LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A wildland fire that began on Cobb Mountain on Saturday afternoon scorched thousands of acres and chased residents across the south county from their homes.
The Valley fire in the 8000 block of High Valley Road off Bottle Rock Road was first reported at approximately 1:24 p.m. Saturday, according to Cal Fire.
Within a few hours it had injured four firefighters and resulted in evacuations impacting thousands of south Lake County residents.
Shortly before 7 p.m., Cal Fire reported that the incident had ballooned to 10,000 acres.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office ordered mandatory evacuations for High Valley Road, Bottle Rock Road, the entire community of Cobb, Harbin Hot Springs, Big Canyon Road, Hidden Valley Lake, all of the community of Middletown, Highway 29 from Clearlake to Tubbs Lane in Calistoga and over to Berryessa Estates.
Numerous road closures also were in effect, including High Valley Road at Bottle Rock Road, High Valley Road at Highway 175, Highway 29 at Highway 175 in both Kelseyville and Middletown, Highway 29 at Red Hills Road, Highway 29 at Loch Lomond, Highway 29 at Lower Lake, and Highway 29 from Spruce Grove Road North in Lower Lake to Butts Canyon Road in Middletown.
Resources from around Lake County and other parts of the state responded through the afternoon and into the evening.
Traffic around the south county was reported to be jammed as residents tried to evacuate the fire.
One minor-injury crash was reported on Highway 29 and Spruce Grove Road, with first responders reporting that northbound traffic was using all lanes on Highway 29 trying to escape the fire.
Units also were being dispatched to help evacuate residents who were unable to get out on their own.
At about 7:30 p.m. The Geysers was asked to open its gates to the roads through the facility could be used as evacuation routes through to Sonoma County if necessary.
A dark, thick pall of smoke stretched across Lake County, extending even into areas not directly impacted by the blaze.
There were numerous reports of structures damaged or destroyed, but details were not immediately available due to the quickly developing situation.
Just before 8 p.m. Cal Fire reported that all four firefighter injured in the fire's early stages had suffered second-degree burns and were in stable condition at UC Davis Medical Center.
The Lake County Office of Emergency Services activated the county's Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate response to the incident, as it had done with the Rocky and Jerusalem fires.
Evacuees are being directed to an emergency shelter at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, 5340 Third St., as well as an evacuation center at the Napa County Fairgrounds, 1435 N. Oak St., Calistoga.
Lake County OES indicated details would be forthcoming on other shelters.
Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection and Animal Care and Control also are on call to evacuate animals from the fire area, according to Lake County OES.
Those needing help evacuating animals are directed to call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Additional details will be posted 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.