Friday, 29 March 2024

Cal Fire stops forward spread of 29 Fire; mandatory evacuations remain in effect overnight

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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A fire that burned hundreds of acres along Highway 29 on Thursday forced mandatory evacuations that were remaining in effect overnight, however state fire officials said the forward progress on the blaze had been halted.

Cal Fire said more than 200 personnel were assigned to the 29 Fire, which was first reported at approximately 2:44 p.m. Thursday along Highway 29 south of Perini Road, between Lower Lake and Hidden Valley Lake.

It quickly grew in size, running up a hillside and endangering numerous nearby structures. By nightfall the fire had scorched 300 acres.

On Thursday afternoon, officials had reported that 10 vehicles and a structure had been burned. Lake County Deputy Administrative Officer Debra Sommerfield said later that it was believed that a barn and some outbuildings had in fact burned.

She said the fire’s cause remains under investigation.

Cal Fire’s Thursday night report said firefighters had achieved 20 percent containment on the fire, and forward spread had been stopped.

Sommerfield said mandatory evacuations in the area of Murphy Springs Road to Perini Road were remaining in effect until 8 a.m. Friday.

However, voluntary evacuations that had been taking place on Candy Lane to Joseph Trail in the Twin Lakes Subdivision were being lifted, Sommerfield said.

The Red Cross set up an evacuation shelter at the old gym at Lower Lake High School, located at 9430 Lake St., according to spokesperson Susanne La Faver.

As of shortly before 9 p.m., no one has come in to the shelter, and staff were putting up signage. “We are prepared,” said La Faver.

She said Lake County Animal Care and Control had left food and crates for any animals that arrived at the shelter with their owners.

Cole Creek Equestrian Center at 4965 Steelhead Drive in Kelseyville, 707-775-5880 or 707-349-1868, and Highland Springs Equestrian Center, 707-279-1903, reported that they were accepting horses that needed to be evacuated from the fire area.

Earlier in the day officials had shut down Highway 29 between the north and south ends of Spruce Grove Road as firefighters worked at the scene.

Sommerfield said Thursday night that one-lane traffic was in effect along Highway 29, with traffic control to stay in place until 8 a.m. Friday.

La Faver said she had traveled through the fire area from Hidden Valley Lake on the way to the Red Cross shelter at Lower Lake High School, and that traffic was moving smoothly.

Cal Fire said more than 30 engines, along with four fire crews, five airtankers, three helicopters and five dozers were assigned to the incident, with work to continue on Friday.

Lake County News will continue to post additional details on the fire as they become available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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