Wildfire Forces Evacuations in Napa County in California

The Pickett fire in Napa County in California had grown to more than 2,100 acres Friday morning, and some residents just outside the city of Calistoga remained under evacuation orders, officials said.

The fire started Thursday afternoon and grew quickly as it spread southeast, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the state fire agency known as Cal Fire.

The fire moved from the Napa Valley near Calistoga into the Pope Valley, Erick Hernandez, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, said Friday.

“The fire is not impacting the city of Calistoga; it’s just southeast of town in a remote area where we have minimal structures,” Hernandez said.

Several wineries were threatened Thursday when the blaze ignited. Hernandez said Friday that firefighters were less concerned about these properties as flames were moving into remote areas, tearing across a landscape blanketed in grasses and dotted with oak and manzanita trees.

Evacuation orders covered three zones of Calistoga with about 70 residents, based on a New York Times analysis of the evacuation zones and LandScan population data. An additional 500 people were under evacuation warnings in other zones, including in the Aetna Springs area, on Friday. Evacuated residents could find shelter at the Calistoga Community Center and Crosswalk Community Church, according to city officials.

No injuries have been reported, and no structures have been damaged, Bob Todeschini, the Cal Fire battalion chief in charge of the Pickett fire, said in a video posted on social media Thursday night.

Hernandez said firefighters started to get a handle on the blaze overnight as humidity levels increased.

He said the fire was expected to grow Friday with temperatures forecast to climb into the high 90s. Saturday will likely be a little cooler, with afternoon highs in the low 90s. Winds are predicted to remain light, and the National Weather Service has not issued any red-flag warnings for fire in Napa County, though a heat advisory is in effect for interior mountains through Saturday evening.

“I don’t expect the winds to be a concern,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service.

While California saw devastating wildfires in Los Angeles at the start of the year, the state has experienced an average summer fire season, with only one blaze, the Gifford fire, surpassing 100,000 acres. Fire activity is expected to pick up in coming days as the state bakes in a heat wave.

The heightened wildfire risk comes amid cuts to federal agencies that assist with firefighting, prevention and recovery, including the weather service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Calistoga has a population of about 5,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A dozen vineyards in its vicinity are part of the renowned Napa Valley wine industry, and some would be in the path of the fire if it continues spreading southeast.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.