Pickett Fire in Napa County grows to nearly 4,000 acres

An intense firefight is ongoing in wine country as the Picket Fire has grown to nearly 4,000 acres, prompting new evacuation orders near Calistoga. Despite the danger, some residents are choosing to stay and protect their properties, creating defensible space around homes. Fire crews are employing an aerial attack, using planes and helicopters for water drops in the rugged terrain, and are optimistic about containment due to favorable weather conditions.

The Picket Fire, which began near Calistoga, is burning in a remote and rugged area, posing a risk to populated areas. Residents, like Tristan, who have experienced wildfires before, acknowledge the fear but express confidence in the firefighters' progress, noting that the weather is not as windy as during the devastating Glass Fire in 2020, which burned over 60,000 acres. CalFire has reported no injuries or damage to buildings and wineries thus far, with crews working through the night.

Meteorologist Jeff Reri notes that the current lack of extreme winds is aiding firefighters in their aerial operations. While forward progress on the Dublin fire has been stopped, the Picket Fire continues to grow. Current wind conditions from the south are pushing the fire and embers northward, away from Pope Valley and Anguin, but residents in these areas are still urged to remain alert for any unpredictable fire behavior. Temperatures are expected to drop from the 100s into the low 90s.

• The Picket Fire has grown to nearly 4,000 acres.
• New evacuation orders have been issued near Calistoga.
• Residents are actively creating defensible space around properties.
• Fire crews are utilizing an aerial attack with planes and helicopters.
• No injuries or damage to buildings and wineries have been reported by CalFire.

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Picket Fire Growth and Evacuations [0:00]

• The Picket Fire is intense and continues to burn in wine country.
• The fire has expanded to nearly 4,000 acres.
• New evacuation orders have been issued for areas near Calistoga.
• Some individuals are choosing to remain and defend their properties.
• Embers are being felt from the fire's proximity.

"Right out 11, an intense firefight continues in wine country. The picket fire has grown to nearly 4,000 acres, forcing new evacuation orders near Kalisoga. But as crews race to stop the flames from spreading, some people are choosing to stay put."

This section highlights the immediate and escalating threat of the Picket Fire, its size, the official response with evacuation orders, and the determined, though risky, actions of some residents.

Defensive Efforts and Terrain Challenges [0:39]

• Dakota and Tristan have been working for two days to protect properties in Pope Valley.
• They are creating defensible space by clearing foliage at least 10 feet away from a friend's house.
• Pope Valley is now under an evacuation order due to its proximity to the Picket Fire.
• The fire originated in Calistoga along Picket Road.
• It is burning in deep, remote, and rugged terrain.

"We're protecting our friend's house um because he's pretty darn close to it. We did 10 feet from, you know, all the all the foliage. We did 10 ft away from the house. Keep kind of like a like a safe area."

This part details the hands-on efforts of individuals to protect their homes and explains the challenging environment in which the fire is burning.

Firefighting Tactics and Historical Context [1:14]

• Fire crews are using an aerial attack, with planes dropping water and helicopters dipping into ponds for water.
• The fire is situated in rugged and remote terrain, despite being surrounded by populated areas.
• This region is the same area affected by the devastating Glass Fire of 2020, which exceeded 60,000 acres.
• Residents like Tristan express fear, having experienced wildfires before.
• Fire officials note that the weather conditions for the Picket Fire are less windy than the Glass Fire.

"This fire is burning in some pretty rugged and and fairly remote terrain, even though it's surrounded by populated areas."

This section covers the specific firefighting methods being employed and provides crucial historical context, drawing comparisons to a past, more destructive fire in the same vicinity.

Current Status and Meteorological Conditions [2:30]

• CalFire has reported no injuries and no damage to buildings or wineries.
• Crews will remain on-site throughout the night battling the wildfire.
• Chief Meteorologist Jeff Reri is providing an update on the weather.
• Current wind speeds are not extreme, which is significantly helping firefighters.
• Aerial water and fire retardant drops are effective due to calm winds.
• Forward progress on the Dublin fire has been stopped.
• The Picket Fire started near Picket Road in Calistoga.
• Winds are currently calm, with occasional gusts up to 20 mph expected in the fire zone.
• Tomorrow's winds will also be calm, with gusts around 20 mph from the south.
• Temperatures are forecast to be around 91 degrees, a decrease from the 100s.
• The southerly wind direction is pushing the fire and embers towards the north.
• Pope Valley and Anguin are expected to remain north of the fire's path.
• Residents in Pope Valley and Anguin are advised to stay alert for erratic fire behavior.

"Well, yeah, we've been tracking so much of this tonight and really when it comes to the wind speed overall through today, we're not seeing extreme winds and that really has been everything to firefighters."

This part of the transcript focuses on the official status of the fire, including damage assessments, and then transitions to a detailed meteorological forecast that explains how current and upcoming weather patterns are influencing the firefighting efforts.