LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters were able to save several homes involved in two separate fires on Wednesday.
The fires occurred in Clearlake early Wednesday morning and in Lower Lake shortly before noon.
Lake County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief George Murch said the first fire occurred at 3585 Ciwa and was dispatched just before 2:30 a.m.
It was dispatched as a possible structure fire. While en route firefighters found out it was an outbuilding on fire that was spreading into a nearby residence – a doublewide home – where an elderly woman was said to be trapped, Murch said.
Murch said fire personnel were able to get her out safely, and the fire ultimately was knocked down with some resulting damage to the woman's home and outbuildings.
He said Lake County Fire sent two chief officers and one engine, with Cal Fire responding with an engine.
Murch said firefighters cleared the scene at 4:46 a.m.
The cause is under investigation, he said.
“It is the second fire that we've had on that property, so it is suspicious,” he said.
The previous fire, which Murch estimated occurred about a month ago, involved a debris trailer that was parked on the property, which was being cleaned up. He said someone threw something into it, catching it on fire.
Murch said the home didn't have a smoke alarm, and he took the opportunity to remind people to not only have the alarms but to check them, especially if living in mobile homes, which can burn more quickly.
The afternoon fire, which Murch said was dispatched at 11:57 a.m., occurred at the Westwind Mobile Park, located at 11270 Konocti Vista Drive.
He said a Cal Fire hand crew got on scene first, followed by Lake County Fire and Kelseyville Fire, which came on a mutual aid request.
“While en route, we could see heavy smoke,” Murch said.
Altogether the fire burned a quarter-acre of vegetation, and did moderate damage to two mobile homes and minor damage to a third. Murch said the damage primarily was to deck structures.
It took about 20 minutes to contain and 30 minutes to mop up, he said, with units clearing at 1:45 a.m.
That fire resulted from a maintenance person burning weeds. Murch said the weeds caught nearby junipers on fire, which led to the blaze spreading.
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Firefighters knock out fires in Clearlake, Lower Lake
- Elizabeth Larson
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