Glass Fire updates: Glass Fire burning in Napa, Sonoma counties is 100% contained, CAL FIRE says

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Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Glass Fire causes thousands of evacuations in Napa, Sonoma counties
The Glass Fire, Boysen Fire and Shady Fire have prompted mandatory evacuation orders and warnings across Napa and Sonoma County.Rancher saves neighboring homes, newlywed couple loses house, firefighter finds lost kitten. Here's the latest on the Glass Fire burning in the North Bay.

The fast-growing Glass Fire Incident has burned more than 67,000 acres Napa and Sonoma County and forcing the evacuation of at least 68,000 people.

MAP: Glass Fire map shows wineries, landmarks destroyed in Napa, Sonoma counties

Oct. 20, 11 a.m.: CAL FIRE officials announced that the Glass Fire has been fully contained.

Oct. 19, 6 p.m.: All evacuation orders and warnings issued relating to the Glass Fire have been lifted, Sonoma Co. Sheriffs announced. Details here.

Oct. 11, 7:30 a.m.:The Glass Fire affecting parts of Napa, Sonoma and Lake counties is 67,484 acres, 90% contained, CAL FIRE officials said. Full containment is expected by October 20.

Oct. 10, 11 a.m.: FEMA Mobile Center for SCU Lightning Complex wildfire survivors in the East Bay and South Bay will be open through Monday, FEMA says. The SCU complex fires burned nearly 400,000 acres in August and September in Santa Clara County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, San Joaquin County, Merced and Stanislaus County. The center will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Monday at the Santa Clara Sweetwater CAL FIRE Station, 47625 Mines Road. It will operate alongside the community's Local Assistance Center, where state resources are

available.

Oct. 10, 8 a.m.:The Glass Fire burning in Napa, Sonoma counties is 67,484 acres, 82% contained, CAL FIRE says.

Oct. 7, 7 p.m.: The Glass Fire has burned 67,420 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties, CAL FIRE said. Fire crews have made progress with 62% containment and 13,326 structures are still threatened.

Oct. 7, 7 a.m.: The Glass Fire burning in Napa and Sonoma counties has scorched 67,200 acres and is 58% contained, CAL FIRE officials said.

Oct. 6, 7 p.m.: The Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has scorched 67,050 acres and is 54% contained, CAL FIRE officials said. The fire is still under investigation.

Oct. 6, 11 a.m.: 16 firefighter on the Glass Fire were evaluated for potential carbon monoxide exposure, officials say. CAL FIRE says the exposure happened off site and one firefighter was taken to the hospital. Read more here.

Oct. 6, 7 a.m.: The Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has scorched 66,840 acres and is 50% contained, CAL FIRE officials said.

Oct. 5, 7 p.m.: The Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has scorched 66,840 acres and fire crews have made some progress with 41% containment, CAL FIRE officials said. 21,785 structures are still threatened.

Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m.: Some evacuation orders in St. Helena downgraded to warnings, CAL FIRE announces. See a full list of evacuation orders, warnings here.

Oct. 5, 3:p.m.: CAL FIRE has downgraded the evacuation order to a warning for parts of Zone 6B2 in Sonoma County. See a full list of evacuation orders, warnings here.

Oct. 5, 7:25 a.m.:

The Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has scorched 65,580 acres and is 30% contained, CAL FIRE officials said.

Oct. 4, 8 p.m.: One week after it started, the Glass Fire incident is still burning. Although weather conditions may soon aide firefighters, the wildfire did prompt new evacuation orders Sunday in Northeast Napa County. Highway 29 from Robert Louis Stevenson State Park to the Lake County line became a mandatory evacuation zone Sunday. However, some evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings and ABC7 News' Cornell Barnard spoke to some evacuees who were weary to get back to their homes. Read the full story here.

Oct. 4, 6:05 p.m.: Sonoma County's Kenwood School District and Rincon Valley Union School District will be closed on Oct. 5 due to ongoing evacuations from theGlass Fire, the county announced on Sunday evening. Check school closures in Sonoma County here.

Oct. 4, 6p.m.:: CAL FIRE hosts a virtual community meeting regarding the latest updates on the Glass Fire burning in Napa and Sonoma counties.

In its latest numbers, CAL FIRE says:

-64,900 acres have burned and is 26 percent contained.

-21, 758 structures are threatened.

-More than 36,000 people remain evacuated from both Napa and Sonoma counties.

In Napa County, 252 residential structures and 304 commercial structures are destroyed.

In Sonoma County, 235 residential structures and 12 commercial structures are destroyed.

Oct. 4, 6p.m.: Santa Rosa releases a fire damages assessment map which can be found here.

Oct. 4, 3:30 p.m.: CAL FIRE has issued a mandatory evacuation order in Napa County and also downgraded some evacuation orders to warnings in Sonoma and Napa counties. The city of Calistoga is among one of the locations now under a warning after residents have been evacuated for the past 6 days. See a full list of evacuation orders, warnings here. See a full list of evacuation orders, warnings here.

Oct. 4, 11a.m.: 36,472 people still under an evacuation order due to the Glass Fire, CAL FIRE says. Currently, 63,885 acres have burned and is 17 percent contained.

Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m.: New evacuation orders were issued Sunday morning by CAL FIRE in Napa County because of the Glass Fire. Residents and anyone in areas west by Highway 29 at Robert Louis Stevenson trailhead, east by Aetna Mine Road and north by Livermore Road are asked to evacuate immediately.

Oct. 4, 8 a.m.: The Glass Fire is now 63,885 acres and is 17 percent contained as of Sunday morning, CAL FIRE announced.

Oct. 3, 8:45 p.m.: A Red Flag Warning is in effect through Sunday 6 a.m. for the North Bay mountains.The evacuation order for the entire City of Calistoga remains in effect. While some evacuation orders in Sonoma County have been downgraded to warnings, the areas of Napa County surrounding Calistoga remain under evacuation orders officials say. no homes or commercial structures have burned within the Calistoga city limits (with the exception of an unrelated utility shed fire), city officials say.

Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.: The Glass Fire in the North Bay is now 63,450 acres and 15% contained, according to CAL FIRE. Napa County has experienced the loss of at least 173 single family residences with an additional 57 damaged, and 264 commercial properties lost. 120 single family residences have been destroyed and 57 have been damaged in Sonoma County, officials report.

Oct. 3, 3 p.m.: Some evacuation warnings have been lifted in Santa Rosa, CAL FIRE announced. See a full list of evacuation orders, warnings here.

Oct. 3, 8:15 a.m.:

The Glass Fire grew to 62,230 acres overnight and is now 10% contained, according to CAL FIRE.

Oct. 2, 3:45 p.m.: Evacuation orders were downgraded to evacuation warnings for areas within the city of Santa Rosa. See the latest on evacuations here.

Oct. 2, 11:40 a.m.: As high winds continue through Saturday morning, the areas of greatest concern for CAL FIRE crews are Calistoga and Angwin, the agency said in an 11 a.m. press conference. The fire is infringing on the outskirts of Calistoga, said Chief Mark Brunton, and one structure has been damaged. Crews there are going structure-by-structure on the city limits to prepare them and protect them.

There are also lots of resources mobilized in Angwin to protect that community, said Brunton. A break in the smoke is allowing air support to come in and drop retardant in that area.

"Our fuels are extremely receptive to any ignition source whatsoever," said Brunton. "It won't take much to get any vegetation burning."

In Sonoma County, conditions are looking better around Trione-Annadel State Park and (at this point) the city of Santa Rosa is looking much safer.

Oct. 2, 9:45 a.m.: Some Bay Area residents outside of the fire zone in Marin and Solano counties have reported receiving phone alerts telling them to be prepared to evacuate. The alerts are a mistake, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office, and they are working to stop them.

Oct. 2, 8 a.m.: The Glass fire grew to 60,148 acres overnight. It is now 6% contained.

CAL FIRE released a new tally on the number of homes destroyed: 67 in Sonoma County and 153 in Napa County. The agency has said they expect that number to keep rising as damage assessment continues.

Despite growing containment, the firefight is far from over, as high winds are expected to make things challenging for crews through Saturday morning. Nearly 30,000 structures are still threatened by the wildfire.

Oct. 1, 4 p.m.: Highway 29 is closed in both directions between Bradford Road in Middletown and Tubbs Ln. in Calistoga due to the Glass Fire. Highway 128 in Calistoga remains open. At this time, there are no evacuation orders or warnings for Lake County related to the Glass Fire.

Oct. 1, 2:30 p.m.: As wind activity picked up throughout the afternoon, CAL FIRE crews have seen, "an increase in fire activity throughout many portions of the incident," said incident commander Billy See.

With winds switching, and now coming from the north, the greatest area of concern in Sonoma County is the area near Trione-Annadel State Park. Fire crews are closely watching the fire in that area to keep it from spreading into Kenwood and Glen Ellen.

"If winds come through and heat up the fire activity in that area, there's a high probability that spot fires will be created from embers cast," said See.

New evacuation orders were also issued for Napa County north of Calistoga, between Highway 128, the Sonoma County line and Highway 29. Both sides of Highway 29 between Calistoga and the Lake County line were also being evacuated, as well as all addresses on Old Lawley Toll Road. Full evacuation warnings and orders can be found here.

Oct. 1, 11:45 a.m.: Gov. Gavin Newsom toured damaged left behind by the Glass Fire at an elementary school in Napa County, where he promised to seek long-term solution to California's wildfire problem once immediate fire suppression was complete.

"I've got four young kids in elementary school. I can't imagine for the kids, the families seeing these images, what's going through your mind," Newsom said. "We're in it for the long haul. We're not just here for a moment. We have your backs and we're very sorry you're going through all this."

Oct. 1, 11:30 a.m.: A new fire broke out north of Yountville in the area of Oakville Grade Road before 10 a.m., CAL FIRE confirmed to ABC7 News. The fire was about 5 acres at the start, reports Stephanie Sierra, and the road was blocked off.

Ground crews aren't able to get air support because of the thick smoke.

A firefighter on scene told Sierra the fire was largely under control around 11:30 a.m.

Our crews are working to learn more and will update this story when we learn more. Check back for updates.

Oct. 1, 8 a.m.: The Glass Fire grew about 4,000 acres overnight to 56,781 acres. Firefighters were also able to increase containment overnight to 5%, but Thursday is shaping up to be a challenging day with winds forecast to pick up in the afternoon.

Oct. 1, 6:15 a.m.: A Red Flag Warning has been issued for the North Bay today as heat and gusty winds will challenge firefighters battling the Glass Fire.

Sept. 30, 7 p.m.: CAL FIRE officials say the Glass Fire is now 51,266 acres and still only 2% contained as worry grows that conditions could deteriorate Wednesday night which could make fire conditions more dangerous.

According to CAL FIRE's report, the wildfire has destroyed 36 homes in Sonoma County and 107 in Napa County. It also provided a detailed list of other buildings that have either been damaged or destroyed. See tweet below for details.

Sept. 30, 11 a.m.: Fire officials asked Sonoma and Napa county residents to stay alert, as a Red Flag Warning starting Thursday afternoon is expected to make fire conditions even more dangerous.

"This wind event is going to be serious enough for everyone to pay attention. Whether you live in a warning zone or an evacuation zone, you need to pay attention to everything around you. It is vital," said Santa Rosa Fire Chief Tony Gossner.

One of the areas of biggest concern in the firefight Wednesday are Calistoga, where CAL FIRE crews are "actively suppressing fire" and engaged in "active structure defense." The fire has crossed Diamond Mountain Road and is burning in the hills above Calistoga.

Rough terrain is also making it hard to establish control lines.

"Every time we try and construct the control lines, the fire is outflanking us," said CAL FIRE Chief Mark Brunton.

Angwin, another community ordered to evacuate, hasn't yet been hit by the fire, Brunton said, but crews are still actively working to protect it from the flames.

Sept. 30, 8 a.m.: The Glass Fire grew modestly overnight to 48,440 acres. Firefighters also gained ground, bringing containment up to 2%.

"Crews experienced active fire behavior, and continue to focus on structure defense in both Sonoma and Napa counties while building and reinforcing containment lines," said CAL FIRE in a morning updated. More than 22,000 structures are still threatened by the fire. Hot, windy weather is expected to make things more challenging in the days ahead.

You can see the boundaries of the Glass Fire in the interactive map below.

Having trouble viewing the map? Click here to open it in a new window.

Sept. 30, 5 a.m.: Hotels from Mill Valley to San Rafael are completely booked up as people evacuate from the Glass Fire. One manager told ABC7 News they went from 40% occupancy to 100% in 15 minutes, as evacuees fled with all their belongings. Some hotels lowered their rates and allowed pet cats, birds, and dogs.

Sept. 29, 5 p.m.: CAL FIRE offials gave an evening update on the Glass Fire incident. So far the incident has burned 42,360 acres in the North Bay and is still at 0% containment. The structure inspection process has begun and initial numbers report 113 structures have been destroyed. Among the destroyed buildings are 28 residential homes in Sonoma County and 52 residential homes in Napa County, officials say.

Santa Rosa law enforcement said there have been some missing persons reports but all have since been found. To report a missing person, call Santa Rosa officers at (707) 528-5222.

Sonoma County sheriff officers say 5 people have been arrested for entering evacuation zones. Officers urged residents to take evacuation orders and warnings seriously.

Watch the full CAL FIRE update here.

Sept. 29, 2:30 p.m.: ABC7 News reporter Wayne Freedman is on the ground in the Skyhawk and Oakmont neighborhoods, two of the hardest hit areas of Santa Rosa. In some cases, what burned and what was spared can feel random. See his pictures in the tweets below.

Sept. 29, 11 a.m.: CAL FIRE says the greatest area of concern in Napa County is the community of Angwin, burning toward Pope Valley. Aircraft are "working there aggressively," a CAL FIRE spokesperson said. In Sonoma County, the fire is still very active in the Calistoga Road area, he added, and the area of Deer Park suffered significant damage Monday.

"The footprint of this fire has occurred in between the 2017 Tubbs, Nuns and Adobe fires," said CAL FIRE incident commander Billy See. "This land has no fire history that's recorded. This burned in all the acreage that was saved in 2017."

"We still have months to go for fire season," said Napa unit Chief Shana Jones. "And that means that this can happen again. I pray to God, it does not. But we still have a lot of fire season to go so be ready for wildfires."

Sept. 29, 10:30 a.m.: The entire community of Angwin in Napa County has been upgraded from an evacuation warning to an evacuation order due to the Glass Fire. This includes south of Chiles Pope Valley Road, east of Ink Grade Road and west of Pope Valley Cross Road.

Sept. 29, 9 a.m.: The Glass fires grew once again overnight to 42,560 acres Tuesday morning. The blaze is still zero percent contained.

In Sonoma County, 28 homes have been lost to the fire. In Napa, 52 homes burned. We know wineries, restaurants and other properties have also burned. (See more below.)

More than 10,000 structures are still threatened, according to CAL FIRE.

Sept. 29, 6 a.m.: The fire is still zero percent contained Tuesday morning, according to CAL FIRE. More than 100 structures have been destroyed, the agency said, though that figure will likely rise as damage assessment continues.

Among the damaged and destroyed buildings are several wineries and the Michelin-starred Restaurant at Meadowood.

No injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.

Santa Rosa city schools will not hold any online classes Tuesday or Wednesday because of the fires and evacuations.

Sept. 28, 9:36 p.m.: Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation for Napa and Sonoma counties due to the Glass fires, as well as for another wildfire burning in Shasta County. The fires have burned tens of thousands of acres, destroyed homes and critical infrastructure and caused the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.

Sept. 28, 7:50 p.m.: CAL FIRE announced Monday night the Glass Fire has destroyed 113 structures and damaged two others. Fire officials say more than 8,500 structures are threatened by the wildfire and nearly 1,500 personnel are working to contain the blaze.

Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m.: A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for the entire city of Calistoga. Current open evacuation routes include Route 29 South and North, and 128 North. If seeking shelter at a County Evacuation facility please proceed to Crosswalk Church at 2590 First St., Napa, officials say. See all evacuation orders and warnings here.

Sept. 28, 5:19 p.m.: The complex of fires grew to 36,236 acres, officials said in a live press conference. This is more than triple the size from the last official update of 11,000 acres.

Sept. 28, 5:00 p.m.: Sonoma County Sheriff's Department announced their first Glass fires-related arrest. "I was just notified of our first arrest, made of a person who was in the evacuation zone, with no lawful purpose," Sergeant Spencer Crum said. "It's a 17 year old, he was seen hopping fences, in the area of Maria Carrillo High School, and was arrested in the backyard of a residence."

The sheriff's department says they will not tolerate anyone entering the evacuation zone. "If you don't live in that area, and you decide to come around that area, and enter into an evacuation zone, you are subject to arrest and we will enforce the law completely," Sgt. Crum warned.

Sept. 28, 3:15 p.m.: More than 53,000 residents have been evacuated in Napa and Sonoma counties, CAL FIRE assistant deputy director Daniel Berlant told ABC7 News.

Wind gusts were dying down Monday afternoon, giving a glimmer of hope to firefighting crews, but humidity was still dangerously low.

Sept. 28, 2:20 p.m.: Air quality around the Bay Area was starting to get worse Monday afternoon, with parts of Sonoma County and San Francisco in the "unhealthy range." See our updated smoke forecast to see when air quality is expected to get bad where you live.

Sept. 28, 11:30 a.m.: The Glass Fire had "explosive growth" overnight into Sonoma County, said CAL FIRE Chief Ben Nicholls in a press briefing. The latest size figures have it 11,000 acres, but "we expect that number to grow as we get better mapping with daylight," said Nicholls.

He characterized the fire as "extremely difficult to fight" due to rocky, steep terrain and high winds. The areas of greatest concern Monday are around Trione-Annadel State Park, said Nicholls.

"The wind will continue to push the fire into Annadel and the concern is (it goes) over the top into Bennett Valley and possibly toward Rohnert Park," the fire chief said. "The winds are not what we were seeing last night, so it's giving the fire a chance to stand up and not be pushed toward those communities."

Officials warned residents to get out immediately if they hear hi-lo sirens. Some residents refused to evacuate overnight, said Sgt. Juan Valencia, and Sonoma County sheriff's deputies had to go back in to rescue them.

Sept. 28, 11 a.m.: The fire has reached Trione-Annadel State Park, southeast of Santa Rosa along Highway 12, according to ABC7 News anchor Liz Kreutz, who is on the ground in Sonoma County.

Sept. 28, 8:40 a.m.: The Chateau Boswell Winery and the Glass Mountain Inn Bed and Breakfast along Silverado Trail in St. Helena have both been severely damaged by the Glass Fire, according to ABC7 News Amy Hollyfield on scene.

VIDEO: A look at the devastation left behind by the Glass Fire in St. Helena

The Chateau Boswell Winery and the Glass Mountain Inn Bed and Breakfast along Silverado Trail in St. Helena have both been severely damaged by the Glass Fire, according to ABC7 News Amy Hollyfield.

Sept. 28, 8 a.m.: The Glass Fire and its offshoots, the Shady and Boysen fires, have merged to form a complex that's burned 11,000 acres so far. The fire is 0% contained.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect and fire crews are concerned gusty winds and dry conditions will only fan the flames.

According to CAL FIRE, more than 8,500 structures are threatened by the fire, but the agency didn't yet have an estimate on how many had been damaged or destroyed.

Evacuations are in effect for Calistoga, parts of Santa Rosa, St. Helena and more communities near the Napa-Sonoma border. For a full list, check here.

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