Sheriff’s office monitors Tubbs fire; no immediate threat to Middletown
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – While the Tubbs fire continues its approach to southern Lake County, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday afternoon that there is still no immediate threat to Middletown.
The Tubbs fire, burning in Napa and Sonoma counties since Sunday night, has so far burned 34,270 acres and is 10-percent contained, according to Cal Fire’s Thursday report.
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday afternoon reported that the Tubbs fire’s death toll has reached 14.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued an advisory evacuation because of the fire’s approach on Wednesday morning, as Lake County News has reported.
Early Thursday morning, south county residents reported seeing flames cresting the hilltops across the county line.
However, the sheriff’s office said it is closely monitoring the Tubbs fire and, while the fire is very active, officials emphasized there is still no immediate threat to the Middletown area.
The sheriff’s office said it is receiving regular updates regarding the Tubbs fire’s activity, as well as that of the Pocket fire near Geyserville in Sonoma County, which has more than doubled to 8.130 acres over the past day.
Additional alerts will be sent out if at any time there is an immediate threat to the Middletown area, the sheriff’s office said.
Officials still encourage residents to be prepared to leave with little notice in case a mandatory evacuation becomes necessary. That includes gathering medications, pets and important papers.
The only mandatory evacuation orders that are currently in place in Lake County are related to the Sulphur fire, the sheriff’s office said.
The Sulphur fire remains at 2,500 acres and 45-percent containment. A community meeting on the fire is planned at 6 p.m. Thursday during the Clearlake City Council meeting, 14050 Olympic Drive.
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