A wildfire burning near the Lake County and Mendocino County line continued to threaten the area after rapidly expanding in the Potter Valley region, with evacuation orders still in effect for several Lake County zones.
The Lucas Fire began Thursday, Sept. 10, near Potter Valley. CAL FIRE reported the fire at 1,099 acres and 5% contained in its latest posted incident update, with crews continuing suppression efforts in difficult terrain. The cause remains under investigation.
The fire has prompted evacuations in parts of Lake County, while warnings remain active in areas of Lake and Mendocino counties. Officials have urged residents in affected areas to follow evacuation instructions and remain prepared for changing conditions.
Evacuation orders remain in effect
Mandatory evacuation orders cover these Lake County zones:
- MNF-E016
- MNF-E018
- MNF-E019
- UPP-E023
- UPP-E025
- UPP-E026
- UPP-E027
- UPP-E030
Evacuation warnings are also in effect for several additional zones in Lake County, including MNF-E017, MNF-E021, UPP-E028, UPP-E031, UPP-E032, UPP-E035 and UPP-E038.
In Mendocino County, warnings have been issued for MEN-2POT08 and MEN-2UKV28.
Evacuation center available in Lakeport
A temporary evacuation point has been established at the Lake County Fairgrounds’ Baldwin Pavilion in Lakeport. The location is also being used to assist residents evacuating livestock.
The facility is located at 401 Martin Street in Lakeport.
Lake County’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the fire. County officials said local agencies and response partners are coordinating as conditions change.
Fire activity and difficult terrain challenge crews
CAL FIRE previously reported that the Lucas Fire was burning in a remote area with difficult access. As the fire became more active Thursday, additional air resources were requested, and night-flying helicopters were ordered to assist with suppression efforts.
CAL FIRE also reported that structures were threatened near the head of the fire, prompting crews to move into position for structure protection.
The response has included air tankers from across California, with aircraft being used for fire suppression when conditions allow. CAL FIRE’s Sept. 11 incident update listed about 1,000 personnel assigned to the incident.
Roads and forest areas affected
Several access points along Highway 20 have been closed in connection with the incident, including locations at Bachelor Valley Road, Witter Springs Road and Saratoga Springs Road.
The fire has also affected the Mendocino National Forest. A forest closure was put in place in part of the Upper Lake Ranger District as officials worked to protect the public and support firefighting operations.
Residents in and around the affected areas should continue monitoring official emergency alerts because evacuation boundaries and road conditions can change as fire activity develops.
The cause of the Lucas Fire remains under investigation.
