CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A new wildland fire has begun northeast of Clearlake Oaks and is burning into the Pawnee fire footprint.
The Spring fire was first reported shortly after 4:30 p.m. Monday north of the Spring Valley Lakes subdivision off of Pawnee Trail, near where the Pawnee fire began June 23.
Reports from the scene indicated that the fire may have been caused by a rock strike, possibly from equipment.
The Pawnee fire was fully contained on Sunday, but Cal Fire reported that units remained on scene for patrol.
Cal Fire responded will a full wildland fire dispatch that included air resources, with Northshore Fire also en route, according to radio reports.
The first units on scene minutes after dispatch reported that the fire was about half an acre, burning uphill toward the Pawnee fire burn area.
Shortly before 5 p.m., incident command requested that four dozers, 10 engines, four crews and aircraft respond.
Air resources reported just after 5 p.m. that the fire was about 25 acres in size, burning in grass and oak woodland, with a moderate rate of spread. At that point it was estimated to have a potential to grow to 100 acres if it hit the burn area.
Smoke from the Spring incident led to a dispatch at around 5:15 p.m. for a fire in the area of Walker Ridge and Highway 20, but it was determined that there was no fire and it was only drift smoke.
By 5:20 p.m., air attack reported that the Spring fire was up to 40 acres and moving into the Pawnee fire burn scar.
Firefighters were working on a spot fire north of the burn scar at that time, based on radio reports.
Air attack estimated they should be able to hold the Spring fire to about 100 acres.
Incident command reported that the fire is on Bureau of Land Management land and a very small portion of the incident is burning in the Mendocino National Forest.
Shortly before 6 p.m., incident command reported that the right shoulder of the fire had burned into the Pawnee fire footprint, while the left shoulder was in an area that hadn’t previously burned. Both flanks were active, fanned by erratic winds.
Eight helicopters from the County fire to the southeast were working at the new incident, based on radio reports.
Incident command said there was no immediate threat to Spring Valley but was asking for a sheriff’s representative to respond to the command center.
Shortly after 6:30 p.m., the fire was reported to be 65 acres and 25-percent contained, growing to 80 acres and 50-percent containment by 7 p.m., according to reports from the scene.
That fire began at about the same time as a vegetation fire was reported in the 14400 block of Olympic Drive in Clearlake.
Forward progress on the Clearlake incident was reported to have been stopped at 4:50 p.m., although crews were dealing with a hotspot in a nearby creekbed.
Additional updates 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.
Firefighters battle new blaze near Pawnee fire area
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On