To understand the spread of the LNU Lightning Complex Fire, here is a map of areas of greatest concern and where to locate evacuation centers in the Fairfield and Vacaville areas.
Update 1:03 a.m.:
Fairfield police announced through a Facebook post they are lifting evacuation orders for some Paradise Valley residents who were displaced due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fire.
Police said residents living in the open areas of Paradise Valley may return home if they could provide proof of residence at traffic control points so officers could protect homes from potential looters.
12:27 a.m. update:
Vacaville police tweeted an updated map of the evacuation zones due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fire.
11:56 p.m. update:
Cal Fire officials announced more mandatory evacuation orders for the eastside of Highway 29 that is north of Napa and Lake Counties. The order affects the southern intersection of Highway 29 and St Helena Creek road, across from the Win Pine Casino.
All of St. Helena Creek Road that stretches out to St. Helena Creek road and the Butts Canyon Intersection. Cal Fire officials said the order does not affect the Middletown proper.
10:55 p.m. update:
Some evacuation orders in Vacaville have been lifted, according to the Vacaville Police Department.
"The areas south of I-80, including Alamo Drive south of I-80 to Marna Drive, California Drive and Peabody Road have been lifted," according to a tweet from the department.
Evacuation orders are still in place for the areas of north Alamo and Foothill, areas north of Fruitvale Road and west of north Orchard Road, west of BV Parkway, the department said.
10 p.m. update:
The Fairfield Police Department said there have been no fatalities or buildings destroyed by the LNU Fire in the city of Fairfield. Evacuation orders are still in effect.
"At this time we do not have information on when the evacuation order will be lifted," the department said in a press release.
An evacuation order has been issued for Lake County, according to Cal Fire.
- East side of Highway 29, north of the Napa/Lake County line up to the southern intersection of Highway 29/St. Helena Creek Road (across from Twin Pine Casino)
- All of St. Helena Creek Road to the Highway 29/ St. Helena Creek Road/Butts Canyon Intersection
The Lake County evacuation order does not include the Middletown proper, Cal Fire said.
9:15 p.m. update:
All lanes are now open on I-80 at Air Base Parkway in Fairfield, according to Caltrans.
8:48 p.m. update:
Fairfield Police say no homes have been burned in Fairfield.
Open evacuation centers are:
- Lambrecht Fields on Petersen Road in Suisun City
- Rodriquez High School at 5000 Red Top Road in Fairfield
- Armijo High School at 824 Washington Street in Fairfield (Replacing Fairfield High)
Solano Community College and Fairfield High School are not open for evacuation centers.
8:15 p.m. update:
Sierra Vista Elementary Evacuation center in Vacaville is currently full, according to the Vacaville Police Department.
ABC10 Reporter Van Tieu at the scene of a burning home along Steiger Hill Road in Vacaville that fire crews were unable to save:
7:55 p.m. update:
An evacuation order has been issued in Napa County. Cal Fire issued immediate evacuation for the communities of Angwin and Deer Park, St. Helena Hospital, the east side of Highway 29 from Lake County line down to Silverado Trail, the east side of Silverado Trail from Highway 29 to Highway 128, the northwest side of Highway 128 to Chiles Pope Valley Road, the northwest side of Chiles Pope Valley Road to Pope Valley Road, the northwest side of Pope Valley Road to Butts Canyon Road, and the west side of Butts Canyon to Lake County.
7:25 p.m. update:
The LNU Fire has now burned 124,100 acres, according to Cal Fire. The report from Cal Fire says 105 buildings have been destroyed and 70 have been damaged. Cal Fire said four civilians have been injured in the fire.
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for Travis Air Force Base. All non-mission essential personnel and their family members are to evacuate through the north and south gates immediately.
6:30 p.m. update:
The LNU Fire continues shutting down parts of I-80. All lanes are blocked off from Air Base to Cherry Glenn Road in Fairfield due to the fire, according to the Solano County Office of Emergency Services. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes.
In Vacaville, Peabody Road will be closed to through traffic at southbound California Drive and northbound Chuck Hammond Drive, according to the Vacaville Police Department. Residents in the area are encouraged to evacuate headed eastbound, away from Peabody Road.
5:45 p.m. update:
Cal Fire has issued an immediate evacuation warning for all areas east of the Sonoma Coast to the south fork of the Gualala River, south of Kruse Ranch Road, and Howser Bridge Road to Fort Ross Road.
5 p.m. update:
The fire has jumped I-80, prompting closures of the highway as it runs through Fairfield.
New evacuations include Areas south of Alamo from I-80 to Putah Creek Canal.
An evacation order has also been issued for neighborhoods in and around Peabody Rd., Cement Hill Rd., and Vanden Rd., where there is an immediate threat to life.
4:15 p.m. update:
Sheriff Tom Ferrara and Deputy Chief Baraka Carter of CalFire held a press conference to update the public on the LNU Lightning Complex Fire.
"I have not seen anything like this, and I know I said that last year when I addressed you for that fire, but the incident we're in today is significant" Sheriff Ferrara said.
The Sheriff went on to say that evacuation orders should be taken seriously and action should be taken swiftly.
"Unfortunately, I believe there's going to be some significant damage," Sheriff Ferrara said.
Additional evacuation orders have been issued in Lake County and Solano County.
Residents living in and around Hidden Valley Lake and Jerusalem Valley of Lake County are ordered to evacuate immediately. This includes the following areas:
- North of Butts Canyon Rd.
- South of Hofacker Ln. to Morgan Valley Rd.
- East of Hwy. 29
- West of the Lake/Napa County line.
In Solano County, Fairfield Police Department is ordering residents of Paradise Valley neighborhood to evacuate the area immediately.
The Solano County Office of Education [SCOE] has announced closures due to the fires. Though districts will still be providing meals to students to the extent that it is possible, the following districts will temporarily halt distance learning classes for the remainder of the week:
- Fairfield-Suisun USD
- Travis USD
- Vacaville USD
- SCOE-operated programs in these districts
4 p.m. update:
All lanes are blocked on I-80 through Fairfield in Solano County due to the fire.
ABC10's John Bartell reports that John Gardiner and Saul Hernandez have been driving from house to house in their rural community outside of Vacaville to update neighbors on the state of their properties.
A mile from Gardiner’s home is Zinger Ranch, a sanctuary for rescued livestock, where caretaker Missy Benzinger was struggling to evacuate her animals.
Thanks to quick work from fire crews and a helping hand from Gardiner and Hernandez, all of the animals were saved.
“It’s a struggle, but that is what life is about right?” Gardiner said
3 p.m. update:
The Bureau of Land Management [BLM] has temporarily closed public lands within and adjacent to the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Lake and Napa counties due to the nearby wildfires.
2:15 p.m. update:
Residents in the Rancho Solano, Sanctuary, Rolling Hills neighborhoods in Fairfield are being asked to evacuate immediately. The Fairfield Police Department says that action should be taken within the next hour as there is a significant threat to life or property in the area.
Evacuation centers for these neighborhoods are being setup at the following locations:
- Lambrecht Fields- Petersen Rd., Suisun City
- Rodriquez High School
- Fairfield High School
In Alameda County, all evacuation orders on Welch Creek Road have been lifted.
The LNU Lightening Complex Fire stands at 46,225 acres and 0% contained as of 1:40 p.m.
1:30 p.m. update:
Sonoma County has added several evacuation warnings for local areas.
Residents in these areas are urged to prepare to evacuate. Those with pets or livestock, or who may need more time, should leave now.
Walbridge - Evacuation Zone 4B1 (Northern Forestville) and 2K2
- All areas south of River Rd. from Martinelli Rd. to Trenton Rd.
- West of Covey Rd.
- North of Front St. / Hwy. 116
- East of Martinelli Rd.
- All areas south of Hwy. 101
- East of the Russian River to the Windsor Town limits
- North of where Windsor River Rd. dead ends extending west to the Russian River.
Meyers - Evacuation Zone 1E3 and 1E1
- All areas south of the Russian River
- West of Bohemian Hwy.
- North and East of Coleman Valley Rd. and Willow Creek Rd.
- All areas south and west of Willow Creek Rd.
- North of Coleman Valley Rd. and Wright Hill Rd.
- East of the California Coastal National Monument
12:30 p.m. update:
The Solano County OES map has been updated to better reflect the current areas under evacuation. The two brighter yellow areas on the map are under evacuation.
Though some residents have reported not receiving an evacuation alert in the comments of Vacaville Police Department's post, those living within these highlighted areas should leave as soon as possible.
11:30 a.m. update:
Vacaville and other areas south of the LNU Lightning Complex fire are the areas of greatest concern for firefighters right now, according to a briefing by CAL FIRE.
The fire agency said there are several things adding to the complexity of fighting the fire, including the hot weather, stretched resources and several new fire starts.
The complex of fires is currently burning in five counties: Solano, Yolo, Napa, Sonoma and Lake. Firefighters and law enforcement are asking people in those counties to follow evacuation orders and say they will be using a 'high-low' siren to alert people it is time to go.
As of 7 a.m. CAL FIRE reported 50 structures destroyed and another 50 damaged by the fire. The fire chief says he expects those numbers will increase.
10:45 a.m. update:
The Solano County Office of Emergency Services has shared a new map to track the progress of the LNU Lightning Complex fire in the county, along with evacuations.
The map shows the fire jumped Pleasant Valley Road and is approaching Gibson Canyon Road. The evacuation area stretches south to I-80 and east to I-505.
The Solano County Sheriff has setup some phone numbers that people can call for more information about the evacuations: (707) 784-1634 or (707) 784-1635.
9 a.m. update:
The Solano County Sheriff has issued new evacuations as the LNU Lightning Complex Fire continues to grow.
Additional mandatory evacuations include:
- Shelton Ln., Vacaville and north
- West Browns Valley Rd. in Vacaville
- Rockville Rd.
- Suisun Valley Rd.
- Gordon Valley Rd.
- Wooden Valley Rd.
- Clayton Rd.
- Mankas Corner
There is also now an additional evacuation center at Joseph Nelson Community Center in Suisun.
CAL FIRE will give an update on the fire at 11 a.m. As of 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning, they reported the fire had burned 46,255 acres, destroyed 50 structures and damaged another 50.
8 a.m. update:
Additional evacuation areas have been added for the LNU Lightning Complex Fire as it burns in Solano County and into Vacaville. The Vacaville Fire chief says about 4,500 homes have been evacuated.
The city of Vacaville says new evacuation areas include:
- West of Browns Valley Parkway
- Vine
- Gibson Canyon
- Fruitvale
- North Orchard areas
Vacaville Police are using the reverse 911 system to notify people in official evacuation areas. Officers have also been going door-to-door to alert residents. Police ask everyone who is asked to evacuate to do so safely.
Solano County Sheriff has listed several evacuation centers for people in the county:
- Ulatis Cultural Center (1000 Ulatis Drive, Vacaville)
- McBride Senior Center (91 Town Square Place, Vacaville)
- Vacaville Skate Center (551 Davis Street, Vacaville)
- Will C. Wood High School (998 Marshall Rd., Vacaville)
- Joseph Nelson Community Center (611 Village Dr., Suisun City)
- Lambrecht Sports Complex (Lambrecht Dr, Suisun City) large animals are accepted at this location.
- Guru Nanak Sikh Temple (2948 Rockville Rd.) will be open for service animals only
- Padan School (200 Padan School Rd.) available for food pickup only
Large animals can be taken to the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo. Small pets can be taken to the Solano County Animal Shelter.
Yolo County has opened a rally center where people can get information at the Esparto Boy Scout Cabin.
Yolo County has issued mandatory evacuations for people in zones 8, 5, 31, 46, 55, 58 and 60.
7 a.m. update:
CAL FIRE says the LNU Lightning Complex fire has grown to 46,225 acres as of 7 a.m on Wednesday, burning 14,000 acres overnight. Firefighters are warning of extreme fire behavior and spotting continuing to challenge the firefighting efforts.
The fire has now destroyed 50 structures and damaged another 50, according to CAL FIRE. Another 1,900 structures are currently threatened by the fire. Police and firefighters went door-to-door early Wednesday as a fire encroached on Vacaville.
The list of evacuations is growing as the fire burns closer to Vacaville and into Solano County.
There is currently nearly 600 people fighting the fire. CAL FIRE says air resources for the fire have been stretched thin due to multiple fires burning in the area.
The Vacaville Unified School District has canceled all classes today because of evacuations from the fire. The district said it has evacuation centers at Eugene Padan Elementary School, Vacaville High School, Fairmont Elementary School and Sierra Vista K-8.
Original Story:
The fast-moving LNU Lightning Complex fire has forced evacuations overnight and into Wednesday morning throughout Vacaville and other parts of Solano County.
The Vacaville Fire Chief says police are going door to door to evacuate people from their homes, with the focus on Pleasant Valley Road. Just after 5:30 a.m. the Vacaville Fire District tweeted out the fire entered Gibson Canyon, all of Solar Hills and Gibson Canyon Road are under evacuation.
The Solano County Office of Emergency Services posted on Facebook, "An EVACUATION ORDER has been issued for all residents south of Gates Canyon Road to Hwy 80 and Pleasants Valley Road west to Blue Ridge Road. An evacuation order means there is immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to leave now. The area is lawfully closed to public access."
The Solano County Sheriff tweeted out, "An EVACUATION ORDER has been issued for residents in Solano County west of Blue Ridge Road to 505 and north of Cherry Glen Road to Hwy 128 due to wildfire. An evacuation order means there is immediate threat to life."
Vacaville Fire District has also been tweeting out Evacuations for all of the English Hills area. The Fire District tweeted just before 2 a.m. that the fire jumped Pleasants Valley Road and connecting roads in the area.
The city of Vacaville has opened several evacuation centers, including:
- McBride Senior Center
- Ulatis Cultural Center
- Vacaville Skate Center
- Padan Elementary School
- Vacaville High School
- Fairmont Elementary School
- Sierra Vista K-8
- Will C. Wood School
Large animals can be taken to the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo.
Small pets can be taken to the Solano County Animal Shelter at 2510 Claybank Road.
The city has also set up an information tip line that people can call for information at (707) 449-5333.
Yolo County is updating evacuation zones on its website. As of 6 a.m. the county has issued mandatory evacuations for zones 8, 15, 31, 46, 55, 58 and 60. Learn more about the zones here.
As of 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, CAL FIRE – Lake Napa Unit reported the LNU Lightning Complex Fire has burned more than 32,000 acres and is still 0% contained.
The LNU Lightning Complex Fire consists of seven major fires burning in Napa and Sonoma counties. The Hennessey, Gamble, 10-15, Markley, and Spanish fire are burning in Napa County. The 13-4 and the 11-16 fires are burning in Sonoma County.
Multiple resources have been called into battle the fires, which are all believed to have been started by lightning. More than 500 fire personnel, 55 fire engines, 21 dozers, and two helicopters have been used in the fight, among other assets.
Authorities have closed roads near the fires and residents in each county have been ordered to evacuate.
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, in 2019, California wildfires burned just under 260,000 acres from 7,860 incidents. Over 700 structures were damaged or destroyed and three people were killed. This follower two years of some of the “deadliest and most destructive wildfires” in California history.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are 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.
WATCH: Cal Fire: How to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season