The largest this week, named the Pickett fire, exploded in size on Thursday as it burned in a remote area of Napa county, and covered more than 3,200 acres (850 hectares) by Friday afternoon. Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued on Thursday for hundreds of residents around Calistoga, a small city in the region known for its wine, as firefighters faced challenging conditions, working through dangerously high temperatures and rugged terrain. The fire’s perimeter is just 5% contained.
“Firefighter safety will be an emphasis once again Friday, with temperatures expected to reach into the upper 90s,” analysts with the state fire agency known as CalFire wrote in an update issued on Friday.
Bob Todeschini, the battalion chief on the Pickett fire, said there had been no injuries or structures damaged, in a video shared on social media on Thursday night. “We’d like to remind everyone to be vigilant and have a plan as we continue with suppression efforts,” he said.