New mandatory evacuation orders for parts of Lake County

A mandatory evacuation order has been issued Saturday for areas in Lake County north of State Route 20, east and south of the Lake-Mendocino County line and west of the Lake-Glenn County line, emergency officials said.

This includes the areas of the Lake Pillsbury basin, Elk Mountain Road, Bear Creek, Pine Mountain and the surrounding areas. Residents should evacuate west on Elk Mountain Road to Eel River Road, to the town of Potter Valley.

The evacuation order went out shortly before 1 p.m. today.

Two fires known as the River Fire, near Hopland, and the Ranch Fire, northeast of Ukiah, forced the evacuations. The River Fire started July 27 at 1:01 p.m. As of today, it has consumed 44,793 acres and is 50 percent contained.

The Ranch Fire started July 27 at 12:05 p.m., and as of today, it has burned 156,678 acres and is 27 percent contained.

The two fires together are called the Mendocino Complex.

Mandatory evacuations north of State Route 20 include residents with driveway access on the south side of that highway, east of New Long Valley Road, south of Bartlett Springs Road, west of the Lake-Colusa County Line.

This includes the Landrum Ranch and Double Eagle Community, according to emergency officials.

Two new evacuation centers for Lake County residents have been established at two middle schools. The schools are Middletown Middle School at 15846 Wardlaw St. in Middletown and Mountain Vista Middle School at 5081 Konocti Road in Kelseyville.