County Fire Balloons, Sending Smoke, Ash Across Bay Area

YOLO COUNTY, CA -- The County Fire, currently burning in western Yolo County and sending smoke across the San Francisco Bay Area, scorched at least 32,500 acres and is two percent contained as of Sunday night, according to Cal Fire officials.

The fire, formerly dubbed the Guinda Fire, that started at 2:12 p.m. Saturday sparked in a remote area near the unincorporated community of Guinda and the Cache Creek Casino.

As of 3 p.m. Sunday, evacuations were ordered for homes in Yolo, Napa and Solano counties but smoke and ash could be seen as far as San Francisco and Redwood City, officials said.

Evacuations were ordered for homes north of Highway 128, south of Coutny Road 23, east of Berryessa Knoxville Road and west of County 89. An evacuation advisory was issued for north of Quail Canyon Road, south of Highway 128, east of Blue Ridge mountains and west of Pleasant Valley Road.

Road closures were also in effect for eastbound Highway 128 at Monticello Dam and westbound Highway 128 at Pleasant Valley Road.

There are currently no injuries to firefighters or residents, officials said.

The fire forced officials to issue a smoke advisory for the San Francisco Bay Area. Bay Area Air Quality officials suggest that area residents avoid outdoor physical activity and keep children inside if it's smoky outside.

Keep windows and doors closed unless it's really hot out. If it's very hot and the home has no air conditioning, seek alternative shelter where it's cool. Home and car air conditioners should be run on recirculate.

Keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean.

Anyone with asthma or lung disease is urged to follow their doctor's directions about taking medicine and following an asthma management plan.

People are urged to call their doctor if their symptoms get worse.Anyone with heart or lung disease, older adults and people with children are urged to talk with their doctor about whether to leave the area.

--Bay City News Service/Patch staffer Hoa Quach contributed to this report

--Main photo of smoke from downtown Napa by Al Francis