Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin said Monday night that Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, of Clearlake was arrested on 17 counts of arson and is in jail.
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Lower Lake barely missed wildfires that plagued towns east and south previous year.
The declaration issued Monday frees up state resources and temporarily sets aside regulations for fighting the fire and the recovery. Right now, there are no other immediate threats to structures. Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency and hundreds of people have been evacuated as the fire swept through downtown Lower Lake. It threatens 1,500 structures besides the more than 175 destroyed, Cal Fire said on Monday.
Bone-dry conditions as California weathers one of its worst droughts on record makes the fire risk extremely high in the wooded region about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco. It broke out Saturday afternoon and exploded to almost 5 square miles as it fed on bone-dry vegetation.
A portion of Clearlake, a neighboring town of about 15,000, was also evacuated as firefighters struggled to get a handle on the largely out-of-control fire. Some used hoses or water from their pools to try to protect their houses.
Smith fled to an evacuation center with two of her sons. “We feel we were put through hell past year and now we are in it again”.
The family is safe, as are their 16 goats and several chickens.
They are still unsure of the shape of their house.
The family is now staying with friends.
Firefighters have increased containment to 20 percent overnight on the 4,000-acre wildfire burning in Lake County, which has destroyed more than 100 homes, Cal Fire announced Tuesday.
The Clayton Fire exploded Sunday evening and now covers 3,000 acres.
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Ironically, the Habitat for Humanity office in Lower Lake was working to raise money to help rebuild homes destroyed by last year’s fire. Mike McGuire said of the older blaze. “It’s hard to look at that man and know that he’s the one that’s caused all of this because I have close friends who lost everything”, Lower Lake resident Andrea McMullen said. The wildfire near Lake Nacimiento, about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles, grew to almost 7 square miles and forced authorities to evacuate some residents by boat. It is partially contained.
