California fires: Calistoga evacuated by Glass fire siege

California fires ravage wine country 3:16

(CNN) ––

Firefighters fought early Tuesday morning against one of the fastest growing wildfires in California: the Glass Fire.

His goal was to save homes in the state's wine region.

The situation exacerbates the misery of a deadly fire season that has destroyed many houses.

As well as leaving multiple parts of California with a harmful air for weeks.

People stop on the side of a highway to watch the Glass Fire burn on a hillside outside Calistoga late Monday.

The Glass Fire is one of two major fires that started over the weekend.

His threat has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes in Napa and Sonoma counties, in California's wine country.

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Calistoga's roughly 5,000 residents were ordered to evacuate the city on Monday.

Calistoga is located almost 89 kilometers from San Francisco.

This was because officials feared that the flames could burn the city, about 88 km north of San Francisco.

Evacuations in Calistoga, California, for fires

Police scoured all the streets for residents to evacuate, CNN affiliate KPIX reported late Monday.

Linda Shaver had left her home and returned, thinking she was not at risk.

So, they informed him that he had to evacuate again, KPIX reported.

"We didn't get anything out of the car (from the first time)," Shaver told KPIX.

The Glass fire burns as Josh Asbury, a CableCom employee, installs fiber optics in Calistoga, California, on September 28, 2020.

"You're standing in your driveway, looking at it, and you wonder if you'll ever see it again," Jim Cunningham, another evacuee from the Glass fire, told KPIX on Monday.

"The scariest part is not knowing."

Firefighters were also trying to prevent the flames from advancing into the city of Santa Rosa.

This was reported Tuesday by Cal Fire Incident Commander Billy See.

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«It has been a long season.

Most of (the firefighters) have been working non-stop since mid-July, from fire to fire to fire, here in the northern part of the state, ”See told reporters.

The Glass fire covers 17,239 hectares.

It is one of two fires that started under windy conditions early in the morning of and have swept through the Northern California countryside.

State of emergency

The other, the Zogg Fire, devastated at least 16,187 hectares in Shasta County, southwest of Redding.

It also claimed the lives of at least three people, according to Cal Fire officials.

Bringing the death toll to 29 in the California wildfires this year.

California in a state of fire emergency 0:53

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Monday night in those three counties over the relatively new fires.

The Zogg Fire alone has destroyed 146 structures and threatens 1,538 others, according to Cal Fire.

These fires are the latest in a devastating season.

Which, in addition, has already produced five of the six largest wildfires in California history.

Little rain, high temperatures and strong winds helped set the stage for the flames and continued to fuel the fires.

Especially since mid-August.

At least 22 major fires are active in the state, according to the National and Interagency Fire Center.

Wildfires burn in the western US

Red dots represent active fires since September 21.

The figures left by the Glass fire

The Glass Fire broke out in Napa County.

Later, it spread to Sonoma County at a "dangerous rate of spread," Cal Fire explained.

So far, 21 people have been taken to the hospital for burns or breathing problems, authorities said.

In addition, the fire has destroyed about 80 homes and 32 minor structures, Cal Fire Deputy Director Jonathan Cox said Tuesday.

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According to the Cal Fire Incident Commander, the ground under fire is now in the footprint of three 2017 fires. And it added that it does not in itself have a fire precedent.

The relatively intact vegetation has "created a problem for firefighters," See said.

A famous vineyard, under fire

Just outside of Calistoga, the Castello di Amorosa vineyard was badly damaged, CNN affiliate KGO reported.

Employees used hoses to try and extinguish the flames, but still lost part of the wine cellar, owner Dario Sattui told KGO.

"The laboratory disappeared, the offices disappeared, the wine was destroyed," Sattui told KGO on Monday.

And he added that the threat is not over yet.

Wine cellar worker José Juan Pérez extinguishes flames in Castello di Amorosa, outside Calistoga on Monday.

The fire is 137 meters from here.

I am nervous.

I know firefighters are tired of working non-stop.

I wish they could have saved the warehouse, ”Sattui said, according to KGO.

A 3 Michelin star restaurant cannot save itself from the fire

In addition, on the outskirts of the city of St. Helena, Napa County, the Glass Fire destroyed a restaurant with three Michelin stars.

The restaurant in Meadowood was reduced to rubble despite fierce efforts by firefighters to douse the flames.

It wasn't enough to create hose lines and motors to draw water out of a swimming pool, CNN affiliate KGO reported.

A ladder amid debris at the restaurant in Meadowood, affected by the fire in St. Helena, California.

"We are all heartbroken," wrote chef Chris Kostow in an Instagram post on Monday.

"For now, I want to thank all the members of the TRAM family who ever visited this magical space," reads the publication that reproduces an acronym for the restaurant.

"And to all the diners over the years who have enjoyed the efforts of these crowds ... What an honor it has been," he concluded.

North of St. Helena, the Glass Fire destroyed the famous 41-year-old Chateau Boswell vineyard.

Big chunks of ash, another toll from the California fires

California fights 2 new fires 0:52

The fire has also produced large chunks of ash falling from the sky in the Santa Rosa area.

Photos from resident Morgan Balaei showed ash blizzards Monday.

One piece of ash was so extensive that it "looked like someone's toupee," Balaei said.

"I could hear (the ash) falling into my car," he said.

Ash falls from the sky Monday in Santa Rosa.

A shelter is already full as 70,000 people flee the fires

More than 70,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Sonoma and Napa counties.

This was because hot and dry winds pushed the flames of the Glass Fire into neighborhoods and vineyards.

So the house and other structures came under fire.

A firefighter looks out at a destroyed home on September 28, 2020 in Santa Rosa, California.

One of three shelters for evacuees from the Glass fire, the Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds, filled to capacity early Monday, KGO reported.

Evacuated residents told KGO they did not know if their homes were destroyed by the rapid flames.

"I don't know ... all we know is that it affected Highway 12 to Oakmont," Vallie and Tony, who did not provide their last names, told KGO.

"We just hear more and more sirens."

Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds CEO Allison Keaney said the site was transformed from a COVID-19 testing site to a shelter overnight, KGO reported.

Satellite showing the smoke from the Glass Fire in the North Bay but note the August Complex and other fires in NorCal continue to pump a lot of smoke offshore at this time.

Warm temps all week won't bring much relief.

#GlassFire pic.twitter.com/RCqVdxYfLF

- NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) September 29, 2020

People have different needs, ”Keaney told the affiliate.

“We have cars, a car camping area, another place for RVs.

We are just trying to make it accessible to everyone once they get here.

As he explained, around 160 evacuees from a nursing home in Santa Rosa are temporarily inside several buildings, with a distance of 2 meters, reported KGO.

Ed Wayne told the affiliate that he had come to the evacuation shelter to help.

"People need help right now," she said through tears, KGO reported.

"Our community needs us."

Kathy Guthormsen indicated she was concerned for her community as well, after hearing from her friends evacuated from the Santa Rosa Bird Rescue Center, according to KGO.

A palm tree throws embers in the middle of the fire.

"Several of them had to leave their homes in the middle of the night," he told the affiliate.

When asked if she was scared, Guthormsen replied, "Yes… as they say, you hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

Smoke from California fires affects air quality

Smoke from California's many fires has hung over various parts of the state for weeks.

Authorities issued air quality alerts for parts of Northern California and the San Joaquin Valley on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 1.5 million hectares were burned in 8,136 fire incidents in California this year, Cal Fire said.

A red flag warning for Northern California expired Monday night.

However, low humidity and winds are expected to continue in the North Bay area, according to the National Weather Service.

"Light winds, high temperatures, low humidity and a lack of resources will continue to challenge firefighters," Cal Fire said Tuesday.

CNN's Justin Lear, Stella Chan, Sarah Moon, Cheri Mossburg, Jon Passantino, and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.

California fires