Shifting Winds Complicate Fight Against County Fire
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Firefighters worked throughout the afternoon and evening Sunday to get containment on the County Fire burning for a second day near the Yolo and Napa County line.
"Crews are establishing a line around it and getting control on some areas. But until we've had those crews come in and mop up and there's no embers at all that can cross the line, we'll still be looking at very low containment numbers," said Division Chief Chris Anthony with Cal Fire.
As firefighters worked to put out hotspots on the scorched land near Road 78A in Brooks, the winds shifted late evening causing even more challenges.
Steve Black owns 60 acres just outside Esparto. His property uncomfortably close to the main fire just over the hillside to the south.
"If you can't smell smoke you're usually going to be OK," Black said. "But now the wind is changing and it's coming from the south. If everything off to the south right there, if it drops down on this side of the hill it will come sweeping in here and burn up all this grass."
Most of the area is still under a mandatory evacuation order and fire officials stress mandatory means just that.
"When we put those evacuation warnings into effect, those orders into effect, people need to heed those. Fires are moving faster than they have in the past," Chief Anthony said.
"So we need to get people out of the fire's path so we can get in and do our jobs," he said.
