Napa County Wildfires, 1 Week In: Containment Up; Recovery Process Begins

NAPA COUNTY, CA — The massive effort by thousands of firefighters — not only on the ground but from the air — to bring an end to the wildfires raging for more than a week in the North San Francisco Bay Area's wine country, is starting to pay off, according to Cal Fire. The agency reported Monday morning that the Atlas Fire, the largest of the Southern Complex fires in Napa and Solano counties was 51,064 acres and 68-percent contained.

"Firefighters continue to strengthen perimeter control lines, provide structure defense and engage in tactical patrol," Cal Fire officials said in an incident update. "As some residents are allowed to return to their homes, please drive carefully as emergency personnel are still working throughout the fire area."

Tragically, the Atlas Fire has claimed at least six lives in Napa County. The wildfire that tore into the region late Sunday night, Oct. 8, has destroyed at least 342 homes, businesses and other structures and damaged some 50 others, officials say.

Watch: Napa Residents Return To Rubble, Devastation

While many evacuation orders and advisories have been lifted for multiple neighborhoods both in the city and county of Napa, the following areas remained under mandatory evacuation Monday morning, according to Cal Fire: Circle Oaks; Wild Horse Valley Road; and state Highway 128 to Moskowite.

"No new evacuations have been ordered," said Scott Ross, a Cal Fire spokesman for the Atlas Fire told Patch at about 12:30 p.m. Monday.

At 2 p.m., the Napa County Sheriff's Office, which is handling the lifting of evacuations, the previous mandatory evacuation order affecting residents in the Berryessa Highlands Community — state Highway 128 from Silverado Trail to the Napa County Line at Monticello Dam — has been lifted. Access to Berryessa Highlands is via Sage Canyon Road or from Winters Area (SR 128), officials said. All of Monticello Road, SR 121 (“The Corners”) south to Wooden Valley Road and beyond to Napa (Vichy Avenue), as well as all of Wooden Valley Road, remained closed.

According to the Napa County Sheriff's Office:

"The public is reminded to remain vigilant on current fire conditions. Please continue to adhere to road closures, evacuation advisories and evacuation orders. Some homes may still be without PG&E service, PG&E is in the area working to restore service. If you see electrical wires on the ground, stay clear and contact PG&E immediately. Trees and poles with deep charring should be considered hazardous. Do not connect a generator without a licensed electrician. Please drive slowly as emergency personnel continue to operate in the area. For health and other information on wildfire clean-up and recovery, please visit Countyofnapa.org."

>>Sonoma County fire-related coverage

Recovery Process Begins

Napa County officials opened a local FEMA assistance center Monday in Napa to help residents affected by the wildfires in the county. Located in the Conference Center, Building A of the Napa County Health and Human Services complex at 2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, the center is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

County officials said the center will offer help from federal, state and local offices and that help includes financial assistance.

County officials also said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have suspended routine immigration enforcement operations in areas of Northern California affected by the wildfires. Immigration agents will not be at the local assistance center.

Congressman Mike Thompson announced Friday that the federal government has approved Individual Assistance (IA) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster funds for Napa County residents impacted by the 2017 Napa Fire Complex. The funding will be granted to individuals to help rebuild, repair, and replace housing, and assist with other disaster-related expenses.

"On behalf of Napa County, we are extremely grateful to Congressman Mike Thompson and the federal government for bringing Individual Assistance within days of the start of this incident,” said Belia Ramos, Chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors.

Napa County individuals can register with FEMA by applying online at Disasterassistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by calling 800-621-3361.

If a homeowner whose home or place of work has been impacted by a wildfire and their mortgage is owned by Freddie Mac, officials with the agency urge homeowners to call their mortgage company. Mortgage relief is available to homeowners in areas where federal Individual Assistance has been extended, which today includes the counties of Napa and Sonoma.

A mortgage company is authorized to suspend mortgage payments for up to 12 months, waive the assessment of penalties or late fees against homeowners with disaster-damaged homes and suspend reporting forbearance or late payments caused by the wildfires to national credit bureau agencies.

Homeowners may also be eligible for disaster assistance through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Meanwhile, school districts throughout Napa County remained closed Monday. Here is the status of districts in the county, according to a post on Howell Mountain Elementary School District's website:

"As the result of a meeting of the Napa County school districts’ superintendents today Thursday, October 12, Napa Valley Unified School District, St. Helena Unified School District, Pope Valley Union Elementary School District, Howell Mountain Elementary School District and Napa County Office of Education schools plan to resume classes on Wednesday, October 18. The decision was made based on student safety and staff availability due to impact from the wildfires in the area.
"Napa Valley College will resume classes on Tuesday, October 17.
"Due to the citywide evacuation, Calistoga Joint Unified School District is closed through at least Friday, October 20.
"Napa Valley College and the school districts may notify staff via email of different return dates for some staff.
"These dates are based on a presumption that the fire situation and air quality will continue to improve and that the school buildings and staff are ready to serve students. If that is not the case, we will inform you of any changes to the plan through our established channels.
"Please continue to share this information with your friends, family and neighbors."

Patch will update this throughout the day with fire-related information; please refresh the page for the latest.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo: A man drives an all-terrain vehicle along a fire-ravaged Soda Canyon Road, in Napa, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)