Glass Fire explodes in northeast Napa Valley as fire burns for 6th day

ByCornell Barnard KGO logo

Saturday, October 3, 2020

Hot, dry conditions working against firefighters battling Glass Fire

The fire is more than 60,000 acres and 8 percent contained, as of Friday night, according to CAL FIRE.

NAPA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- The Glass Fire exploded Friday off a ridge on Mt. St. Helena Friday in Northeast Napa County. Flames jumped high into the air, fueled and energized by tinder dry brush.

CAL FIRE did rapid fire water drops from choppers. Ground crews doused the flames with water while others lit backfires, in hope of slowing the fires forward march.

It was a race to feed and water the animals which couldn't be evacuated at Shane Kohler's ranch off Highway 29, a cow and some chickens.

"The fires worked to our house now, we're concerned, stressful, not a lot of sleep," Kohler said.

Additional homes and structures have been lost in the fast-moving fire.

App users: For a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window

Mayor Chris Canning was grateful to the firefighters who are protecting his town.

"We're hoping for the best, giving them space so we can have a beautiful city to return to," said Canning.

Hot, dry, red flag conditions are working against firefighters, so is the thick, smoky hazardous air quality. Despite the odds, crews are not backing down.

"When you get a fire this big and this aggressive, it can play with your mental state but hats off to firefighters who are managing to do it everyday," said CAL FIRE Spokesperson Jason Shanley.

VIDEO: Driver captures apocalyptic scene driving through Hennessey Fire in Napa Co.