LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – More relatively modest growth took place on the Jerusalem fire overnight and containment continued to increase, however fire officials have raised concerns due to a forecast of increasing winds overnight Friday and into Saturday.
The fire, burning since Sunday in the Jerusalem Valley area northeast of Middletown, reached 24,555 acres and 52-percent containment on Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.
The fire is burning not just in Lake County but in Napa and Yolo counties as well, with one edge of the fire moving closer – but not into – the border of Colusa County, according to the latest fire map.
Cal Fire said the Jerusalem fire is burning in dense vegetation within the fire perimeter, which is creating significant amounts of smoke and heat, and spot fires remain a threat to the fire control lines.
Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said most of the fire's activity on Thursday was within the perimeter.
The weekend weather is a concern for fire officials due to the forecast of hot, dry conditions with an increase in temperatures into the upper 90s and single digit relative humidity. Officials said this week's cooler conditions have aided the firefighting effort.
Berlant said winds are expected to increase on Friday night, when 17 mile per hour winds are forecast.
In the early morning hours of Saturday, peaking at around 4 a.m., wind speeds are expected to increase up to 29 miles per hour in the fire area, Berlant said.
“That's really going to test the line that firefighters have made around the fire,” Berlant said, explaining that fire typically drops overnight in the cooler conditions.
Efforts remain focused on the fire's southern and eastern flanks of the fire, where firefighters are working to construct the fire line that ultimately will control the fire while defending structures, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said there has been no damage to any of the 50 threatened structures in the fire area, but mandatory and advisory evacuations remain in place for areas listed here: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=1193 .
The Red Cross evacuation center at Kelseyville High School remains open, officials said.
Continuing road closures include Jerusalem Valley Road at Spruce Grove Road, Morgan Valley Road from Reiff Road southeast to the Napa County line, Reiff Road from Morgan Valley east to the Yolo County line and Berryessa Knoxville Road closed from Lake Berryessa north.
The agency also reported that there have been no injuries.
Resources assigned on Friday included 2,214 personnel, 164 engines, 62 hand crews, 30 dozers, 21 water tenders, 15 helicopters and four air tankers, Cal Fire said.
The Jerusalem fire is expected to be fully contained on Monday, according to Cal Fire's latest report.
Nearby on the Rocky fire, Cal Fire's size estimate remained at 69,438 acres, with containment also still at 95 percent. Cal Fire has estimated it will have the incident fully contained – after two and a half weeks – on Saturday.
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.
Jerusalem fire makes another modest growth gain; overnight winds a concern
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On