’s Day, Cal Fire said it has seen rapid rates of spread and large fire growth, the results of having a substantial herbaceous fuel load — meaning, grasses and forbs — and moderate winds.
Overnight Sunday and into Monday, winds were expected to begin picking up across Northern California.
Cal Fire said the westerly “Konocti winds” that develop in the afternoons across Lake County, and northerly winds moving up from the Delta, are expected to bring gusts in the Bay Area, interior Mountain Ranges and Sacramento Valley.
The excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service is calling for major to extreme heat risk Tuesday through Saturday. Extended heat waves are what the area has experienced during previous extreme fire seasons.
With the July 4 holiday occurring during this forecast period, Cal Fire reminds North Bay residents that all fireworks are banned in the State Responsibility Areas of Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. That includes “safe and sane” fireworks.
In California, there is zero tolerance for the use and sale of illegal fireworks. It is your responsibility to check with your local ordinance regarding the use of fireworks.
In Lake County, the only place that safe and sane fireworks may be used legally is in Lakeport for a brief period around the July 4 holiday.
For information on how to plan and prepare to keep you and your family safe from wildfires, visit
https://readyforwildfire.org/.
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week will hear a presentation about proposed use of the Carnegie Library and consider accepting cannabis grant funds for enforcement operations.
The council will meet Tuesday, July 2, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2.
On Tuesday, the council will receive a presentation by the Clear Lake Environmental Resource Center about its proposed use for the Carnegie Library.
The center, also known as CLERC, already has a lab located on the historic first floor. It now wants to move into the recently renovated second floor, a project the city paid to complete. The group said it plans to run public education programs there.
Under business, council members will consider the adoption of a resolution to cause a written report to be prepared and filed with the city clerk regarding delinquent water, sewer and solid waste user charges, fees and penalties for the period of June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024 and setting a public hearing on the written report prior to collection on the tax roll.
The council also will consider Police Chief Brad Rasmussen’s request to adopt a resolution formally authorizing the receipt by the Lakeport Police Department of cannabis grant funding from the California Highway Patrol.
Capt. Dale Stoebe’s report to the council explains that the Lakeport Police Department applied to the California Highway Patrol for funding from its Cannabis Tax Fund Program to conduct enforcement and training to reduce and mitigate the impacts of impaired driving in our
community. As a result, they were granted $75,159.87 to implement work on driving under the influence detection and enforcement activities — specifically, five saturation patrols — and coursework for officers on drug evaluation and classification.
Utilities Director Paul Harris will present the bid from Summit Signal Inc. dba Danny Mihelcic Construction Services for the permanent installation of three generators and ask the council to award a contract to the company in the amount of $101,647.88.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the City Council’s regular meeting on June 18; approval of the continuation of the proclamation declaring a local state of emergency
due to severe weather conditions including heavy rain and extreme wind; adoption of the resolution accepting construction of the Carnegie Library Improvement Project, by Skiles and Associates, Inc. and authorize the filing of the notice of completion; approval of a resolution rescinding Resolution 2925 (2023) and revising the Master Pay Schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5; review and filing of the Third Quarter Financial Update.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The council will meet Tuesday, July 2, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to
On Tuesday, the council will receive a presentation by the Clear Lake Environmental Resource Center about its proposed use for the Carnegie Library.
The center, also known as CLERC, already has a lab located on the historic first floor. It now wants to move into the recently renovated second floor, a project the city paid to complete. The group said it plans to run public education programs there.
Under business, council members will consider the adoption of a resolution to cause a written report to be prepared and filed with the city clerk regarding delinquent water, sewer and solid waste user charges, fees and penalties for the period of June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024 and setting a public hearing on the written report prior to collection on the tax roll.
The council also will consider Police Chief Brad Rasmussen’s request to adopt a resolution formally authorizing the receipt by the Lakeport Police Department of cannabis grant funding from the California Highway Patrol.
Capt. Dale Stoebe’s report to the council explains that the Lakeport Police Department applied to the California Highway Patrol for funding from its Cannabis Tax Fund Program to conduct enforcement and training to reduce and mitigate the impacts of impaired driving in our
community. As a result, they were granted $75,159.87 to implement work on driving under the influence detection and enforcement activities — specifically, five saturation patrols — and coursework for officers on drug evaluation and classification.
Utilities Director Paul Harris will present the bid from Summit Signal Inc. dba Danny Mihelcic Construction Services for the permanent installation of three generators and ask the council to award a contract to the company in the amount of $101,647.88.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the City Council’s regular meeting on June 18; approval of the continuation of the proclamation declaring a local state of emergency
due to severe weather conditions including heavy rain and extreme wind; adoption of the resolution accepting construction of the Carnegie Library Improvement Project, by Skiles and Associates, Inc. and authorize the filing of the notice of completion; approval of a resolution rescinding Resolution 2925 (2023) and revising the Master Pay Schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5; review and filing of the Third Quarter Financial Update.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The town hall announced on July 1 that the July 3 meeting is canceled.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The East Region Town Hall, or ERTH, will meet on Wednesday, July 3.
The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, located at 15900 Moose Lodge Lane in Clearlake Oaks.
The meeting will be available via Zoom. The meeting ID is 830 2978 1573, pass code is 503006.
This month’s guest speaker will be Sarah Ryan, environmental director/emergency management director for the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ environmental protection department. Ryan will speak about cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in Clear Lake. The tribe has been monitoring toxins for 10 years and seeks to protect human and ecological health through transparent reporting of data and policy changes to minimize water pollution.
In other business, Pam Kicenski will present updates on the general plan and Shoreline Area plan updates, as well as the commercial cannabis report, cannabis ordinance task force and the cell tower proposed by Lake Forest Verizon; Maria Kann will lead the discussion on traffic and conditions on High Valley Road; and Tony Morris, Win Cary and Cindy Storrs will offer the update on Spring Valley. There also will be a report from Supervisor EJ Crandell.
ERTH’s next meeting will take place on Aug. 7.
ERTH’s members are Denise Loustalot, Jim Burton, Tony Morris, Pamela Kicenski and Maria Kann.
For more information visit the group’s Facebook page.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The East Region Town Hall, or ERTH, will meet on Wednesday, July 3.
The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, located at 15900 Moose Lodge Lane in Clearlake Oaks.
The meeting will be available via Zoom. The meeting ID is 830 2978 1573, pass code is 503006.
This month’s guest speaker will be Sarah Ryan, environmental director/emergency management director for the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ environmental protection department. Ryan will speak about cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in Clear Lake. The tribe has been monitoring toxins for 10 years and seeks to protect human and ecological health through transparent reporting of data and policy changes to minimize water pollution.
In other business, Pam Kicenski will present updates on the general plan and Shoreline Area plan updates, as well as the commercial cannabis report, cannabis ordinance task force and the cell tower proposed by Lake Forest Verizon; Maria Kann will lead the discussion on traffic and conditions on High Valley Road; and Tony Morris, Win Cary and Cindy Storrs will offer the update on Spring Valley. There also will be a report from Supervisor EJ Crandell.
ERTH’s next meeting will take place on Aug. 7.
ERTH’s members are Denise Loustalot, Jim Burton, Tony Morris, Pamela Kicenski and Maria Kann.
For more information visit the group’s Facebook page.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Redbud Audubon Society has received a grant for $13,000 from the National Audubon Society’s “Audubon in Action” program.
The grant will be used to purchase drone equipment, pay for permitting and license fees for the drone, fund participation from local high schools — Upper Lake and Lower Lake — and Robinson Rancheria.
Funds from the grant will also pay for manuscript preparation and for other equipment.
The drone will be used to monitor Western and Clark's grebe nesting colonies on different areas of Clear Lake.
The Redbud Audubon Society spearheaded a program for almost 10 years of monitoring colonies which resulted in a research paper written by biologist Dr. Floyd Hayes of Pacific Union College.
The current grant will enable Redbud Audubon to continue tracking the activities of the local nesting colonies that are prevalent around Clear Lake.
Western and Clark's grebes are an iconic species of Clear Lake.
They are a fascinating bird with entrancing mating habits, like “rushing” across the water in pairs, bobbing their heads and offering water weeds to their prospective mates.
After the babies are hatched they climb on their parents’ backs and head out into the water of Clear Lake to bring delight to those lucky enough to see them.
The Redbud Audubon Society is the oldest conservation organization in Lake County. It was founded in 1976 by a group of citizens here who appreciated the abundant bird life both on Clear Lake but in all areas of the county.
The society holds monthly Zoom program meetings from September through April and also hosts monthly field trips during that time.
The society’s website is www.redbudaudubon.org. New members and volunteers are always welcome.
Roberta Lyons is the vice president of the Redbud Audubon Society.
- Details
- Written by: Roberta Lyons