Point Fire triggers evacuations and burns 900 acres

The Point Fire in Sonoma County, which broke out Sunday, has burned greater than 400 acres, destroyed some buildings and triggered evacuation orders near its source at Lake Sonoma, authorities said.

The fire also appears to be spreading to several wineries in the world.

Cal Fire reported that the hearth was first reported at 12:33 p.m. in an area about 12 miles northwest of Healdsburg, west of Geyserville. It is one among the greater than a dozen forest fires burning across the state.

As of 10 p.m. Sunday night, the state fire department said the hearth had spread to 468 acres and was 15 percent contained. There were no immediate reports of significant injuries, but Cal Fire wrote in a social media post, “We have confirmed reports of structures destroyed and are working on damage inspections regarding the type and number of structures.”

The post also said that the hearth had now spread south toward Mountain View Ranch Road and that several wineries on and south of that road had turn out to be in the trail of the hearth.

Evacuation orders have been issued for residents of Fall Creek Road, Stewarts Point-Skaggs Spring Road and West Dry Creek Road. Evacuation warnings have been issued for areas south of Lake Sonoma – warnings that tell residents to prepare to go away the areas.

Cal Fire said late Sunday that “crews are confident the threat to structures along the Upper Dry Creek Valley will diminish around sunset.”

As a results of the hearth, air quality from Healdsburg to Napa was rated unhealthy, in accordance with online readings from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. The National Weather Service predicted that smoke The spread of the hearth would follow the identical trajectory from northwest to southeast.

According to Cal Fire, seven crews are battling the hearth, supported by greater than 20 pieces of kit, including three helicopters. The fire has reportedly consumed brush and fir trees and was fueled partly by northwest winds and low relative humidity.

Curiously, the Point Fire's origin was not subject to the National Weather Service's weekend warnings, although warnings were in effect in other parts of Sonoma County, in addition to in Napa, Solano and Sacramento counties.

The largest wildfire currently burning within the state is the Post Fire near Gorman in Los Angeles County, which was first reported Saturday afternoon and had burned 14,625 acres by Sunday evening. Authorities said the forest was 2 percent contained.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

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