Massive Picket Fire Explodes In Wine Country, Prompting Evacuations

CALISTOGA, CA — Fire crews battled a grass fire Friday in Calistoga that doubled in size overnight, forcing the evacuation of residents in the area.

As of 4:46 p.m. on Friday, the Pickett Fire had grown to 3,235 acres and was 7 percent contained, according to CAL Fire.

The blaze began near Calistoga on Thursday afternoon, and it had made a strong push East, going from the Pickett Lane area down on to the Napa valley floor and into the Aetna Spring side of Pope Valley, said Ryan Isham, division chief for the CAL Fire Sonoma Lake Napa unit, in a video statement Friday morning.

As of Friday, there were 75 engines, 15 bulldozers, 10 water tenders, eight hand crews and numerous air tankers and helicopters in the battle to contain the fire. The total personnel was around 435 people.

Isham said crews were establishing a contingency line along Rattlesnake Ridge, progressing over into Hope Valley.

"A contingency line is a secondary line, and it's a backup plan for us, in case our primary lines fail and we have fire that gets across those it gives us something to fall back to that's already preestablished. That gives us a better chance of being able to corral that fire," Isham said.

Fire activity had diminished Thursday evening and crews took advantage by continuing to use water-dropping aircrafts to help suppress the fire throughout the night, officials said.

"We've been going direct on the fire whenever possible," Isham said.

On Friday, fire crews expected conditions to change as temperatures warm up,

"You will expect to see increased fire activity throughout the perimeter of the fire," Isham said. "We have surged many resources, both ground and aviation resources, into the area to help with fire suppression activities."

The Pickett Fire was first reported around 3:18 p.m. on Thursday as a 2-3 acre fire with a moderate rate of speed and 30 minutes later it had spread to around 60 acres, officials said.

At 4:05 p.m. on Thursday, evacuation orders and warnings began to go out for many residents in the Calistoga area, CAL Fire reported.

By 6 p.m., the fire had grown to 1,045 acres, officials said.

More evacuation orders and warnings were issued throughout the night and into the morning. By 11:45 p.m. on Thursday, the fire had been mapped at 2,133 acres, according to CAL Fire.

As of 7:32 a.m. on Friday, the fired had grown to 2,133 acres and was 0 percent contained, according to CAL Fire.