At least 113 structures have been destroyed and over 8,500 are threatened
An explosive wildfire that’s spurred mass evacuations in California’s wine country has tripled in size, but officials are hoping better weather conditions on Tuesday will allow them to get a handle on the blaze.
Written content from Travis Fedschun | Fox
Cal Fire said Monday night the Glass Fire that’s raging through Napa and Sonoma counties has tripled in size, burning at least 36,236 acres while remaining 0% contained.
“The fire has expanded into Sonoma County at a dangerous rate of spread,” the agency said.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE AS WINE COUNTRY BLAZE FORCES EVACUATION OF HOSPITAL, THOUSANDS OF HOMES
As of Monday night, officials said that 113 structures have been destroyed and over 8,500 are threatened by the blaze, which began on Sunday and quickly spread.
Three fires merged and scorched through vineyards and mountains into eastern parts of Santa Rosa. Some 70,000 people are under evacuation orders, including the entire 5,000-plus population of Calistoga in Napa County.
Cal Fire shared a video of what the fire looks like from the air from the north end of the blaze just northwest of the town of Angwin.
The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said that as of 10 p.m. Monday, over 33,800 people have been evacuated from their homes and another 12,624 are under warning status.
“Although we don’t have a specific number, we know there have been home losses in the burn areas and our collective hearts go out to all who have lost their homes in the fire thus far,” the sheriff’s office said.
But officials said Monday that deputies trying to get people to leave Sunday night as the fire spread encountered resistance from those weary of evacuating.
Sonoma County Sgt. Juan Valencia told KTVU-TV there have been a few people who stayed behind and might have been burned in some areas.
“When you do get that Nixle [alert] and you hear the high-low siren and the knock on the door from law enforcement telling you it’s time to leave, it’s time to leave,” Valencia said.
WILDFIRE ERUPTS IN CALIFORNIA’S NAPA COUNTY, EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS OVER ‘DANGEROUS RATE OF SPREAD’
Those who have been forced from their homes have described major traffic jams as thousands head to safety.
“We’re experienced with that,” she said of the fires. “Once you lose a house and represent thousands of folks who’ve lost homes, you become pretty fatalistic that this is a new way of life and, depressingly, a normal way of life, the megafires that are spreading throughout the West.” Read more from Fox
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