CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Thanks to the quick action of firefighters with the assistance of animal control and police officers, more than two dozen pets were saved from an early Friday morning fire in Clearlake.
The fire occurred in a mobile home and a kennel in the 2100 block of Ogulin Canyon Road. The initial dispatch took place just after 2:45 a.m. Friday, with firefighting resources coming from Lake County Fire, Cal Fire and Northshore Fire, as Lake County News has reported.
Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta said a total of seven engines, two water tenders – due to lack of water supply – along with two medic units and three company officers responded.
“It went real well,” he said.
Initial reports from the scene said the fire was burning a mobile home and had started into the wildland. Firefighters arriving on the scene started rescuing the animals.
Sapeta said the people in the mobile home had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived.
He said the kennel had an office building at the front that was gutted, while the kennel area itself was not enclosed. Sapeta said the animals were able to move away from the fire, and not being in a building prevented them from suffering from the smoke or heat.
Reports from the scene indicated the mobile home burned down. Sapeta said they were able to save a majority of the kennel structure.
Sapeta said some power lines fell into trees and Pacific Gas and Electric responded to deenergize them.
He said there were no injuries to personnel or animals, and investigators are continuing to try to determine cause and origin.
The Clearlake Police Department, Clearlake Animal Control, Lake County Animal Care and Control and its Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection team responded, and were instrumental in helping evacuate the dogs, cats, pigs and goats from the scene, Sapeta said.
Lake County Animal Care and Control Director Jonathan Armas told Lake County News that his team responded and arrived close to 4 a.m.
He said Animal Care and Control and LEAP had four people on scene during the event, and the regularly scheduled shelter staff assisted during intake and care.
“All animals have been brought to our shelter in Lakeport. Some animals have already been picked up by their owners and others we have been in contact to get them home,” Armas said Friday afternoon.
He confirmed there were no animals killed or burned during the fire. Only one dog suffered injuries requiring veterinarian medical attention, and that was due to two other dogs attacking it. Armas said Dr. Debi Sally examined the injured dog at the scene and then it was transferred to Wasson Memorial.
“He is back at our shelter now where he should make a full recovery. All the other animals are doing great and a few had some little cuts but nothing substantial,” Armas said.
Armas said the final animal count was 19 dogs, two cats, four kittens, two pigs and three goats.
He thanked all of the agencies involved, as well as Dr. Sally and Wasson Memorial Veterinary Clinic. “We also want to thank the rescues Coppers Dream and Bones for their help in getting our animals to create room for the displaced animals from the fire. We also saw a higher number of public looking at our animals for adoption and want to thank the community for coming to help as well.”
This was the second animal rescue for local officials in Clearlake in two days.
Early Thursday, a black bear was found in a tree in the area of Hill and West 40th. The effort to relocate the bear involved the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Fire, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife and K&R Tree Service.
“It went off very, very well,” said Sapeta, noting that it was cool how all of the resources pulled together.
Sapeta said firefighters were ready to do a roof rescue rigging system to safely get the bear out of the tree, but after being hit with a tranquilizer dart it fell out of the tree, hitting an embankment on the way down, which helped break its fall.
He said wildlife biologists treated the bear and then relocated it. The bear later was reported to be fine.
“We were joking around, 'who’s going to start the IV,'” Sapeta said.
Regarding the bear, Sapeta added, “That’s a first in my career,” noting that he has dealt with bobcats and mountain lions, and years ago was involved in a rigging system for a horse rescue.
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