By 1:40 p.m., the fire was estimated to be up to 40 acres. Minutes later, an update said two dozen structures were involved.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said at 1:40 p.m. that an evacuation shelter has been established at Kelseyville High School.
Incident command called at 1:46 p.m. for an ambulance to respond to Cache Creek Mobile Home Park and an air ambulance to Adventist Health Clear Lake for an elderly burn victim. However, the air ambulance request could not be filled so a ground ambulance was requested. Later, it was reported an air ambulance would respond.
Just after 1:50 p.m. a grass fire was reported to be near Lower Lake Elementary School and the Lower Lake Cemetery, with a firefighter trying to access it.
Help from CHP was requested at Highways 29 and 53 shortly before 2 p.m. in order to get traffic going, as cars were backing up.
At 2 p.m., it was reported that Lower Lake Elementary’s evacuation had been completed, with children moved out by bus.
Minutes later, as many as three spot fires were reported around Lake Street.
At 2:07 p.m., an evacuation order was issued for south of 10th and East of Cache Creek apartments to the city limits.
At the same time, heavy traffic was reported on Highway 29, and at 2:10 p.m. radio traffic indicated a hard road closure was needed for northbound traffic at Highway 29 and Highway 53.
The fire was estimated to be 50 acres as of 2:12 p.m., with numerous structures involved and a moderate rate of spread.
At that point, incident command asked for four more dozers, two more crews and additional water tenders, with plans to update evacuation orders.
At 2:39 p.m., incident command reported the fire was up to 100 acres, with no updated estimate on structures. They asked for Animal Control and the Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, or LEAP, team to respond to Dam Road for numerous burned pets and livestock.
Evacuation areas have continued to expand. A rundown of zones and descriptions and their evacuation status is below.
There were separate reports over the air of forward progress being stopped, at 3:21 p.m. and again at 4:48 p.m.
Tankers began to be released shortly before 3:30 p.m. while work continued on a stop fire near the school.
At 4:36 p.m., there were plans to begin reenergizing major transmission lines that go through the fire area.
At 4:50 p.m., the sheriff’s office released a Nixle alert reporting that road closures are in place at the following locations: Dam Road at Jack in the Box, Main Street in Lower Lake at Highways 53 and 29, and Jessie Street at Highway 53 All other road closures were removed by that point.
At 6:55 p.m., incident command reported the fire was 80 acres and 20% contained, with two helicopters — of them Copter 104 — released.
At 7:51 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said evacuation orders for zones LOW-E159 and LOW- E169 were no longer in effect and residents could return home, but they were asked to be alert as fire and law enforcement personnel are still in the area.
The evacuation warning for zones LOW-E161, LOW-E167, LOW-E170 and LOW-E176 also were reported to have been lifted at that time.
However, the sheriff’s office said evacuation orders for zones LOW-E160 and CLE-E157A remain in effect.
The Clearlake Police Department reported just before 8:30 p.m. that the mandatory evacuation order for Cache Creek Apartments has been lifted and residents could return home, but the LOW-E160 and CLE-E157A evacuations orders were still active.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
ZONES IMPACTED BY THE CACHE FIRE
Evacuation orders remaining in effect as of 8 p.m.:
CLE-E157-A: Everything in the city of Clearlake to the south of 18th Avenue and east of Highway 53 except for Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital.
LOW-E160: Lower Lake. North of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road. South of Cache Creek. East of Bonham Road and west of Highway 53. This area excludes school district campuses.
LOW-E163: Richard H. Lewis School campuses.
LOW-E164: Includes Lower Lake, north of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road, south of Cache Creek, east of Bonham Road and west of Highway 53.
LOW-E166: Lower Lake High School and William C. Carle Continuation High School campuses.
Evacuation orders lifted as of 8 p.m.:
LOW-E159: Located north of Morgan Valley Road and south of Cache Creek, east of Bonham Road and southwest of Staehle Lane.
LOW-E169: North boundary extends south of Main Street and Morgan Valley Road. West boundary extends to the east of Highway 29. South boundary extends north of Spruce Grove Road North.
Evacuation warnings lifted as of 8 p.m.:
LOW-E161: West of Highway 53, north of Highway 29, northeast of Point Lakeview Road.
LOW-E167: Twin Lakes, west of Highway 29. North and east of Perini Road. East of Big Canyon Road and Seigler Canyon Road. Seigler Canyon Road passing through the outer part of the northwest boundary. Highway 29 passes through the outer part of the north boundary.
LOW-E170: South of E-169 and E-159, no boundary description offered, but northern boundary is Morgan Valley Road.
LOW-E176: Southwest of Spruce Grove Road and Old Spruce Grove Road. Southeast of Highway 29. North and northwest of Henderson Ranch Road.
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