Glass Fire Update: Calmer Winds, Cooler Temps Raise Hope In Fire-Threatened Town Of Angwin
ANGWIN (CBS SF) -- Fire crews continued to battle the Glass Fire burning in Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties under conditions of extreme heat and terrible air quality.
Cal Fire officials said Friday evening that firefighters have managed to contain 8 percent of the Glass Fire.
The fire, which was first reported at early Sunday morning, has now burned 61,150 acres. It has destroyed 173 residences in Napa County and 120 residences in Sonoma County. The fire is threatening 28,835 structures ranging from residences to commercial structures.
After a day of calmer than expected winds and the red flag warning set to expire Saturday, tensions were beginning to ease in the fire-threatened town of Angwin.
"I think so," says Loyal Hughes from his home on the western edge of town. "I certainly hope so. I know there's a line cut behind the property here that goes several miles. Maybe that will help."
The few people left in this community have plenty of company. Law enforcement and firefighters remain stationed here. They are waiting to see what the weather brings. The past 24 hours have been encouragingly quiet.
"It has been really calm," says Cal Fire spokesperson Erick Hernandez. "The winds that we were expecting last night did not make their way this way. So that's really good."
The calm weather has allowed utility crews to start moving into position. Some of the challenges Friday were actually small ones. For example, the Angwin Fire Department ran out of ice. Quick to the rescue were the local vineyard workers.
"We came to drop off 40 bags of ice," said Rafael, unloading the ice from the back of a truck sent by Jack Neal & Son Vineyard Management. "The firemen, we know they're working so hard. We really appreciate their job, so that's why we got the ice for them."
Fire crews, some from Alameda County, were also protecting homes and building lines up along Highway 29, Friday. The hope all along the edge of this fire is that more favorable weather and the overwhelming force of firefighters will be enough to wind things down.
"There's a truck here, a truck there, a truck on the road over there," Hughes says. "Seems like it is well covered."
© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. KPIX 5's Wilson Walker and Bay City News contributed to this report