Neighbors Call Kincade Fire 'Déjà vu' As They Are Forced Out Of Their Homes, Again

GEYSERVILLE (CBS13) - A raging wildfire that forced the evacuations of hundreds of Northern California homes is expected to grow, even as more than 16,000 acres of land have burned.

The Kincade Fire is being fueled by intense winds that exploded overnight. In Geyserville, a town with a population of fewer than 1,000 people, everyone was forced to evacuate. Many went to the evacuation centers in Headlsburg and Santa Rosa.

Healdsberg Mayor, David Hagle said, "These are scary events. You see it on the faces of the people coming into the evacuation center."

Some call it déjà vu, as many have been through this before.

"It was certainly a big impact for everyone in my neighborhood. We feel very strongly about the fires," said Jake Bair, who came up from Santa Rosa.

Hagle calls this the new normal.

READ: PG&E Confirms Downed Powerline In Same Area Of Kincade Fire Wednesday Night

"There are people who have moved from Santa Rosa to Geyserville, and now you have another fire here," Hagle said.

In Geyserville, houses burned to the ground and smoke took over the air in the wine country they call home. Cal Fire said a total of 49 structures were destroyed by the fire.

Even for these leaders who've been through this before, seeing another fire is emotional.

State Senator Mike McGuire said, "Everyone's in a little bit of a shock for everyone including myself, so it's a little bit emotional. This is  an incredibly scary event."

At the evacuation center in Healdsberg, Bill Boutin said he left early Thursday morning with his wife and two dogs in their RV.

"Here I am, 73 and I'm living in an RV," he said.

It's the second time they've all woken up to flames and smoke.

"It was daybreak, but the smoke cover close to the ground — you had good visibility but the overhead cover, it looked like it was still nighttime," Boutin said.

ALSO: Why You Should Keep A Frozen Cup With A Coin On Top In Your Freezer

His house burned to the ground in the Sonoma County Pocket Fire two years ago.

"The next time I saw the house it was just this crater," Boutin said. "We had to evacuate Geyserville where we are staying in an RV and the reason we are in an RV is because we got nailed by the Pocket Fire two years ago, and we're just now getting ready to rebuild out there."

And once again, in his backyard, houses burned to the ground and smoke took over the air in the Wine Country he calls home. Crews worked to put the quick-moving flames out from the ground and the air.

Jake Bair was up from Santa Rosa to help put the fire out.

"It's amazing how much smoke these things put off," Bair said. "I'm using my shovel today to try to cut a line in the dirt so the fire cannot spread any more."

He's trying to make sure the flames don't jump the street as they have in the past.

With 16,000 acres burned and leaders expecting this fire to grow, Bair said it's all hands on deck. "With what happened last year, I think we're all taking the fire very seriously," he said.

The biggest concern right now is this weekend as we anticipate a rather large wind event. Firefighters are hoping to get the flames knocked down before stronger winds pick up Saturday into Sunday.