Pope Fire: Crews Battle New Blaze In Napa County

NAPA COUNTY, CA — A vegetation fire broke out Friday in Napa County, charring 67 acres as night fell, officials with Cal Fire said.

The Pope Fire, which started at 3:56 p.m. at Lower Chiles Valley Road and Chiles Pope Valley Road, was 50 percent contained as of 7 p.m., according to Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.

As more than 125 firefighters from multiple local government fire agencies battled the blaze, Chiles Pope Valley Road remained closed from Lower Chiles Pope Valley Road to Pope Canyon Road.

Just before sunset Friday, at least four helicopters and several fixed wing Cal Fire air tankers out of Cal Fire’s air attack center at the Sonoma County Airport were making drops on the Pope Fire.

"The fire is burning in grassy oak woodlands in steep terrain," Cal Fire said in a 7 p.m. update. "Firefighters made good progress on containment but will remain on scene throughout the night. Crews will continue to construct containment line and extinguish any hot spots."

No evacuations were ordered in Friday's blaze, and no homes or other structures were destroyed or damaged.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

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