Wildfire near Lake Berryessa prompts evacuations

An evacuation center was set up in Winters.

“The fire is located in an area with steep and rugged terrain, some of which is inaccessible”, Cal Fire reported on its website. It will be held at Winters Fire Department located at 700 Main Street in Winters.

As of Saturday morning, all road closures and mandatory evacuations had been lifted.

“That fire in Mix Canyon didn’t burn everything up”, Fletcher said, referring to the Sky Fire, which burned 150 acres in the Mix Canyon area earlier this month. It is 5 percent contained.

Many homeowners are relieved that fire crews have kept the blaze at bay.

“We had like 30 to 40 people show up to help, a bunch of people with trucks and trailers”, he told The Associated Press on Thursday.

A chainsaw-toting firefighter climbs up the embankment of the South Fork of the American River, at the Kyburz fire near Kyburz, Calif., Friday, July 24, 2015.

Some 200 structures in the Quail Ridge community were originally threatened.

As crews continue to battle the blaze in Napa, Berlant said California residents should remain wary as the drought continues to plague the state. A large animal evacuation center is also opened in the area. Although it was believed that a vehicle accident led to the massive fire, authorities are investigating the cause. But the fire only improved to 20% containment level. Four hundred firefighters are now at the scene.

While firefighters work from the ground, air tankers are performing water and fire retardant drops. Two campgrounds were also cleared and three hikers in the area were rescued by helicopter. The dark clouds continued to blanket the sky as of 7:45 p.m. Wednesday.

There are 150 structures threatened by the fire, and part of Highway 128 has been closed. Winds were erratic, but they were forecast to trend northeast through the rest of Thursday – generally away from wine country.

At least 10 square miles of drought-parched area near Lake Berryessa has been burned although families occupying about 50 homes were allowed to return.