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SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With the number of firefighters on scene more than tripling on Thursday, containment increased and acreage held steady on the Butts Fire that's burned in Lake and Napa counties since earlier this week.
Cal Fire, the lead agency on the fire – which began burning in Pope Valley Tuesday afternoon and eventually crossed the Lake County line southeast of Middletown – said Thursday evening that 4,300 acres had burned, with containment at 45 percent.
On Thursday, the number of firefighting personnel increased from 800 the previous day to 2,918, with Cal Fire also reporting that 128 engines, 60 fire crews, four air tankers, 11 helicopters, 12 dozers and 13 water tenders.
A total of two residences and seven outbuildings have been destroyed in the blaze, Cal Fire said, and some 380 had been at risk on Wednesday.
However, by Thursday evening structures were reported to no longer be in harm's way, so the mandatory evacuations orders in Napa County along Butts Canyon Road north to Snell Valley Road and in Berryessa Estates had been lifted.
Lake County officials also lifted an evacuation advisory for residents on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates.
As a result of the mandatory evacuation orders being lifted, American Red Cross of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties – which has had a shelter in place at Middletown High School since Tuesday to serve displaced residents and their pets – announced the shelter would be closing.
While Butts Canyon Road north to Snell Valley Road is now open, officials said that Butts Canyon Road and Guenoc Road two miles west of the Lake County line remain closed.
The Napa County Sheriff's Office said that access to the fire area remains restricted to emergency personnel and residents.
The fire's cause remains under investigation, Cal Fire said.
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Middletown, Calif -- According to CalFire, evacuations have been lifted along Butts Canyon Rd north to Snell Valley Rd as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday for residents. Non-residents should avoid the area.
An evacuation Advisory remains in effect for residents in Lake County on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates.
Road closures remain in effect for Butts Canyon Road North to Snell Valley Road East is open.
Butts road two miles west of the Lake County line on Guenoc Road remains closed.
The evacuation center is located at the Middletown High School in Middletown (Lake County).
The Napa Sheriff's office also has released a Nixle report advising that evacuation orders have been lifted for residents and emergency crews only.
Access to the area is restricted to residence and emergency personnel only, according to the Napa Sheriff's advisory. Butts Canyon road north of the fire remains closed.
The Butts Canyon Fire has consumed 4300 acres and is 30% contained.
According to CalFire, resources fighting the blaze include 1,067 personnel, 132 engines, 33 fire crews, 4 air tankers and 6 helicopters.
The fire is burning in a mix of grass, brush, oak and pine trees in steep, rugged terrain in a rural area of Lake and Napa Counties.
Firefighters are working in extreme conditions, high heat, humidity, with the potential for erratic winds. Fire Crews continue to defend structures, construct handline and use bulldozers to strengthen control line around the fire perimeter.
Damage Inspection Teams are assessing affected properties. CAL FIRE/Lake Napa Unit, Napa County Fire and Napa County Sheriff's stated great success with evacuations due to local residents being prepared.
Every effort is being made to render the evacuated community safe for repopulation.
According to CalFire, as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday the Butts Fire is has consumed 4,300 acres with 30% contained with 380 structures threatened. The fire has destroyed two residences & seven outbuildings.
An Evacuation Order remains in effect along Butts Canyon Rd from James Creek Road to Snell Valley Road, as well as the Berryessa Estates.
An Evacuation Advisory is in effect for residents in Lake County on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates.
The evacuation center is located at the Middletown High School in Middletown (Lake County).
Butts Canyon Rd is closed North of James Creek
2 Miles west of the Lake County line on Guenoc Road/Butts Canyon Road.
The fire is burning in a mix of grass, brush, oak and pine trees in steep, rugged terrain in a rural area of Lake and Napa Counties.
Firefighters are working in extreme conditions, high heat, humidity, with the potential for erratic winds.
Fire Crews continue to defend structures, construct handline and use bulldozers to strengthen control line around the fire perimeter. Damage Inspection Teams are assessing affected properties.
CAL FIRE/Lake Napa Unit, Napa County Fire and Napa County Sheriff's stated great success with evacuations due to local residents being prepared. Every effort is being made to render the evacuated community safe for repopulation.
Napa County Sheriff's, CHP, United States Forest Service, CAL OES, OES Napa County, OES Lake County, PG&E, BLM, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Napa County Fire.
Resources fighting the fire include 1067 personnel,
132 engines, 33 fire crews, 4 airtankers, 6 helicopters and 18 dozers.
Cause of the fire remains under investigation.
SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As hundreds of firefighters continue to try to gain control of a wildland fire in Napa and Lake counties, displaced residents and their pets are finding help at an emergency evacuation center at Middletown High School.
The Butts Fire, which began early Tuesday afternoon in Pope Valley and eventually burned into Lake County, had by Wednesday night burned 3,800 acres in steep and rugged terrain, destroyed two homes and seven outbuildings, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire said fire crews have been defending structures, constructing handline and using bulldozers to strengthen the control line around the fire perimeter. Estimated containment remained at 30 percent late Wednesday.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Cal Fire said.
Approximately 800 personnel from fire agencies around the region, 132 fire engines, 27 fire crews, four air tankers, six helicopters, 18 dozers and three water tenders were committed to the incident by the end of the day Wednesday, according to Cal Fire.
With Cal Fire estimating that 380 structures are still threatened, the agency said evacuation orders remain in effect along Butts Canyon Road from James Creek Road to Snell Valley Road, and the Berryessa Estates area.
Officials said the evacuations were conducted with great success because residents were prepared.
A voluntary evacuation advisory for Lake County – on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates – also remains in effect.
Cal Fire said officials are trying to expedite residents being able to return to their homes, but in the meantime Red Cross continues to maintain its evacuation center at Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road.
The center has offered shelter not just to people, but has given safe haven to all sorts of animals – from parakeets to ponies.
Red Cross representative Susanne LaFaver said 30 people stayed in the high school gym or outside on Red Cross-provided cots in order to be near their animals on Tuesday night. Twice that number were expected on Wednesday night.
“We have horses, two at Diamond D Ranch, and other people who have ranches adjacent to the high school have volunteered their property for rabbits, birds and horses if we need it. So far we don’t,” she said.
She said a water sprayer was set up to help the animal stay cool in the hot summer weather.
LaFaver said Lake County Animal Care and Control staff have continued to come by and bring supplies – from animal crates to leashes to pet food.
Lake County Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson said his staff had taken over about a dozen or so crates on Tuesday night, but with more people coming in, he called officials in Napa County to get additional crates for animals.
He said on Wednesday Napa County animal officials dropped off 50 more animal crates, and his staff took more food and pet tethers for larger dogs not comfortable in the crates.
Evacuee Cheryl Brown, who lives near Lake Berryessa – the road holding the fire line leads directly to her home – was keeping her three dogs, two of her four cats and two horses at Diamond D Ranch.
“Everybody is just wonderful,” she said. “They came around with clean shirts. I got cat food for my cats, dog food for my dogs and water for my two horses.”
As for large animal evacuation, Davidson said that on Tuesday night the Lake County Sheriff's Office put on alert the Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, or LEAP, the volunteer group he heads up to respond to major incidents like fires.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, however, Davidson said the group hadn't been activated, but was waiting to be requested.
“We’re all on pins and needles,” he said.
John Lindblom contributed to this report.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Many Californians are gearing up to celebrate Independence Day – the commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by America’s forefathers – with outdoor barbecues, picnics and social gatherings.
The California Highway Patrol encourages Californians to enjoy the holiday but always designate a sober driver and buckle up.
The CHP will be out in full force during the holiday weekend in an effort to reduce roadway deaths and prevent injuries.
The Independence Day Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) begins on Thursday, July 3, at 6 p.m. and continues through Sunday, July 6, at 11:59 p.m.
All available officers throughout the state will be deployed during the MEP to focus enforcement on occupant restraints, speed violations, and those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
During the 2013 Independence Day weekend, 56 people were killed in collisions throughout California. Among those killed within CHP jurisdiction, nearly 70 percent were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.
“Our goal is to use education and enforcement to get the message out to be responsible this weekend,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “We want everyone to have a great Independence Day weekend, but we also want you to do it safely and responsibly.”
With more than 1,500 arrests by CHP for driving under the influence during the 2013 Independence Day weekend, the CHP will be on the lookout for impaired drivers and arresting those who make the decision to drink and drive.
“The CHP’s mission is to save lives. This MEP is in place to help ensure everyone gets home safe to their family, friends, and loved ones this Independence Day weekend,” added Commissioner Farrow.
The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security to the people of California.
SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A wildland fire that began Tuesday in Pope Valley and spread into Lake County continued to grow on Wednesday.
Cal Fire said late Wednesday afternoon that the Butts Fire – which began off of Butts Canyon Road in Pope Valley, northwest of Lake Berryessa – has reached 3,800 acres.
While the fire's size grew by 600 acres over the course of the day, Cal Fire's containment estimate remained at 30 percent.
A Wednesday morning inversion layer kept the fire activity minimal; however, fire officials said that around noon the weather warmed up and fire activity increased, with the fire continuing to burn northeast into Lake County toward Snell Peak.
Officials said evacuation orders remain in effect for Napa County residents in the area along Butts Canyon Road from James Creek Road to Snell Valley Road, as well as for the Berryessa Estates.
A voluntary evacuation advisory also is still in effect for Lake County residents on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates, according to Cal Fire.
A Red Cross emergency evacuation shelter remains in place for people and their pets at Middletown High School, 20932 Big Canyon Road.
Hundreds of personnel and dozens of engines and other resources from Lake and Napa counties and around the region are at work on the fire, Cal Fire said.
Approximately 656 personnel, 57 fire engines, 10 fire crews, four air tankers, seven helicopters, 12 dozers and three water tenders were assigned as of late Wednesday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.
Road closures also remain in effect on Butts Canyon Road north of James Creek and two miles west of the Lake County line on Guenoc Road/Butts Canyon Road, Cal Fire reported.
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