Fire Shuts Down HWY-128: Napa County Sheriff

NAPA VALLEY, CA — A fast-moving wildfire in Yolo County has forced the closure of Highway 128 near Monticello Dam.

The Napa County Sheriff's Department warned motorists to avoid Highway 128 in the area while firefighters work to contain flames that raced uphill through dry vegetation and blackened hundreds of acres.

The Putah Fire, named for nearby Putah Creek, ignited west of Winters and quickly expanded after crews were dispatched shortly after 11:30 a.m., according to the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.

By 2:45 p.m., the blaze had scorched about 300 acres, with firefighters reporting zero containment. Ten engines and six helicopters, as well as CalTrans crews, were on scene.

Authorities have shut down Highway 128 in both directions, disrupting travel through the area as crews attacked the flames from the ground and air.

Despite the fire's growth, CAL FIRE said that no homes or other structures were under immediate threat, and no evacuation orders or warnings had been issued as of Monday afternoon.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The fire agencies on site include Winters Fire Department, Dixon Fire Department, Madison Fire Protection District, and West Plainfiled Fire Protection District.