Canyon Fire sears 114 acres in Napa County

The Canyon Fire in Napa County is now described as encompassing 114 acres and was 60 percent contained as of 8 a.m. today, Cal Fire said.

Evacuation warnings are in effect along State Highway 128 between Turtle Rock and the Somerston Estate Winery, located at 3450 Sage Canyon Road, and between Turtle Rock and Capell Valley Crest, Cal Fire spokeswoman Suzie Blankenship said.

Evacuation warnings mean that people don’t have to leave right away but should be prepared to do so.

She said:

“They have been put on notice that there is a fire in the area. The warning is an awareness that things could move to a mandatory evacuation depending on fire activity.”

State Highway 128 is closed at Lower Chiles Road and at Capell Valley Cross Road, Blankenship said. The closures will continue so firefighters can access the fire area, Blankenship said:

“We want the firefighters to be able to actively work that fire without worrying about vehicles going up and down the road while the firefighters’ vehicles and equipment are using the road.”

The Canyon Fire was reported at 12:57 p.m. at State Highway 128, also known as Sage Canyon Road, and Berryessa Knoxville Road, Cal Fire said.

There initially was a 30-acre fire and a 2-acre fire a quarter-mile away in dry brush and pockets of timber on both sides of Berryessa Knoxville Road and state Highway 128 in the Capell Valley area in eastern Napa County, Cal Fire said.

Firefighters are now working on improving the containment and control lines, Blankenship said. There are 15 fire engines, 16 fire crews, two helicopters, two bulldozers and a total of 343 people on hand fighting the fire, she said.

The terrain is rugged, steep and rocky, with heavy dry brush and pockets of timber, Blankenship noted.