Fire burning off Dam Road in Clearlake; nearby residents evacuated
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Firefighters are working to stop a wildland fire near the Clearlake Walmart that has led to immediate evacuation of a nearby apartment complex.
The fire on Dam Road, near Walmart and behind Tractor Supply Co. and Big 5 Sporting Goods, was dispatched just before 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
Incident command’s initial estimate of fire size was 2 to 3 acres with a rapid rate of spread in heavy brush, with an east wind on it. Immediate evacuation of the nearby Cache Creek Apartments was ordered.
The fire is reported to be spotting and moving toward the apartment complex’s C and D buildings.
Authorities also were dispatched to look for a male subject that reporting parties said may have been responsible for setting the fire.
Helicopters and tankers are making drops on the fire as people are being moved out of the area.
A witness reported that the fire appears to be burning in the area of a homeless camp and hasn’t yet reached the apartments.
The last size estimate at about 6:10 p.m. put the fire at between four and five acres.
Shortly afterward, incident command received a report of a spot off Boyles and Eighth avenues, but firefighters said they couldn’t find a spot fire there.
Law enforcement is working to clear traffic at the shopping center, where cars are getting blocked in and preventing fire traffic, according to radio reports.
The Clearlake Police Department sent out a Nixle alert asking people to avoid the area of Highway 53 and Dam Road to Lake Street.
Incident command said forward progress stopped as of just before 6:40 p.m. At that point, the size was estimated to be holding between three and four acres.
The evacuation order had been lifted for buildings A, B and C at Cache Creek Apartments as of 8:15 p.m. The order for building D residents was lifted about 20 minutes later, officials said.
Lake County Fire and Cal Fire are in unified command on the incident.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
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