Fire crews battling 1,500-acre Sawmill Fire near Cloverdale, 20 percent contained

CLOVERDALE, Calif. (KGO) -- Weather conditions have helped firefighters double the amount of containment on the Sawmill Fire, a wildfire burning in Sonoma County.

The fire started east of Cloverdale Sunday morning just before 11 a.m. and forced dozens to evacuate.

RELATED: Wildfire prompts mandatory evacuations near Cloverdale

The blackened hillside is a glimpse into where this fire burned on Sunday, which as now spread to over 1,500 acres and is just 20 percent contained.

The fire is burning 10 miles east of Cloverdale, off Big Geysers Road. Flames were fanned by gusty winds racing throughout bone-dry vegetation. The 10 miles down Geyser Road toward the fire area is a one lane of windy rural road.

As of Monday morning, the area has a light layer of smoke hovering over it but no visible flames.

"We feel fairly confident we have the upper hand now that we have had a few hours of daylight," said Mike Wilson, Cal Fire Division Chief.

Ninety residents are being forced to evacuate.

"I haven't heard yet on when we'll be able to let them back in. It's a priority for us. There were no evacuees at the evacuation center so I assume everyone has found another place to go. But right now the roadway is very busy, we have a lot of fire traffic coming in and out of that road. So we should know more hopefully later today," Cal Fire's Amy Head said.

No one has been hurt in this fire. Officials don't know what started it but are hoping to get the upper hand.

Several roads around the fire are closed and more heat and wind are expected on Monday.

Fresh teams of firefighters were brought in Monday morning. Crews are working to dig out containment lines and they expect to be in mop phase pretty soon.

The fire hasn't damaged any buildings.