Tens of thousands of people had to leave their homes in California’s Napa and Sonoma valleys on Monday due to raging fires that have left three dead in that part of California known for the world-famous vineyards. About 200 miles north, in a steep, forested area of Shasta County, a fire, the “Zogg Fire,” declared Sunday, left three dead and continued to spread Monday, authorities said.
Under a dull orange sky and a new wave of sweltering heat, the “Glass Fire” by its side-swept, at a “dangerous rate of spread”, some 4,500 hectares in Napa County and got completely out of control, reported the Department California Forest and Fire Protection Agency (Cal Fire).
Among the affected vineyards are those of Chateau Boswell Winery, in Saint Helena, and part of those of Castello di Amorosa, with medieval architecture. There were “significant losses” of buildings on the edge of Santa Rosa, the largest town in Sonoma County, Fire Chief Tony Gossner said.
More than 35,000 residents were ordered to evacuate and thousands more are preparing to leave immediately in the face of “explosive growth of fire” blazing through the dry vegetation of rugged mountainous terrain, said authorities, who are still investigating the causes of the fires.
Calistoga, a picturesque community at the top of the Napa Valley known for its hot springs and for being a platform for wine tourism, has been largely evacuated.
