Calistoga vegetation fire triggers evacuations

CALISTOGA, Calif. - A vegetation fire in Calistoga on Thursday forced evacuations as the fire spread at a moderate rate.

While plenty of flames and embers could be seen in the mountains above, for now the town seems safe. 

CAL FIRE reported in their 10 p.m. update that the fire has grown to 1,200 acres and continues to spread. Multiple agencies are working through the night, trying to get containment lines around the flames in Napa County. CAL FIRE said they have three helicopters with night-flying capabilities that will work overnight. 

 At 3:24 p.m., CAL FIRE said the so-called Pickett Fire was burning near the 2300 block of Pickett Road and that air and ground resources were working the blaze.

As many as 215 firefighters are battling the blaze. 

The fire started at around 3 p.m. Officials say the cause is under investigation. 

Evacuation orders

What we know:

The Napa Office of Emergency Services ordered evacuations for the areas of North of Silverado Trail, South of Pickett Road, East of Rosedale Road, West of Pickett Road, North of Pickett Road and Silverado Trail, South Old Lawley Toll and Victoria, East of Palisades, West of Dutch Henry.

You can find information on the evacuation zones here.

As of the latest update, the fire is still seeing zero percent containment.

"Fires are driven by three components: weather, topography and fuel. As you can see behind me, we have ll those three elements," said Erik Hernandez, Napa County Deputy Fire Marshal. 

"One of the beauties that we have right now is we don't have any other significant fires burning in Northern California, which allows us to have the C-130's, all CAL FIRE's assets focused on this fire," Hernandez said. 

Just behind Patrick Flynn's home, several helicopters drew water from a water recycling facility which has unlimited supplies of this partially treated water.

"With all these helicopters, it's kind of cool to watch now that I know my house is safe and everything. It's kind of cool to sit and watch then and like man, these are really cool. I haven't seen one of those hoses in a while like before. So that's like really cool to see now," Flynn said. 

"When you're get a fire this big,1,200 acres. When you're able to say no structures damaged or destroyed and very rugged terrain, with no injuries reported, even though we had a high heat advisory effect, our crews are doing an amazing job," said Hernandez. 

Evacuation center

What's next:

The county opened an evacuation center at the Calistoga Community Center, located at 1307 Washington Street. Later in the evening, officials closed that community center and directed any evacuees needing overnight shelter to go to Crosswalk Community Church at 2590 1st Street in Napa.