A wildfire allegedly started by a resident of the area and fed by pines in the mountains and oaks that cluster on the rolling hills closer to town wiped out whole blocks, destroying more than 175 homes, businesses and other structures about a two-hour drive north of San Francisco.
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Lake County has been the scene of several major fires in recent years. In all, he now faces 17 counts of arson and is being held at the county jail on a bond of $5.1 million. “So our focus right now is reinforcing our containment lines, working on making sure that this community and those around here that have been impacted by the fire, that all the little issues – power, gas safety issues, have been neutralized”.
North Coast Opportunities has reopened its fire relief fund from the 2015 Lake County wildfires. According to Ken Pimlott, the Director of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection who was consoling the people of Lake County, full prosecution of the suspect must be carried out.
Arriving firefighters Tuesday found flames consuming what appeared to be a travel trailer attached to a small building, according to a Cal Fire spokeswoman.
More than 175 structures have been destroyed, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.
Authorities in California have charged a local man with setting the still raging Clayton fire and “numerous” others. The nearby community of Clear Lake was also evacuated.
The Clayton Fire started Saturday, burning at least 4,000 acres.
“The smoke is on the desert floor”, said Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known.
Firefighters work to contain embers on the remains of a house destroyed by the Clayton Fire in Lower Lake, Calif..
The Valley fire – the third-most-destructive wildfire in state history – burned for more than a month in Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties, starting in September.
The blaze was one of 11 large wildfires burning in California, where high temperatures combined with parched conditions brought on by a five-year drought raised the fire danger. It burned through more than 30,189 hectares near scenic Big Sur, destroying 57 homes after it began on July 22. It is 60 percent contained, but continues to threaten more than 400 structures.
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Retirees Denis and Carolyn Quinn evacuated once a year ago and again this weekend, when they grabbed family photos and fled the house they share just off Main Street with their adult daughter and granddaughter.
