CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council on Monday confirmed a local emergency declaration issued as a result of widespread damage caused by windstorms that ripped through the city late last week, while local officials finished assessing how much damage the storm caused.
While the emergency is considered to be over, City Clerk Melissa Swanson said the declaration is a formality that will assist property owners in providing documentation for insurance purposes.
According to a report to the council from City Manager Joan Phillipe, the proclamation declaring the local emergency also authorizes extraordinary police powers, if necessary; offers limited immunity for emergency actions of public employees and governing bodies; authorizes the issuance of orders and regulations to protect life and property; allows special purchasing and contracting directly related to the emergency; and sends a proactive message to the community.
City Public Works Supervisor Doug Herren said conditions were dangerous for the public and emergency personnel working through the storm to keep the city safe.
He said crews were working among downed, live electricity wires, cracking and falling trees, flying debris and darkness.
“It was crazy out there,” he said. “Good thing about this whole thing is, nobody got hurt.”
Lake County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Willie Sapeta and Herren have completed a final assessment of the storm damage.
Herren said the major force of the storm began hitting the area around 7 p.m. last Thursday, and was centralized in the Clearlake Park area, where he said multiple wind tunnels were experienced.
About 56 city streets were impacted and about 75 oak trees were felled or damaged, Herren said.
He said 10 structures were damaged, including five that had trees fall into them.
Sapeta said downed power lines on Cache Creek Way caused a fire that destroyed three outbuildings and three boats in the area of Shaw's Shady Acres and Rainbow's End.
Herren estimated four to five Pacific Gas and Electric mainlines were severed in the storm, cutting power to most of the city's residents.
When it came to restoring power, he said priority was on the stoplight on Highway 53 at 18th Avenue in the area of Saint Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
According to Brian Bottari, government relations representative for PG&E, as of 6 p.m. Sunday all main power service connections in Lake County were restored.
However, PG&E's outage map showed early Tuesday that 19 Clearlake residents still remained without power. Power was to be restored to them by 4 a.m. Tuesday.
Anyone with concerns about possible electrical hazards, such as limbs hanging over lines, should call the PG&E service line at 1-800-743-5000.
Members of the Clearlake City Council on Monday commended the actions performed by Clearlake Public Works, fire and police personnel throughout the windstorm.
“I, personally, am proud of you guys. Each emergency we have, you guys really handle it,” Mayor Joyce Overton said.
Herren thanked her and then commended members of the public, many of whom he said were out there with chainsaws ready to assist.
The city has designated a green waste drop off location at the Public Works corporation yard, on Airport Road off of Old Highway 53, to assist Clearlake residents with windstorm related debris.
There is no charge for the service and only tree and brush debris will be accepted, according to the city.
Herren said the dumping of garbage, tires, scrap metal, hazardous materials or other waste will result in the city discontinuing the service, which is scheduled to remain available through Jan. 15.
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