Mendocino County wildfires contained; deaths in Napa’s Hennessey Fire
Friday Aug. 21, 2 p.m.
The Creek Fire in Mendocino County northeast of Covelo has consumed 820 acres and is 90% contained.
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The 3-19 Fire in Mendocino County, southeast of Potter Valley has burned 62 acres and has full containment.
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Cal Fire reported Thursday night that three Napa County civilians have died in the Hennessey Fire, which wraps around three sides of Lake Berryessa and has spread into Lake and Solano counties, according to the Napa Valley Register. Further information about these casualties has not been released.
At daybreak Friday, the Hennessey Fire, which has merged with six smaller blazes, totaled 194,942 acres, an increase of 90,000 acres since Thursday morning. But overnight it grew only by 3,000 acres.
The Hennessey Fire has put 17,000 county residents under mandatory or advisory evacuations. The fire is now 7% contained, Cal Fire said. There is no estimate on when any of the evacuations will be lifted.
The newspaper reported that Cal Fire’s assessment group came up with a rough estimate for losses in Napa County: 500 to 600 structures, including houses, barns, outbuildings and even boats.
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After firefighters were assisted by an aerial attack Thursday, the growth of the lightning-sparked wildfire thrashing in a rugged area of the Point Reyes National Seashore appears to have slowed.
The Woodward Fire along the Pacific Coast has burned 2,100 acres, spreading about 100 acres overnight, and was still 0% contained, the Marin County Fire Department said Friday.
The blaze continued to spread toward the towns of Olema and Bolinas, threatening more than 1,600 homes and businesses. Evacuation warnings issued Tuesday remain in effect.
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Evacuation Orders have been lifted and are no longer in effect for the portion of Silverado Trail between Rosedale Road and Highway 29.
Evacuation Orders on Highway 29 from Silverado Trail to the Lake County Line, excluding the portion within the Calistoga City Limits, remain in effect.
Fire personnel are still active in the area. Please reduce speeds and drive with caution. Access will be limited to residents only; no other public access will be granted at this time.
The cancellation of additional evacuation orders is being evaluated based on a variety of factors, including potential fire behavior, and the re-establishment of crucial infrastructure.
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At 10 a.m. Friday, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued an EVACUATION ORDER for all areas and residents north and south of Morgan Valley Rd., north of the previously established evacuation order line (8/19/20) )(from Highway 29 and Hofacker Land to Morgan Valley Rd.) and east of Sky High Ridge Rd., to the Lake/ Yolo County Line. South of Highway 20 and west of the Lake County line.
"Residents are advised that there is an IMMEDIATE threat to life and property from a wildfire, and are urged to evacuate. Please leave the area. If you are in need of shelter please proceed to the Kelseyville High School located at 5480 Main Street in Kelseyville."
An evacuation warning was issued by the office for the area south of Morgan Valley Rd., west of the Mandatory Evacuation boarder line at Sky High Ridge Rd. to HWY 29 and HWY 53 in Lower Lake. South to HWY 29 at Hofacker Ln. and east to the Mandatory Evacuation Boarder line.
—Napa Valley Register, Bay Area News Group and Journal Staff Writer Susan Wood contributed to this report.
Thursday, Aug. 20, 11:30 a.m.
Adventist Health St. Helena, a licensed 151-bed acute care facility, last night evacuated the 51 patients it had admitted to the hospital, said Kimberly Meredith, regional director, risk, compliance and HIPAA, Adventist Health. The hospital also closed its emergency department, she said.
The St. Helena hospital was evacuated late Wednesday night after Cal Fire issued a mandatory evacuation order due to the LNU Lightning Complex fire in central Napa County.
Some of the hospital’s patients were discharged, Meredith said, adding she didn’t have the numbers available. The majority of patients were transferred to other facilities, she said.
“They went all over, as far down as San Jose,” Meredith said, declining to name the hospitals. “It was all based upon a facility’s capacity and capability of taking care of the patient based upon their condition.”
Most of Adventist Health’s Napa clinics are closed today, according to the health care system’s website. The two clinics that remain open are Adventist Health Physicians Network Napa, and its oncology clinic, both located at 1100 Trancas St.
In addition to the hospital, the Napa Valley communities of Angwin and Deer Park were also ordered to evacuate, according to the Napa Valley Register .
Those evacuations ordered late Wednesday came as the result of the LNU Lightning Complex fires, which includes six fires, some of which have now combined, according to Cal Fire reports. The Hennessey Fire through the course of Wednesday grew to more than 100,000 acres, up from 46,000 Wednesday morning. More than 25,000 structures in Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties are threatened, according to Cal Fire updates.
—Cheryl Sarfaty
Thursday, Aug. 20 3:05 p.m.
A new fire has just been reported in the hills northwest of Mondavi Winery along the Oakville Grade. Fire crews are responding now including air and helicopter support.
Cal Fire issues fire evacuation warnings for the top of Oakville Grade for an area inclusive of Niebaum Lane, Manley Lane, Beerstecher Road and Bella Oaks Lane.
—Anthony Borders
