- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
REGIONAL: Major wildland fires burning in Sonoma, Napa counties trigger massive evacuations
The Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit put out the call for at least 10 strike teams Sunday night to respond to a growing number of late-night fires in Napa County in Sonoma County being fanned by high winds.
Reports from the scenes of the fires indicated the high winds on Sunday night and Monday morning were playing a part in the fires, resulting in “extreme fire behavior.”
Shortly before midnight, incident command ordered increasing numbers of evacuations from Calistoga to Santa Rosa, with evacuation centers opening up both in Napa and Sonoma counties.
Dispatch also repeatedly informed responding units that rescue is a priority, with structure defense and suppression where possible.
A call went out to all Lake County fire stations shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday for an immediate need strike team.
At least three engines and two water tenders from arounds around Lake County responded to the Tubbs incident in Napa County, with Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta as strike team leader, according to radio reports.
The Tubbs incident is burning in the area of Highway 128 and Tubbs Lane. Late Sunday, there was no size estimate available, but structures were reported to be threatened.
Also burning in Napa County is the Atlas fire, located off of Atlas Peak Road, south of Lake Berryessa. Cal Fire estimated the Atlas to be about 200 acres.
Another fire in the 3000 block of Partrick Road in Napa County was reported shortly before 11:45 p.m. Sunday. At that point it was moving at a rapid rate, was 20 acres and threatening structures, with authorities looking for any available resources to respond.
In Sonoma County, dispatchers were overwhelmed with 911 calls in response to fires burning at Mark West Springs and Riebli Road in Santa Rosa, Shiloh and Conde in Windsor and Highway 116 at Fredericks Road in Sebastopol, Lawndale Road in Kenwood and Mark West and Ursuline Drive in Larkfield, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
Evacuations have been ordered along Porter Creek, Petrified Forest, Franz Valley and Mountain Home Ranch Road, and in Larkfield, where the fire was on the east side of Highway 101, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said.
The agency said “mass evacuations” were taking place.
In the city of Santa Rosa, several neighborhoods were under mandatory evacuation early Monday morning.
The city said evacuation orders have issued for residents of Cross Creek Road, Sky Farm Drive, Saint Andrews Drive, all residences north of Fountaingrove Parkway, and Montecito Heights
The fire expanded to west of Highway 101 in the northeast Santa Rosa neighborhood near the Kohl’s Store at Coffey Lane and Hopper Avenue, where there were several structural fires, the city reported.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Office said Silverado Trail is closed at Yountville Cross Road, with all Soda Canyon residents ordered to evacuate.
A hard closure is in effect on Highway 128 at Tubbs Lane, with a mandatory evacuation of Highway 128 west to the city of Santa Rosa.
The county of Napa reported that a local emergency had been declared as of 10:15 p.m. Sunday, and that it had opened its emergency operations center and emergency shelters in response to the series of wildfires burning there.
Areas evaluated included Atlas Peak Road, including Silverado Country Club, Knights Valley to Tubbs Lane in Calistoga, Monticello Road to Circle Oaks Subdivision and Soda Canyon Road.
Emergency shelters are open at Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga, 1435 N. Oak St.; Crosswalk Community Church in Napa, 2590 First St.
The Napa County Animal Shelter at 942 Hartle Court will shelter dogs, cats, rabbits and other household animals.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
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