CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos or video on a mobile device
The Kincade Fire that broke out six days ago in Sonoma County has grown to more than 66,000 acres as of Monday morning. The fire, which has forced more than 185,000 people to evacuate their homes and businesses, continues to wreak havoc on the area.
As firefighters work to control the blaze, here is some key information you might want to know about the growing fire.
Fire statistics
The Kincade fire, which began Wednesday evening on John Kincade Road near the town of Geyserville, has expanded substantially in the past six days.
As of Monday morning, the Kincade Fire had burned more than 66,000 acres of Sonoma County — setting wineries and hilltop homes ablaze along the way. At least 96 structures have been destroyed, 16 damaged and nearly 80,000 are threatened, according to Cal Fire authorities.
Just 5 percent of the flames are contained — down from 10 percent Sunday evening. More than 4,000 firefighters are now on the line working to control the fire’s perimeters.
Air quality
A Spare the Air alert was issued for Monday across the entire Bay Area and North Bay, an advisory that ozone levels or particulate matter in the air have reached unhealthy levels.
Exposure to air pollution levels on the air quality index between 200 and 300 is considered very unhealthy and will have negative health effects while levels above 300 are considered hazardous.
In the town of Windsor — near where the fire first broke out — air sensors are showing particular matter levels of 614. Just north of downtown Santa Rosa, air sensors are measuring levels ranging between 203 and a high of 484 on the Air Quality Index, according to purpleair.com, a company that sells sensors to track air quality.
Smoke from the Kincade Fire has mostly been pushed over the Pacific Ocean due to strong offshore winds, but air quality in the Bay Area is still very poor in certain communities due to local fires, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Air sensors in Vallejo — near the site of the 150-acre Glen Cove fire that ignited Sunday morning near the Carquinez Bridge — show particulate matter levels ranging between 350 and as high as 490 on the Air Quality Index, according to purpleair.com.
Winds
After nearly 24 hours of intense, gusting wind bursts, the winds are beginning to calm near the fire. Firefighters are hoping to take advantage of the relative calmness before strong winds are predicted to pick up again midday Tuesday until Wednesday.
Roadway Closures
Highway 101 was reopened in both directions as of Monday morning, but some off-ramps will remain closed. Those closures include:
- Southbound US-101 off-ramps at Central Healdsburg, Shiloh Road, Dry Creek Road, Central Windsor and Arata Lane
- Northbound US-101 off-ramp at Windsor
- Old Redwood at Shiloh Road
- State Road 128 between Alexander Valley Road in Jimtown and Geyserville Avenue in Geyserville
- Southbound Geyserville Avenue at Canyon Road
- Geyserville Avenue — east of US-101 to northbound Geyserville
Evacuation zones
In the largest evacuation in Sonoma County history, approximately 185,000 people from the wine country to the coast have been ordered to leave.
Mandatory evacuation zones include the towns of Windsor and Geyserville, City of Healdsburg, western Sonoma County from Bodega Bay to Jenner, and unincorporated areas around Windsor and Healdsburg.
Healdsburg Hospital, Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital and Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa have been evacuated.
Although not under mandatory evacuation, residents of Calistoga, in Napa County — where the Tubbs Fire began — have been urged to prepare to flee as an ominous plume of smoke looms over the horizon to the north.
Evacuation shelters and bus centers
As of Monday morning, evacuation shelters accepting families fleeing the fire include:
- Marin Civic Center at 10 Avenue of the Flags
- Napa Valley College at 2277 Napa Vallejo Highway in Napa
- Crosswalk Community Church Napa at 2590 1st Street in Napa
- Sonoma County Fairgrounds at 1350 Bennett Valley Road is accepting people and small pets but is at capacity for large animals
The Alameda County Fairgrounds at 4501 Pleasanton Avenue in Pleasanton and Petaluma Fairgrounds at 175 Fairgrounds Drive are both accepting animals of all sizes, but not evacuees.
The Petaluma Veterans Building at 1094 Petaluma Blvd. South in Petaluma is a designated meeting place for evacuees, but it is at capacity for beds.
The shelters at Santa Rosa Veteran Memorial Hall and Petaluma Community Center are both at capacity.
Evacuation bus centers include:
- Healdsburg Community Center at 1557 Healdsburg Ave. in Healdsburg
- Home Depot and Walmart parking lots at Shiloh Road and Hembree Lane in Windsor
- New Song Church at 167 Arata Lane in Windsor
