Cal Fire Determines Cause Of 70,000-Acre Rocky Fire

Photo: Al Francis of NapaSonomaPhotos.com

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Cal Fire investigators announced today that the cause of one of the two fires, which grew together to become known as the Rocky Fire, was the result of the failure of a gas water heater in an outbuilding that contained flammable liquids. The outbuilding fire then caught the nearby vegetation on fire and quickly spread to the surrounding area, the agency said.

While the cause has been determined, the circumstances surrounding the fire starting remain under investigation. The cause of the second fire is also still under investigation, officials said.

The Rocky Fire started on July 29, at 3:29 p.m. off Morgan Valley Road west of the community of Lower Lake. The fire burned nearly 70,000 acres over the next 16 days, destroying 43 homes and 53 outbuildings. At the peak of the fire, more than 13,000 residents were impacted by evacuations and 7,500 homes were threatened, Cal Fire said.

The fire was fully contained on Aug. 14.

• Related: Unbelievable Scenes From Monstrous Rocky Fire

On Aug. 9, the Jerusalem Fire began in Jerusalem Valley, just south of the Rocky Fire.

While the Jerusalem Fire burned very close to the Rocky Fire, the cause is unrelated and remains under investigation, Cal Fire said.

As of Tuesday evening, Cal Fire reported that the Jerusalem Fire is 95 percent contained, with 25,118 acres consumed.

• Also see: Investigators Pinpoint Cause Of #Wragg Fire in Napa, Solano Counties

CAL FIRE continues to urge residents to take all precautions to avoid sparking a wildfire. Learn more at www.ReadyForWildfire.org