What to Know
- Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties as fires continue
- Steele Fire in Napa Co. has burned more than 100 acres and prompted mandatory evacuations
- Mendocino Complex Fire has burned almost 10,000 acres and is two percent contained
Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties as fires continue to ravage those areas Saturday night.
Such a declaration gives law enforcement officers powers above and beyond the norm; provides limited immunity for emergency actions of public employees and governing bodies; authorizes approving curfews and other measures to protect people and property; and activates special purchasing and contracting abilities.
The Steele Fire, centered at the south end of Lake Berryessa in rural Napa County, had burned more than 100 acres by tonight and prompted mandatory evacuation for residences along Steele Canyon Road from Rimrock Drive to Headlands Drive in the Berryessa Headlands area about 14 miles north of Fairfield and 12 miles west of Winters.
Five structures in the Steele Canyon Road-Arroyo Grande Drive area burned. Winds of 17 mph were pushing the fire along at a speed greater than 3 mph.
In Mendocino County, two fires that started Friday had together burned almost 10,000 acres by this evening. The River Fire near Hopland had burned about 6,000 acres by this evening, and had destroyed one home and one outbuilding, according to Cal Fire. The Ranch Fire, northeast of Ukiah, was also first reported Friday afternoon. It had burned 3,500 acres by this afternoon.
Both fires, together called the Mendocino Complex, were 2 percent contained this evening, Cal Fire said.
