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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The group will meet at 5 p.m. via Zoom.
The meeting ID is 932 5558 1208, passcode is 439064. The meeting also can be accessed via phone at 1-669-900-6833.
Under old business, the group will discuss site visits with the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the bridge approach over Scotts Creek at Scotts Valley Road and Hendricks, and applications being due for the advisory council applications.
Under new business, they will discuss use permits, management and monitoring of the Scotts Valley Water Basin and the Adopt a Road program.
During the meeting, community members also will be able to share their concerns with District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The following dogs are ready for adoption or foster.
‘Bear’
“Bear” is a male American Pit Bull Terrier mix with a short brown coat.
He is dog No. 3476.
‘Dorito’
“Dorito” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier mix with a short white and gray coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 4576.
‘Dusty’
“Dusty” is a male American Pit Bull Terrier with a tan and white coat.
He is dog No. 4750.
‘Hector’
“Hector” is a male American Pit Bull Terrier mix with a short brindle coat.
He is dog No. 4697.
‘Inky’
“Inky” is a male German Shepherd mix with a long black coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 4324.
‘Sassy’
“Sassy” is a female American Bully with a short black with white markings.
She is dog No. 4602.
‘Toby’
“Toby” is a friendly senior male boxer mix.
He has a short tan and white coat.
He is dog No. 4389.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Fernandez
A new study suggests that the dangers posed by wildfire smoke may also extend to the largest organ in the human body, and our first line of defense against outside threat: the skin.
During the two weeks in November 2018 when wildfire smoke from the Camp Fire choked the San Francisco Bay Area, health clinics in San Francisco saw an uptick in the number of patients visiting with concerns of eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, and general itch, compared to the same time of the year in 2015 and 2016, the study found.
The findings suggest that even short-term exposure to hazardous air quality from wildfire smoke can be damaging to skin health.
The report, carried out by physician researchers at the UC San Francisco, in collaboration with researchers at the UC Berkeley, appears on April 21 in the journal JAMA Dermatology.
“Existing research on air pollution and health outcomes has focused primarily on cardiac and respiratory health outcomes, and understandably so. But there is a gap in the research connecting air pollution and skin health,” said study lead author Raj Fadadu, a student in the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program. “Skin is the largest organ of the human body, and it's in constant interaction with the external environment. So, it makes sense that changes in the external environment, such as increases or decreases in air pollution, could affect our skin health.”
Air pollutants can slip through skin barriers
Air pollution from wildfires, which consists of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and gases, can impact both normal and eczema-prone skin in a variety of ways.
These pollutants often contain chemical compounds that act like keys, allowing them to slip past the skin’s outer barrier and penetrate into cells, where they can disrupt gene transcription, trigger oxidative stress or cause inflammation.
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic condition which affects the skin’s ability to serve as an effective barrier against environmental factors. Because the skin’s barrier has been compromised, people with this condition are prone to flare-ups of red, itchy skin in response to irritants, and may be even more prone to harm from air pollution.
“Skin is a very excellent physical barrier that separates us and protects us from the environment,” said study senior author Maria Wei, MD, PhD, a dermatologist and melanoma specialist at UCSF. “However, there are certain skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis, in which the barrier is not fully functional. It's not normal even when you don't have a rash. So, it would make sense that when exposed to significant air pollution, people with this condition might see an effect on the skin.”
Even short burst of air pollution harms skin health
Earlier studies have found a link between atopic dermatitis and air pollution in cities with high background levels of air pollution from cars and industry. However, this is the first study to examine the impacts of a very short burst of extremely hazardous air from wildfires.
Despite being located 175 miles away from the Camp Fire, San Francisco saw an approximately nine-fold increase in baseline PM2.5 levels during the time of the blaze.
To conduct the study, the team examined data from more than 8,000 visits to dermatology clinics by both adults and children between October of 2015, 2016 and 2018, and February of the following year. They found that, during the Camp Fire, clinic visits for atopic dermatitis and general itch increased significantly in both adult and pediatric patients.
“Fully 89 percent of the patients that had itch during the time of the Camp Fire did not have a known diagnosis of atopic dermatitis, suggesting that folks with normal skin also experienced irritation and/or absorption of toxins within a very short period of time,” Wei said.
While skin conditions like eczema and itch may not be as life-threatening as the respiratory and cardiovascular impacts of wildfire smoke, they can still severely impact people’s lives, the researchers say.
The study also documented increased rates of prescribed medications, such as steroids, during times of high air pollution, suggesting that patients can experience severe symptoms.
Individuals can protect their skin during wildfire season by staying indoors, wearing clothing that covers the skin if they do go outside, and using emollients, which can strengthen the skin’s barrier function. A new medication to treat eczema, called Tapinarof, is now in clinical trials and could also be a useful tool during times of bad air.
“A lot of the conversations about the health implications of climate change and air pollution don’t focus on skin health, but it’s important to recognize that skin conditions do affect people's quality of life, their social interactions and how they feel psychologically,” Fadadu said. “I hope that these health impacts can be more integrated into policies and discussions about the wide-ranging health effects of climate change and air pollution.”
Co-authors of the paper from UCSF are Barbara Grimes, PhD and Albert T. Young, a MD candidate. From UCB: Nicholas P. Jewell, PhD. Co-authors also include Katrina Abuabara, MD and John R. Balmes, MD, who both have a dual appointment at UCSF and UC Berkeley; and Jason Vargo, PhD of the California Department of Public Health.
The study was supported by the UCSF Summer Explore Fellowship, the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association Summer Fellowship, and the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program Thesis Grant. For more funding details, please see the paper.
Elizabeth Fernandez writes for the University of California, San Francisco.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport Fire’s new chief is on the job and hard at work, learning more about the people he serves, his district and the challenges it faces in keeping the community safe.
The Lakeport Fire Protection District Board hired Jeffrey Thomas as the new chief last month, as Lake County News has reported. He succeeded Rick Bergem, who is retiring after decades in the fire service.
Thomas is a California native who spent his childhood in Richmond before going off to play football on a scholarship at the University of Utah.
Later, he started his career with the Salt Lake City Fire Department, where he served for 36 years.
When he became battalion chief on April 1, 2005, he was the first Black firefighter to hold the role and the first Black fire officer in the state of Utah.
April 1, incidentally, was his first day on the job in Lakeport, where he’s again breaking new ground as the department’s first Black chief. He’s also believed to be the first Black fire executive officer to serve in a Lake County agency.
Since arriving in Lakeport, Thomas said he has received an “overwhelming” show of community support.
Not only is he enjoying the welcome from the community, but he said he’s also coming back to the earth and soil he loves in Northern California.
He was well acquainted with Clear Lake and Lake County before applying to be the new fire chief.
As a child his family would camp at Clear Lake State Park. During his interview with Lake County News in his office at the downtown station, he called himself a Northern California “homeboy” whose pastimes include fishing, hunting and golf.
Over the last several years, he’s often driven the 12 hours from Salt Lake City to go fishing on Clear Lake.
Not long after arriving to start work in Lakeport this month, he went out on Clearlake for some crappie fishing and instead caught the “fish of a lifetime,” reeling in a 9.4-pound largemouth bass.
He released the fish, but he’s got the experience on video.
Once he hit the 30-year mark with Salt Lake City, Thomas said he began to look for a chief’s job in Northern California.
Lakeport turned out to be the right fit professionally and personally. He’s just two hours from his mother and now living in an area where he loves to fish.
Making the transition
Thomas brings new skill sets to Lakeport Fire, including experience managing a much larger firefighting force.
In Salt Lake City, Thomas said the fire district has 380 firefighters. That’s compared to Lakeport’s 12 personnel.
Salt Lake City covers 110 square miles, has about 200,000 residents in the city limits and 1.2 million in the metropolitan area.
The city of Lakeport has 4,698 residents, according to the latest estimates from the state Department of Finance. The fire district previously reported that it serves about 10,000 residents inside and outside of the city limits.
Thomas said Salt Lake City doesn’t really have wildland fires, with grass and vegetation fires being more common There, the challenges relate more to urban firefighting, as compared to Lakeport, which has an almost year-round fire season.
He said he wants to find ways to get the district more resources, including having more personnel on shift in order to respond when needed. You can only do the amount of work resources allow, he added.
Thomas also has identified some challenges, including interrupted hydrant supply on Main Street and on Soda Bay Road, and local bridges that can’t handle the passage of equipment.
In addition to wildland fires, Thomas wants to be ready for earthquakes, referring to a 4-magnitude quake that occurred this week and was felt around Lake County. That quake happened just over the Sonoma County line.
“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” he said, adding that he’s not afraid of work.
He offered the adage, “Inch by inch, life is a cinch,” a quote attributed to author John Bytheway.
For now, Thomas said he’s studying the budget, assessing the operational readiness of his team and trying to prepare for a potentially huge wildland fire season ahead. It’s a matter of think, plan, act.
“We want everyone to be prepared and ready,” he said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at