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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The US Forest Service and Cal Fire are engaged in a coordinated response to manage and suppress the August Complex.
Officials said the complex consists of multiple fires that have burned together and are collectively known as the August Complex.
The Complex has been divided into three zones: South, North and West. The South Zone is located primarily in the Mendocino National Forest, geographically from the South Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness to just north of Lake Pillsbury, officials said.
The August Complex has grown to 877,477 acres and was up to 28-percent containment on Sunday. It is listed as the largest fire in California history.
The South Zone – formerly known as the Doe fire – is now 503,086 acres.
Firefighters are mopping up along the fire’s perimeter where fire activity is low, increasing its containment. Officials said they continue to reduce fuels around Lake Pillsbury and in communities near the Eel River and Bauer Ridge to help protect infrastructure. This includes installing hose lays, water dip tanks for helicopters and putting in dozer lines where appropriate.
The Forest Service said aerial resources will continue to utilize water drops on hot spots around the fire’s perimeter. Crews will continue to patrol and monitor fire activity throughout the fire area.
Officials said they continue to deal with challenging weather conditions. High winds and temperatures, low humidity and critically dry fuels are continuing to spur fire activity.
Evacuations are in effect in many counties, including Lake, where Pillsbury Ranch and the entire Lake Pillsbury basin remain under evacuation orders.
On Sunday evening, Cal Fire, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office jointly issued an evacuation order for areas west of the National Forest boundary, north of Thomas Creek and the Eel River, and east of Twin Bridges Creek, south of Bald Mountain; west of Elk Creek south of Deep Hole Creek, north of the National Forest Boundary; and west of the Eel River, north of Deep Hole Creek, east of Eden Valley, including the entire valley floor, south of Eden Creek.
At the same time, they issued an evacuation warning for south of the Middle Fork of the Eel River, west of Eden Creek, north of Salt Flat and east of Salt Creek; east of Brushy Mountain, south of the fire road on Salt Flat, west of Eden Valley and north of Bald Mountain; south and west of the Eel River, north of Foster Mountain Road, east of the ridge west of Willits Road; and north of Twin Bridges Creek, east of the Eel River, south of Brushy Creek and west of Brushy Mountain.
Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region issued a temporary closure of all 18 National Forests in California effective through Sept. 14.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The meeting will take place via webinar beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The agenda can be found here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 877-309-2074 or 213-929-4221. The access code is 596-105-550; 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
Indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council prior to the meeting.
On the agenda, Public Health Office Dr. Gary Pace will present an update on COVID-19 in Lake County.
Staff also will introduce to the council Civic Sparks Fellow Connie Warthan and new Community Development Director Jennifer Byers.
Also on Tuesday, Public Works Director Doug Grider will offer an update on the ongoing road and capital improvement projects citywide.
On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Aug. 18; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the Mendocino Complex fire; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the February 2019 storms; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the October 2019 public safety power shutoff; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the COVID-19 public health emergency; and the Aug. 20 warrant register.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The 363,220-acre complex, burning for nearly a month, remained at 96-percent containment on Sunday, Cal Fire reported.
The 305,651-acre Hennessey Fire, which has burned in Colusa, Lake, Solano and Yolo counties, is at 98-percent containment, while the Walbridge fire in Sonoma County remained at 55,209 acres and 96-percent containment, according to Cal Fire’s Sunday report.
Cal Fire said 610 personnel, 30 engines, five water tenders, 19 hand crews and nine dozers are assigned.
Firefighters are still working on containment and suppression repair throughout the fire area, officials reported.
Widespread smoke from other fires will continue to be visible in the area, Cal Fire said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Kathleen Scavone
“You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it …”
– from Seamus Heaney's 'Blackberry-picking'
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After so many of us were evacuated due to the massive LNU Lightning Complex (or other) fires and then, by the grace of God – and the firefighters – allowed to repopulate, I viewed a scene which calmed me, as a black-tailed deer browsed the blackberry bushes near my home.
The blackberries are thriving now along creeks, roads and disturbed areas practically everywhere.
They are prolific and delicious, but most likely what we are all making pies, jams and cobblers out of are invasive Himalayan blackberries.
The berries native to California, Rubus ursinus once thrived here, but the introduced Himalayan blackberry is more prevalent now, due in part to California's own master gardener, Luther Burbank, who mistakenly took seeds that he thought had been collected close to the Himalayan Mountains.
The seeds turned out to have been from Armenia, but the name stuck, and the plants thrived partly due to birds feeding on the plump berries, and partly because of the plant's deep roots that make eradicating efforts very difficult.
Blackberries are not technically a berry, but an aggregate fruit made up of numerous tiny fruits that each contain their own pit.
The rich, purple beauties are packed with nutrients such as vitamins A and C, along with potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium.
According to the health website WebMD, chemicals in blackberries may have antioxidant properties as well as provide protection from certain cancers. Nutritious powerhouses, blackberries are loaded with dietary fiber as well.
These versatile plants and their fruit have been drawn on throughout history for a variety of medicinal purposes. The ancient Greeks thought the plant's leaves made a suitable tea to aid in sore throats, mouth sores and for ailments like thrush and diarrhea.
Historically, many California Indian groups made use of shoots of young spring plants or the dried, ground berries as the base for a medicinal tea.
Early settlers put the plant to use for help in easing stomach aches, common colds or congestion.
Today, some folks prefer to concoct a special blackberry brandy for their own “medicinal purposes.”
For some mouth-watering recipes like Humble Bumble Crumble bars, blackberry frozen yogurt or berry-beet salad visit Taste of Home's website.
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, freelance writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.”