The Glass Fire is refusing to give worn-out firefighters a break and with a Red Flag warning in effect, fire crews on the front lines are worried the next 36 hours could be the toughest firefight yet.
They spent Thursday doing their best to protect the communities in the outskirts of Calistoga., including the nearby town of Angwin with a population of 3,000.
It’s a race against time because crews are bracing for dry winds that could push flames further into populated areas.
A California National Guard helicopter scooped up pools of water from a nearby lake, as firefighters did their best to improve containment lines.
Dry, gusty winds threaten all the hard work these firefighters have put into fighting the Glass Fire in the last four days.
“We’re under a Red Flag warning, our focus is contending with changing conditions on the line,” Cal Fire officials said.
Around 11 a.m., John Langhoff, who lives just outside of Yountville, saw how quickly a new grass fire can chew through five acres.
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“It was real surprising,” he said.
Firefighters managed to put out the fire dubbed the Campbell Fire, before it damaged any homes.
“There has been a lot of ash and fairly good sized cinders that have been hitting the ground,” said Langhoff.
The Sonoma County Sheriff warned people that if the fire moves towards the communities of Kenwood or Glen Ellen, be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
“More evacuations are possible although we have been talking about repopulation there is a real certainty that we could have additional evacuations,” said Mark Essick, Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputy.
