GEYSERVILLE, CA – Authorities on Friday night issued additional evacuation warnings as the 23,700-acre Kincade Fire continued to burn out of control ahead of worsening weather conditions.
The warnings are for the Lake County communities of Adams, Anderson Springs, Cobb, Gifford Springs, Hobergs and Whispering Pines, as well as for Ford Flat Road and Socrates Mine Road, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
In Sonoma County, where the fire ignited, warnings were extended to areas north of Highway 128 from the Napa County border and east of the highway to Ida Clayton Road.
The return of dry, gale-force winds on Saturday could render firefighting efforts moot and force residents in those locations to join the 2,000 or so already under mandatory evacuation orders.
“You can’t fight a fire that is spotting ahead of itself a quarter of a mile, half a mile and in some cases a mile,” said Cal Fire Division Chief Jonathan Cox at a news conference Friday night.
“That’s why we keep coming back to evacuations,” he continued. “If we have to call for evacuations, it’s not a suggestion. It is an order. We believe there is an imminent life threat to you and your property.”
An evacuation center is available in Healdsburg at the Healdsburg Community Center, 1557 Healdsburg Ave.
The hilly topography of the hills east of Geyserville is also contributing to the fire’s spread. The fire “heats itself up that mountain,” growing stronger on the way, Cox said.
A firefighter came face to face with the intensifying inferno about 6:20 p.m. Friday as he tried to help two civilians evacuate. Cal Fire said he used a shelter to shield himself and the civilians from the fire. All three were taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The North Bay and East Bay will be under a red flag warning from 8 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Monday. The forecast calls for 45 to 60 mph winds in the mountains with gusts up to 80 mph at the highest peaks. The coast and valleys will see gusts up to 45 mph.
A red flag warning will also apply to the San Francisco Peninsula coast and the Santa Cruz Mountains from 3 a.m. Sunday to 11 a.m. Monday, when gusts are expected to hit 55 mph.
The dangerous conditions are expected to trigger the largest public safety power shutoff yet. Pending a final decision Saturday morning, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will cut service to 850,000 customers in 37 counties. The outages are slated to begin at 3 p.m. in the northern Sierra foothills, 5 p.m. in the North Bay, 7 p.m. in the Bay Area, Central Coast and southern Sierra foothills, and 11 a.m. Sunday in Kern County.
The Kincade Fire ignited northeast of Geyserville late Wednesday and has so far scorched 23,700 acres, according to Cal Fire. It’s also destroyed 49 structures, including 21 homes, and is threatening 600 others. Containment stood at 5 percent Friday night.
“The task is monumental,” Cox said. Because the fire grew so fast so quickly, “the number of miles of fire perimeter that are open on that are overwhelming.” If wind conditions turn for the worse, he said, firefighters will turn to “triaging” in order to save lives and property.
Though the situation remains grim, there have been no reports of fatalities or missing persons.
Check back for updates.
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