We are sad to report the passing of long time “on scene” fire reporter, Butch Engel.  This is a heartbreaking loss to all who knew him; our sincere condolences go out to his family.
We remember and appreciate Butch’s volunteer service to the Lake County community.  He was a well-informed and respected programmer who hosted his own show, often with our founder, Andy Weiss, as well as others.  
Notably, Butch is known for his on-scene coverage of the many fires that plagued Lake County, from the devastating Valley Fire in September of 2015, the long-lasting Mendocino Complex Fire in July of 2018 and many other fires.  He gave his all – his time and personal resources - to make sure the community was getting accurate, real-time information from the wee hours of the morning until late into the evenings.
Butch’s actions prompted the development of emergency procedures that continue to this day: When a large-scale emergency of any kind hits our community regular programming is suspended and the station opens its doors to incident reporting by local officials and programmers.  Thanks in large part to Butch, what started as a fire response protocol evolved into a broader policy that applied to all types of emergencies.
Butch inspired others to step up when needed.  We will miss him.
A memorial in his honor is being planned.  As we learn more about services, we’ll post them on this site.