California fires live updates: Hopes for rain fade as fire teams continue war on Glass, August, Creek fires
The Chronicle’s Fire Updates page documents the latest events in wildfires across the Bay Area and the state of California. This is an archive of the page covering the period from Sept. 27 to Oct. 8, 2020.
The Chronicle’s Fire Map and Tracker provides updates on fires burning throughout California, including these huge lightning-sparked blazes in Northern California:
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Latest updates from Oct. 8:
9:50 a.m. Firefighters stop Glass Fire spread: Cal Fire officials said in a video briefing Thursday that containment lines around the Glass Fire have grown and “the forward spread has been stopped.” The 67,420-acre Wine Country fire was contained in all areas but the northern edge of the fire in the Napa Valley, where crews aggressively battled flames, said Jeff Ohs, a Cal Fire battalion chief. Teams were working to reopen Highway 29 into Lake County, he said.
California Wildfires
8:23 a.m. Sonoma County grapples with future: Lingering trauma from the deadly Tubbs firestorm three years ago has bled into the devastation of this year’s still-burning Glass Fire as Sonoma County and Santa Rosa officials look to shape the county’s future, using about $245 million received through PG&E’s massive bankruptcy settlement this year. Read The Chronicle’s story here.
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8:03 a.m. August Complex fires still growing, as is containment: Firefighters increased control of the massive August Complex blaze burning across seven Northern California counties overnight, but the flames continued to spread. The fire grew by more than 3,000 acres overnight but containment increased to 70% from 65%. The fire is the largest in state history and the first to burn through more than 1 million acres.
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2020 Wine Country wildfires videoWildfires are once again ravaging Northern California’s Wine Country. The Glass Fire threatens communities in Sonoma and Napa counties, including Santa Rosa, that suffered destruction from blazes in 2017.San Francisco Chronicle
7:40 a.m. No growth for Glass Fire: Firefighters held the Glass Fire in check overnight in Napa and Sonoma Counties, Cal Fire officials said. The fire was still at 67,420 acres as of Thursday morning. Containment grew by 4%, to 66% overnight.
7:55 a.m. Creek Fire grows overnight: The Creek Fire in Fresno County and the Sierra grew to nearly 331,000 acres, Cal Fire reported Thursday morning, an increase of nearly 2,300 acres in a 12-hour period. The fire was 49% contained Thursday morning.
7:39 a.m. Hopes for rain in North Bay all but vanished: Cool temperatures have arrived in the Bay Area but that first substantial rain that many hoped for isn’t likely to come this weekend, or for the foreseeable future. National Weather Service forecasts call for the weather system to steer north toward Oregon with a chance of light rain in the northern edge of the state. Bay Area aren’t expected to rise above the 70s in inland areas, as much as 30 degrees cooler in some places than last week. Read the story here.
7:11 a.m. Zogg Fire now 90% contained: The Zogg Fire burning in Shasta County is now 90% contained, Cal Fire said Thursday. Containment of the fire, which has killed four people, has been steady for days. The blaze is 56,338 acres in size.
Updates from Wednesday, Oct. 7:
6:49 p.m. Investigation opened into illegal private firefighting on Glass Fire: Cal Fire’s law enforcement division is investigating allegations that a group of private firefighters set illegal backfires to protect properties threatened by the Glass Fire, a Cal Fire spokesman said Wednesday evening. The spokesman would not say where in Wine Country the private firefighters were apprehended, but confirmed that the incident occurred over the weekend. Private firefighters are authorized to remove flammable objects and carry out preventive measures. They are not authorized to use fire, Cal Fire said. The investigation is ongoing.
6:35 p.m. CO poisoning victim released from hospital: A firefighter who was hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning has been released from a Santa Rosa hospital and returned to fire duty, a Cal Fire spokesman said Wednesday evening. The firefighter was hospitalized Tuesday morning after 16 firefighters were exposed to the odorless gas at their sleeping quarters while off duty from the Glass Fire. Carbon monoxide is released in the fumes of active wildfires and can cause sudden illness when it builds up in a person’s bloodstream, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
4:50 p.m. ‘Supply and support stations’ open in Santa Rosa for people impacted by Glass Fire: Santa Rosa residents impacted by the Glass Fire can now pick up re-entry safety materials and information at “supply and support stations” before returning to their homes, city officials said on Twitter. Residents of burned areas can obtain materials such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, water bottles, goggles, shoe covers and a bucket. For more information and locations go online.
3:55 p.m. Evacuation warnings rescinded in Calistoga for Glass Fire: Evacuation warnings have been lifted in Calistoga, effective immediately, said Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit. All roads within Calistoga city limits are open, officials said.
3:45 p.m. Evacuation warnings rescinded in St. Helena for Glass Fire: Evacuation warnings have been rescinded in St. Helena, effective immediately, said Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit. All roads within St. Helena city limits are open, officials said.