HOPLAND, Calif. – At noon on Monday, Jan. 5, and Tuesday, Jan. 6, the Cal Fire Mendocino Unit will conduct another vegetation management control burn on privately-owned land in the Pieta Creek watershed in the southeastern portion of Mendocino County.

The prescribed burning conducted under this Vegetation Management Program project will be done to meet a specific objective and conducted under specific climatic conditions to ensure control and minimize air quality and biological impacts.

These conditions will mimic conditions under which natural wildfires occur to maximize the positive effects of fire on vegetation.

The primary goal of this prescribed burn is to reintroduce fire as a natural element of the ecosystem. 

A second goal is to improve wildlife habitat by inducing new shoots from sprouting species to increase forage production, with islands of unburned fuel left within burn units to provide shelter for small mammals.

A third goal is to reduce overall fuel loading to decrease the chance of catastrophic wildfires in the future.

Historically, chaparral fuel beds experience fire every 15 to 20 years.

Portions of the project site have not seen fire for over 25 years, allowing fuels to reach maximum volume. 

This has greatly reduced the ability of wildlife to move through the area and has reduced the flow of waters from creeks and springs.

This project burn will be conducted under strictly controlled weather and fuel conditions.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

In observance of the New Year’s holiday, Caltrans crews and contractors will not be performing any activity on state highways that would include lane closures from through Sunday, Jan. 4.

However, Caltrans will respond to emergency situations with traffic control as required.

Caltrans wishes everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

LAKE COUNTY
 
Highway 175
 
– AT&T has been granted a Caltrans encroachment permit for utility repairs just south of Estates Drive beginning Monday, Jan. 5. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY
 
Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Emergency roadway repairs just south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Emergency slide debris removal from 0.5 to 0.3 miles south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Pavement repairs from the Bear Pen Undercrossing to Piercy will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.
 
The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission/Parks and Recreation Committee, set for Tuesday, Jan. 6, has been canceled.

The next scheduled meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A closure will be in place for much of January on a portion of Bartlett Springs Road in order for road crews to carry out emergency storm damage repairs.

The Lake County Department of Public Works said the closure will begin on Monday, Jan. 5.

Bartlett Springs Road will be closed to all traffic at mile post marker 1.5 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Public Works officials anticipate that the repair work will be completed by Jan. 31.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Konocti Lioness Club held a fundraising raffle to help support youth programs in Lake County.

Two Christmas baskets were raffled off with the winning tickets being drawn on Sunday, Dec. 21.

Winners of the children’s basket were Alexis and Victoria Mello of Kelseyville.

Winner of the adult basket was Jacii Casteel, also of Kelseyville.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Clear Lake Cardinals sent four wrestlers to compete at Liberty High School Dec. 22 and 23.

Two girl wrestlers competed in the Brittany David Tournament and two boys wrestled in the Lou Bronzan Tournament.

Emily Psalmonds walked through the girls' 111-pound bracket, winning all three matches by pin, and finished as the champion in her class.

Julian Lewis lost in the second round, but battled back to the third place medal round, where he battled a tough match, just coming up short to finish fourth.

Lewis was the highest placer in the boys' division from Lake County.