LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Thursday, Sheriff Brian Martin declared a state of emergency in Lake County in response to the LNU Lightning Complex, which has burned into southern Lake County and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents.
Martin declared the emergency in his capacity of director of the county’s Office of Emergency Services.
It cites “conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property” resulting from “fires related to the LNU Lightning Complex.”
As of Thursday morning, the LNU Lightning Complex was up to 131,000 acres, with no containment, Cal Fire reported.
The complex grew by nearly 7,000 acres overnight as it continued to grow across Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
It is threatening 30,500 structures, with 105 so far destroyed and 70 damaged, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fires said 587 firefighting personnel, 69 engines, 27 water tenders, eight helicopters, nine hand crews and 28 dozers are assigned. Air tankers remain in short supply due to fires across the state.
Two fires within the complex – the Round and the Aetna – are burning within Lake County, according to the Thursday report.
The Aetna fire, south of Middletown, is 4,500 acres and the Round fire, located south of Hidden Valley Lake, is 4,000 acres, with no containment on either, Cal Fire reported.
Previously the Morgan fire – now merged with the 105,000-acre Hennessey fire – was reported to be in Lake County. However, Cal Fire mapping shows it is holding just on the other side of the Lake County line, and burning in Napa and Yolo counties.
The fires prompted initial evacuations to the southeast of Lower Lake on Tuesday with more evacuations ordered on Wednesday that covered areas including Jerusalem Valley and Hidden Valley Lake, and areas surrounding Middletown. Those orders remained in effect on Thursday, officials said.
An evacuation warning for areas including Middletown proper was issued on Thursday afternoon.
Sheriff Martin told Lake County News on Thursday afternoon that he estimated between 6,000 and 7,000 Lake County residents have been evacuated due to the complex so far.
That estimate does not include how many residents may be impacted if Middletown is forced to evacuate.
Martin said he has not yet had official reports from Cal Fire about damaged or destroyed structures, just secondhand reports from property owners in the Jerusalem Valley area about structures that have burned.
The Board of Supervisors must now ratify Martin’s declaration. Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein confirmed the declaration is on the agenda for the board’s next meeting on Tuesday.
Martin’s full declaration is published below.
EMERGENCY DECLARATION
WHEREAS, Section 6-5 of the Lake County Code empowers the Director of Emergency Services to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency when Lake County is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity and the County Board of Supervisors is not in session; and
WHEREAS, the Sheriff, as Director of Emergency Services of Lake County does hereby find; that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property have arisen within the County of Lake, caused by fires related to the LNU Lightning Complex; and
WHEREAS, the Morgan Fire, which began on the 18th day of August, 2020, has already prompted evacuation of portions of southern Lake County, and rapid changes of wind conditions have required great vigilance in light of the possible need of further evacuations; and
WHEREAS, these conditions are beyond the immediate control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of Lake County, and air and other resources are over-tasked, due to significant wildfire activity around the State of California; and
WHEREAS, the County Board of Supervisors of the County of Lake is not in session and cannot immediately be called into session.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED that a local emergency now exists throughout Lake County and all jurisdictions within Lake County; and
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that during the existence of said local emergency the powers, functions, and duties of the emergency organization of Lake County shall be those prescribed by state law, by ordinances, and resolutions of the County; and that this emergency proclamation shall expire 7 days after issuance unless confirmed and ratified by the Lake County Board of Supervisors.
AND, IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that said local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist until its termination is proclaimed by the Lake County Board of Supervisors.
By: Brian L. Martin
Sheriff/Coroner/OES Director
August 20, 2020
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