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Weekend wildfire prompts evacuations in Northern California wine country

Fire officials are asking residents in Calistoga and other certain areas to leave their homes immediately.

Click here for the latest story on the Glass Fire.

11 p.m. update:

Tents and trailers are setup at the Sonoma Raceway where several families have evacuated from the Glass Fire.

The 50-acre site can accommodate as many as 2,000 campers. It also has on site bathrooms and showers.  

Tens of thousands in the region have been ordered to evacuate due to wildfires. Chris Rossow and his wife Melanie Collins fled from their home in Santa Rosa late Sunday night.

“Our neighborhood is like Ground Zero. The fire came right up to it, they lost some structures, we don’t know if it’s ours, our house could be gone,” said Rossow. “We don’t know. And we just looked at each other, we got our bikes, we got our cat, and we looked each other and we said we might lose everything else we own and we kind of just kissed and said, ‘C’est la vie.’”

“There’s not much we can do about it and we’re flexible. We’re pretty self-contained. So, for us you know it’s terrible to lose possessions, they’re just things and what we have here is what is most important to us,” said Collins.

Officials in the area have set up at least three other sites that can accommodate evacuees. Those include the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, the Petaluma Veteran’s Building, and the “Place to Play Park” in Santa Rosa.

Rossow and Collins tell ABC10 they hope they can return to their neighborhood soon to survey the damage and see whether their home is still standing. But they’ll be looking for a hotel in the area if they can’t return by Tuesday.

9 p.m. update:

The Glass Fire burning in Napa and Sonoma counties exploded to more than 36,000 acres in less than 48 hours. It is still 0% contained.

The fire has forced tens of thousands of residents in the area to evacuate, including the entire city of Calistoga. More than 100 structures have been destroyed and another 8,500+ are being threatened by the fast-growing fire.

Hundreds of firefighters and resources are deployed to fight the fire and limit its destruction. So far, there have been no reports of injuries or deaths to civilians or firefighters.

The following is the latest information on evacuations, road closures, and help centers.

Evacuation Orders:

Evacuation Centers:

  • Cross Walk Church: 2590 First Street, Napa
  • A Place to Play (Temporary Evacuation Point) 2375 West 3rd Street, Santa Rosa
  • 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
  • Sonoma Raceway (Temporary Evacuation Point, car sheltering and camping) 29355 Arnold Dr.

Tap here to see a list of current road closures in Napa County

Tap here to see a list of current road closures in Sonoma County

7 p.m. update:

The entire city of Calistoga has been placed under a mandatory evacuation order. 

Current open evacuation routes include Route 29 South and North, and 128 North. If you are seeking shelter at a County Evacuation facility, please proceed to Crosswalk Church at 2590 First Street in Napa. Masks are required at the shelter.

"At this time there has been no damage or loss within the City limits but significant damage has occurred in the surrounding area," said city officials on the Nixel website. "CalFire, Napa County Fire, and the Calistoga Fire Department are working the fire situation closely." 

More than 68,000 people have been evacuated as the Glass Fire has grown to 36,236 acres. The fire is 0% contained, according to Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nichols. 

The numbers were given as Sonoma County officials provided updates over Facebook Live Monday. 

While some burns and injuries have been reported, an official number is not available at this time. 

In addition to the evacuations, a 17-year-old has been arrested for being in an evacuated area without reason. Sgt. Spencer Crum with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said the teen was arrested in the backyard of a home after hopping the fence at a local high school. 

Officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department are patrolling the area for any potential looters that may come to the evacuated areas. 

Six shelters are currently operating for evacuees, according to Director of Emergency Management Chris Godley. Several others are expected to open by community organizations. Godley says the county is working with the Red Cross to possibly open rooms at Sonoma State. 

Congressman Jared Huffman also attended the briefing, which was held via Zoom. Huffman told evacuees to save any receipts for money spent during the process. You may be able to apply for federal reimbursement if you are subject to evacuation orders. 

When asked what is the best way to help those who have been evacuated, attendees of the briefing gave several answers. Godley said the best way to help is by donating "cold hard cash" to local non-profits. Susan Gorin, who sits on the county's board of supervisors, suggested opening your home to a friend who has been evacuated. 

"If you have a spare room, even with COVID, please offer an evacuated friend your home," said Gorin. 

A list of volunteer options can also be found by calling 2-1-1 and visiting the SoCo Emergency website.

5 p.m. Update:

Sonoma County officials provided updates to emergency crews' responses to the Glass Fire over Facebook Live Monday. 

You can watch live by clicking on the video below. If that does not work, click here. 

2:40 p.m. update:

Northern California’s wine country was on fire again as strong winds fanned flames in the already scorched region, destroying homes and prompting overnight evacuation orders involving more than 50,000 people. 

Residents of the Oakmont Gardens senior living facility in Santa Rosa boarded brightly lit city buses overnight, some wearing bathrobes and using walkers. 

The Adventist Health St. Helena hospital suspended care and transferred all patients elsewhere. 

The fires that began Sunday in the famed Napa-Sonoma wine country north of San Francisco came on the third anniversary of deadly wildfires that erupted in 2017, including one that killed 22 people.

12:20 p.m. update:

Santa Rosa Police have closed some streets in the city due to the Glass Fire. The closures were announced via Twitter.

Those closures include:

  • All lanes of Highway 12 between Mission Boulevard and Pythian Road 
  • Eastbound Montgomery Drive east of Mission Blvd.
  • All roads east of Calistoga Road between Montecito Boulevard and Highway 12

Follow the Santa Rosa Police Department on Twitter here. 

11 a.m. update:

Sonoma County officials provided updates to emergency crews' responses to the Glass Fire over Facebook Live Monday..

The briefing comes as more evacuation warnings were issued by the Santa Rosa Police Department

Evacuation Warning for the entire area of East-1:

This includes all areas within:

  • East of Farmers Lane 
  • North of Hoen Ave 
  • West Summerfield Rd 
  • South of Highway 12

**Includes west of Mission and Montgomery Dr between Highway 12 and Summerfield Rd

Evacuation Warning for the entire area of East-2:

This includes all areas within:

  • West of Summerfield Rd  
  • North of City boundary (South end of Bennett Valley Golf Course) 
  • South of Hoen Ave 
  • East of Cypress Way 
  • East of Creekside Rd to Yulupa Ave 
  • East of Yulupa Ave (between Tachevah Dr to South City boundary)  

Evacuation Warning for the entire area of East-3:

This includes all areas within: 

  • North of Bennett Valley Rd
  • West of Yulupa Ave
  • South of Tachevah Dr 

You can watch live by clicking on the video below. If that does not work, click here

10:30 a.m. update

Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma County is opening its campground to area evacuees impacted by area fires. 

The raceway campground, which has not yet been impacted by the Glass Incident, can hold up to 2,000 campers. 

9:30 a.m. update:

The entire city of Calistoga is under some form of an evacuation advisory because of the fast-moving Glass Fire. 

The area south of Lincoln Avenue is under an evacuation order. The rest of the city is under an evacuation warning. 

Original story

Residents in Napa and Sonoma counties were issued evacuation orders overnight as the Glass, Shady, and Boysen Fires continued to burn. The fires erupted Sunday in the Napa-Sonoma wine region.

The Glass Fire is located at North Fork Crystal Springs Road and Crystal Springs Road. As of Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit's last update, the fire has burned 11,000 acres with no containment. Roughly 8,500 structures are currently threatened.

According to ABC7 in the Bay Area, the Shady and Boysen Fires are spot fires that merged with the Glass Fire. 

No injuries or deaths have yet been reported. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the flames in wine country engulfed a winery, an inn and multiple homes. A hospital suspended care and transferred patients elsewhere and residents of a senior citizens home were evacuated. 

In Sonoma County, evacuation order zones are for the following areas:

Zone 3G1:

  • South of Helena Road
  • West of the Napa/Sonoma County Line
  • North of Los Alamos / Cleland Ranch Roads
  • East of Calistoga Road

Zone 3G2:

  • South of Cleland Ranch Road
  • West of Los Alamos Road
  • North and east of Santa Rosa County limits
  • East of Calistoga Roads

Zone 3G3:

  • South of Alamos Road
  • West of Santa Rosa City Limits and Los Alamos Road
  • Northeast of Highway 12

In Napa County, the city of Calistoga is being evacuated from south of Lincoln Avenue. Additional evacuation order zones are for the following areas:

  • Areas west of Highway 29 from Deer Park Road to Elmhurst, and all of Spring Mountain Road.
  • The east side of Silverado Trail from Pickett Lane south to Meadowood Lane and all roads in between.
  • Pickett Road
  • Dutch Henry Canyon Road
  • Lommel Road
  • Crystal Springs Road
  • Glass Mountain Road
  • Fawn Park
  • Madrone Knoll Way
  • Meadowood Lane including Meadowood Resort
  • Deer Park Road from Silverado Trail to Howell Mountain Road
  • The community of Deer Park
  • St. Helena Hospital
  • Mund Road
  • Sanitarium Road
  • Howell Mountain Road from Deer Park Road to College Avenue
  • College Avenue from Howell Mountain Road to White Cottage Road
  • White Cottage Road from College Avenue to Friesen Drive

For the latest information from the Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit, click HERE for their Twitter page and HERE for Cal Fire incident page

For the latest information from the Napa County Sheriff's Office, click HERE. Emergency alerts are also available through Nixle

For the latest information from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, click HERE. Nixle alerts can be found HERE.

For the latest information from the Santa Rosa Police Department, click HERE. You can also sign up for Nixle alerts HERE.

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. Temporary evacuation points have been set up at the Santa Rosa Vets Hall and Petaluma Vets Hall. The Santa Rosa Fairgrounds 

Roads are closed in the area of the fire

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.

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