Most Lakeport residents can return home after fleeing California wildfire

Most residents of Lakeport can return home Thursday, four days after being evacuated due to a massive wildfire that has charred more than 35,000 acres and destroyed several homes in hillsides outside the Lake County town.

People living north of the intersection of Highway 29 and Highland Springs Road, east of Highway 29 and south of Park Way can return home, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Lakeport Police Department announced Thursday afternoon. That area includes most of Lakeport, including downtown and the neighborhoods near Main Street.

The Scotts Valley area, just west of town, remains under a mandatory evacuation order.

The River Fire started Friday and crept within one mile of the Lakeport city limits. The nearby Ranch Fire also broke out Friday and has burned nearly 75,000 acres.

So far, the fires have claimed 14 homes and damaged eight others.

Combined, the two fires that comprise the Mendocino Complex burned 110,168 acres with 39 percent containment as of Thursday morning, according to Cal Fire.

This story was originally published August 2, 2018 at 4:07 PM.