SONOMA COUNTY, Calif — 3:20 p.m. update:
Some mandatory evacuations in the city of St. Helena, as well as in the greater part of California's wine country, have been downgraded.
Effective immediately, the following areas in the city of St. Helena are under an evacuation warning:
- Old Howell Mountain Road from Silverado Trail to the end of city limits
- North side of Madrona Avenue between Highway 29 and Spring Mountain Road to the northern city limits
All other evacuation orders in St. Helena are still in effect, including mandatory evacuations at Spring Mountain Road and White Sulphur Springs. Those roads remain closed there as well.
In Napa County, several order in communities in Angwin, Pope Valley, Meadowood and Conn Valley have been reduced to warnings. Similarly, evacuation orders in Sonoma County are lifted in the areas of Porter Creek Rd, Bennett Valley Rd and the Community of Kenwood.
Residents returning to the area are reminded that danger is still present. Cal Fire's Ready For Wildfire provides some tips for re-entering fire-affected areas which includes watching for debris when driving, using caution around trees and power lines and inspecting your home for gas leaks and power outages.
1:30 p.m. update:
Sixteen firefighters on the Glass Fire were evaluated for possible carbon monoxide exposure, said Cal Fire in a press release.
Santa Rosa Fire Department [SRFD] checked the firefighters this morning and one firefighter was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. The others were released back to the fire line.
SRFD provides a look at the experience at the on the ground, at a small fire near the North Dam of Spring Lake in an incident unrelated to the Glass Fire. Firefighters watch a plume of smoke arise at the scene, where they will be to fully extinguish hotspots. A Santa Rosa Fire investigator has been requested and is also on scene with Santa Rosa Police.
12:00 p.m. update:
Watch Battalion Chief Sean Norman provide an in-depth look at the firefight on the Glass Fire, which is now 50 percent contained.
Norman had "really good news" for the area from Mount St. Helena above the Palisades, around St. Helena and back to the edge of Hope Valley and the Hennessey burn scar. According to Norman, the area has been a "problem area," but crews "finished putting all that line in" and "all of those lines held with no spot fires."
In terms of smoke output, Norman said there was about a 50 percent reduction in smoke output on Monday, and people should expect another 25 percent reduction in smoke on Tuesday.
On the complete incident, there's been no additional structure loss since Cal Fire's incident report on Monday.
In the Adobe Canyon area, Norman said Pacific Gas and Electric would start entering that community to get power back up. Along the Highway 12 corridor, "everything looked really well" and there is "no threat to lines," though there were some calls for service about fire in the interior.
Original story:
The Glass Fire, which exploded in Napa and Sonoma County beginning Sept. 27, is now 66,840 acres and 50 percent contained.
Overnight, Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit was able to increase containment by about 10 percent, according to the Tuesday morning incident report.
21,785 structures remain threatened, though residents of some communities have begun to return home. A total of 600 single family homes have been destroyed in Napa and Sonoma County with many more types of structures also devastated or damaged.
"Crews fighting the Glass Fire experienced moderate fire behavior throughout the night due to poor humidity recovery and above average temperatures at the high elevations," Cal Fire said in the report. "Aggressive mop up and tactical patrol continue in areas where the fire's forward progress has stopped."
Though repopulation in underway, there are still several fire-affected areas that are not yet safe. Evacuations and road closures are ongoing.
Evacuation information:
Evacuation centers:
- Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds (accepting sheltering in cars and RVs. Not ready for congregant sheltering at this point.) 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Peteluma
- Petaluma Veteran’s Building (Temporary Evacuation Point and shelter) 1094 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma
- Petaluma Community Center (shelter), 320 N McDowell Blvd., Petaluma
- Rohnert Park, Sonoma State University (congregate shelter and non-congregate dorms—priority given to COVID-19 vulnerable residents) Parking Lot G, Gymnasium, 1801 East Cotati Avenue
- Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building (Temporary Evacuation Point and shelter), 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa
- Sonoma Raceway (Temporary Evacuation Point, car sheltering and camping) 29355 Arnold Drive, Sonoma
MAPS
An evacuation map and details on evacuations and evacuation shelter for the Glass Fire are available on the Napa County website HERE or on the map below.
A Sonoma County evacuation map is available below.
WILDFIRE PREPS
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. A defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris is completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and know your community’s evacuation plans to best prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.