Lake County fire triggers evacuations, burns 8.5 acres

Five Clearlake homes were evacuated Monday night after an 8.5-acre vegetation fire sparked in the northwestern part of the city, authorities said.

The Lake County Fire Protection District was dispatched about 10 p.m. to reports of an about 3-acre fire that was spreading quickly near Mendocino and San Joaquin avenues, Fire Chief William Sapeta said.

About 10:15 p.m., the Clearlake Police Department ordered residents on Carter Lane to evacuate and issued an evacuation warning for homes on Mendocino Avenue.

Crews contained the blaze, dubbed the San Joaquin Fire, about 11:45 p.m. but remained in the area throughout Monday night and all day Tuesday, Sapeta said. No buildings were destroyed and no one was injured.

Police issued a second statement just after midnight canceling the warning. The five homes had to remain evacuated until 4 a.m.

Cal Fire assisted with the response.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.