Napa County Canyon Fire Latest: Evacs Lifted, Hwy 128 Reopened

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Cal Fire crews continued battling a 64-acre vegetation fire along state Highway 128 near Lake Berryessa but residents evacuated from nine homes were allowed to return home late Tuesday afternoon. The Canyon Fire burning 16 miles east of St. Helena broke out at 1:15 p.m. Monday, according to Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit. The wildland blaze started along SR-128 at Wragg Canyon Road and by 3:45 p.m., grew to 45 acres in size with no containment, Cal Fire officials said on Twitter.

Aircraft and ground crews starting gaining the upper hand early Monday evening; by 7:30 p.m., the Canyon Fire was 60-percent contained at 55 acres.

The firefight continued, and by Tuesday evening, the Canyon Fire was 85-percent contained at 64 acres, according to Bruce Lang of Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.

No injuries have been reported and no homes have been damaged or destroyed.

Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for nine homes in the 6500-7000 block of SR-128, according to a Napa County Office of Emergency Services Nixle alert sent at 4:22 p.m. Tuesday.

Highway 128 has been closed from Monticello Dam to Wragg Canyon Road, but Lang said in a 7 p.m. update that the roadway has been reopened.

"Despite steep rugged terrain, fire crews made significant progress today allowing the re-population of the nine evacuated homes and opening both lanes of traffic on Hwy 128," Lang said. "Use extreme caution while driving along this section of Hwy 128 as fire equipment and personnel will remain on scene for the next few days."

A total of 160 personnel were assigned to the blaze Tuesday. Agencies assisting Cal Fire include Napa County Fire, Winters Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Napa County Sheriff’s Office and Caltrans.

Cal Fire has not yet determined what caused the wildfire.