Authorities arrested a man on Monday suspected of starting numerous California wildfires, including one that has so far burned 4,000 acres and destroyed 175 homes.
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“The residents of Lake County have experienced senseless loss and endured significant hardship over the past year”, said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director in a statement.
Officials confirmed 10 homes around Lower Lake were burned, although witnesses said they could see more.
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Lake County, where the blaze has forced the entire community of Lower Lake, about 100 miles north of San Francisco, to evacuate.
After 1,500 acres burned a year ago on the 1,700-acre ranch where Comstock grew up and still lives, he has cleared out brush to make fire breaks – a ritual familiar to other Californians who live in areas traditionally associated with wildfires.
Cal Fire Incident Commander Barry Biermann says the blaze in Lower Lake about 90 miles north of San Francisco grew 50 acres away from homes and into an area scorched by a wildfire a year ago.
On Sunday afternoon, the flames jumped a road and marched into Main Street in Lower Lake, a town of about 1,200.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. (AP) – Unlike many surrounding mountain hamlets and valleys, this hardscrabble Northern California town was spared last summer when wildfires engulfed large swaths of a region unaccustomed to their destructive power.
The fire is just one of two dozen major wildfires across the drought-parched U.S. West, estimated to have destroyed almost 300,000 acres.
Vet and animal rescue groups have set up an evacuation center for animals hurt or left homeless in the blaze rampaging through California’s wildfire tired Lake County.
In Southern California, forecasters warned of high fire danger due to a heat wave and gusty winds.
Residents have a new view of the wild beauty they’ve always admired.
“It’s a poor community”, he said at a high school opened to evacuees about 20 miles from town.
Wilsey said they’re already planning to rebuild, even though the fate of their home remains uncertain. “I don’t think any of us thought we’d be back where we are tonight”.
The blaze in San Luis Obispo County, about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has destroyed 12 structures and injured two people.
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The blaze shifted north toward the lake, prompting authorities to evacuate some residents by boat. It was only slightly contained. “We’ve got over 1,600 firefighters ready to go to battle again when that happens”.
