Clearlake fire burns structures, grassland in Lake County

Fire broke out in the tall grass near an abandoned mobile home in downtown Clearlake Friday, spreading to two vacant residences and about two acres of oak woodland before its advance was halted, fire officials said.

Callers reporting the fire at 2:54 p.m. on Snook Avenue, saying a fire spread from overgrown weeds to a red-tagged mobile home, which quickly went up in flames, Lake County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Charlie Diener said. Diener said they don’t know how the fire started, but it appears suspicious.

The modest neighborhood of mostly mobile homes was at risk if the fire spread with residences close together, the weeds overgrown and a light wind helping to send embers spotting in multiple directions, Diener said.

With high temperatures and low humidity, Diener called for significant support. All told, 11 engines, two water tenders, two inmate crews, a dozer and one helicopter helped hold the fire two the two vacant structures and two acres of oaklands.

“This thing had a lot of potential to get way out of hand quickly, so I called in the world, and we needed it,” Diener said.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.