Updated Oct. 24, 2019 9:17 PM
Hours after public utility officials began instituting a planned power shutoff in Northern California due to the high risk of wildfire danger, a massive blaze fanned by high winds erupted in Sonoma County.
The fast-moving fire, dubbed the Kincade Fire, has burned at least 10,000 acres since it erupted around 10:30 p.m. PDT Wednesday.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the entire town of Geyserville, California, and the area east of the town. Officials said more could be issued.
Geyserville is located about 75 miles north of San Francisco.
The wildfire ignited in a remote area of northeastern Sonoma County. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a gust of 76 mph was recorded near John Kincade Road, where the fire started. The cause of the blaze is unknown.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alyson Hoegg said conditions on Thursday evening should help firefighters.
"Winds around the Kincade Fire are going to remain gusty into the afternoon with gusts of 30-40 mph," Hoegg said. "By this evening, winds will gradually start to subside and will weaken to less than 10 mph tonight. This will greatly slow the growing wildfire."
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. shut off power for nearly 180,000 residents in the Northern California region to prevent fires from being sparked by power lines. On Thursday, the company said that there had been an issue in a transmission tower near where, and around the same time, the fire had started. Although PG&E had shut down power to homes, transmission lines had still been active. It is unclear at this time if this was the cause of the fire.
(AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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Vines surround a burning building as the Kincade Fire burns through the Jimtown community of unincorporated Sonoma County, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Due to the power outages, firefighters were forced to go door-to-door in order to spread the word for evacuations. As of 7 a.m. PDT, 0% percent of the wildfire was contained. There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to the Associated Press.
The wind-driven brush fire has damaged at least two structures and required efforts from six crews with 328 personnels to battle the blaze, according to Cal Fire. According to the incident page, 53 engines, three bulldozers and two water tenders are being utilized by crews.
A county over in Marin County, the Muir Fire broke out on Thursday afternoon and has burned at least 58 acres and is 20% contained as of 4 p.m. PDT, according to the Marin County Fire Department. No structures are threatened and no evacuation orders have been issued, the department said. However, a section of Highway 1 was closed down.
A brush fire exploded from 200 acres to at least 850 acres within an hour near Tick Canyon Road Thursday afternoon, dubbed the Tick Fire, according to the L.A. County Fire Department. The department reported the fire was running downhill, threatening structures with three helicopters on the scene. By 6:15 p.m. PDT, the fire had grown to about 5,000 acres.
At 6 p.m. PDT, authorities had ordered at least 40,000 people to evacuate as the fire crept closer to neighborhoods north of Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press.
As mandatory evacuations went into effect for areas around the brush fire, families and businesses began to scramble to leave. The Gentle Barn is one of the areas under mandatory evacuation. The farm animal sanctuary posted on Twitter, asking for help in evacuating the animals, which includes large animals such as horses and cattle.
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Mandatory evacuations were also enacted for areas of San Bernardino in Southern California due to the Old Water Fire. A vegetation fire that has blazed about 75 acres, the wildfire has a large growth potential due to the Santa Ana Winds, according to the San Bernardino National Forest Service.
Around 12 p.m. PDT, voluntary evacuations had been lifted, and the fire was 30% contained by 4:30 p.m. PDT after burning 105 acres, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The red flag warning, however, remains in effect along with the closure of a section of Highway 18.
"High-speed and dangerous winds that periodically kick up and blow from the mountains to the coast in Southern California are referred to as Santa Ana winds," Sosnowski said. "These northeasterly winds blow from the coast ranges to the beaches as areas of strong high pressure build across the interior West. The phenomenon typically peaks in October but can occur anytime from late to early spring."
The fire initially erupted along Highway 18 and is burning near Old Waterman Canyon Road with 30% containment. The blaze has forced class cancellations at the Cal State San Bernardino campus, which is located just five miles from the fire.
According to the Forest Service, mandatory evacuations are underway for a neighborhood near Mariposa Drive and David Way. Around 80 homes in this area are under the evacuation order.
Southern California Edison shut off power to over 15,000 residents in the region on Thursday morning. As of 8 a.m. PDT, 7,246 of those customers reside in San Bernardino County, 5,289 are in Kern County and 2,669 customers are in Ventura County. According to the company, over 286,000 total customers are in locations at risk for a power shutoff.
With temperatures forecast to be in the 90-degree range with low humidity, the NWS issued red flag warnings through 5 p.m. Friday for San Bernardino and much of Southern California.
By this weekend, lower temperatures should assist firefighters as they battle the flames, but winds will remain a steady opponent. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said if the fire is not contained by Saturday night, the increasing wind speeds could pose a major obstacle for crews.
"It [will remain] very warm and dry [Friday] but the wind will lessen tonight and Friday, helping fire crews out," Pydynowski said, adding that it will still be warm Saturday with highs in the 80s before it gets cooler with highs in the 70s Sunday.
"Humidity will be a bit higher on Saturday too which is good for fire crews. Winds will increase again from the north behind a cold front Saturday night into Sunday."
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Hoegg added that the wind event, which is expected to last from Saturday night to Sunday night, could be even stronger and reinvigorate the blaze. The winds for the fire are being fed by the Diablo winds.
"A Diablo wind occurs around the San Francisco Bay region and is produced by the same mechanism that produces a Santa Ana wind. This wind is magnified by terrain effects similar to a Santa Ana," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "The wind almost always brings a great surge in temperature and dry air."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom took to Twitter to thank the firefighters who are battling the blaze and to urge residents in evacuation areas to follow directions of local authorities.
"Thank you to all the firefighters & first responders who are on the scene, working to contain the #KincadeFire," Newsom said. "The images coming out of the area are devastating. Evacuations are underway now. If in the area, please follow directions of local authorities."
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