New mandatory evacuations in Mendocino County
The Mendocino County Sheriff issued new evacuation orders as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. The orders are for the area north of Gibson Lane and east to the county line from Gibson Lane.
This comes after Lake County Sheriff’s Office had issued an advisory evacuation notice Wednesday morning for residents in the Middletown area.
According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, it has become necessary to issue an advisory notice for the area as they monitor fire activity from the Tubbs Fire in Napa County.
According to the Sheriff's Office, "An evacuation advisory is not a mandatory evacuation, but it is strongly recommended. Residents are advised to gather their medications, pets and important papers. Residents should be prepared to leave the area with little notice. If the situation worsens the Sheriff’s Office will issue a mandatory evacuation notice."
What’s known as the Redwood Complex Fire, including the Redwood and Potter fires, north of Highway 20, west of Mendocino National Forest, had killed one person and caused two serious injuries, Cal Fire reported.
By Wednesday morning, the Redwood Complex Fire including Redwood/Potter Fires have burned 29,500 acres and are five percent contained. Those fires started and Mendocino County west of Mendocino National Forest, and the Sulphur Fire has burned 2,500 acres and is 30 percent contained. The Sulphur Fire started in Lake County near Clearlake Oaks.
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office had reported that some looting had been going on in the evacuated homes.
Both fires started Sunday night and their causes are unknown.