Glass Fire Grows To Over 60K Acres; Containment Continues To Creep Up
CALISTOGA (CBS13) — The latest on the Glass Fire burning in Napa and Sonoma counties:
7:00 p.m.
Cal Fire's Friday evening update on the Glass Fire says the blaze has scorched 61,150 acres at 8% containment. Approximately 1,000 structures, including homes, have been destroyed or damaged. There have not been any reported deaths or injuries in the wildfire.
1:00 p.m.
Calistoga city officials sent out an alert Friday on the smoke-filled skies which could limit missions carried out by air tankers.
"A layer of heavy smoke is blanketing Calistoga this morning as the mandatory evacuation order continues to be in effect," officials warned. "Air quality within the area remains at hazardous levels…Overnight the most active section of the fire burned up to Highway 29/Lake County Highway a couple miles above Calistoga."
When asked about the fire conditions, Cal Fire incident manager Billy See — a veteran of the recently-concluded firefight with the now contained CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains — didn't mince words.
"It's going to be a big firefight for us over the next 36 hours," he said.
While winds had calmed a bit as dawn neared Friday, the glow of fires could be seen along now closed Highway 29.
Read more at CBSSanFrancisco.com.
8:40 a.m.
Cal Fire's latest numbers Friday morning show that the Glass Fire has now grown to 60,148 acres.
Containment now stands at 6 percent, up slightly from what it was on Thursday.
Firefighters continued working through the night to get a handle on the flames. Crews were still battling above-average temperatures and low humidity at higher elevations, while downed trees and dry vegetation are continuing to threaten fire lines.
Several new evacuations were ordered in Napa County on Thursday.
Previous day's updates below:
2:31 p.m.
A new immediate evacuation order has been given due to the Glass Fire in Napa County.
Per Cal Fire, people in the following areas should evacuate:
All areas of Napa County north of Calistoga City limits between Highway 128, Sonoma County line and Highway 29.
All addresses on both sides of Highway 29 between Calistoga City limits and the Lake County line.
All addresses on Old Lawley Toll Road.
12:31 p.m.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is out touring the damage left by the Glass Fire in Napa County on Thursday.
The governor again cited climate change as the reason California is facing historically extreme wildfires.
"We're dealing with extremes that scientists had predicted," Newsom said while fielding some questions from reporters.
Newsom is also meeting with residents impacted by the Glass Fire on Thursday.
At least 107 homes in Napa County have been destroyed so far in the Glass Fire, according to Cal Fire's latest numbers. Another 36 homes have been destroyed in Sonoma County.
8:39 a.m.
The Glass Fire continues to grow, but containment has also started to creep up.
As of Thursday morning, Cal Fire reports that the wildfire had grown to 56,781 acres. Containment was now up to 5 percent.
A total of 248 structures have been destroyed in the Glass Fire, according to Cal Fire's latest numbers. Another 144 structures have been damaged.
More high temperatures and extreme conditions were forecasted for Thursday as firefighters prepared for the worst. Gusty, hot breezes are predicted to push the fire – already weaving a destructive path through wine country – on a wind-driven march toward Pope Valley in an area not touched by a wildfire on at least 70 years, Cal Fire officials warned.
The National Weather Service said a Heat Advisory was in effect from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, with increased fire risk in the North Bay Mountains and the Santa Lucia Mountains. A Red Flag Warning was also in effect from 1 p.m. Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday.
According to the EPA's AirNow website, air quality around the Central Valley has fallen to the red "unhealthy" tier for many places as of Thursday morning.
The extreme conditions would add to the challenges facing firefighters Thursday, who are working in extremely difficult terrain.
