Firefighters Continue to Battle Northern California Wildfire
The moist air was expected Tuesday morning, which would help firefighters control the Sonoma County fire. Four homes, eight outbuildings and 12 cars have been destroyed, and about 40 residents have been evacuated from the area, about 60 miles north of San Francisco.
The blaze had been feeding on tinder-dry brush, unpredictable wind patterns, and air so dry that even at night there is no real increase in moisture, said Janet Marshall, spokeswoman for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
``Today was pretty much make or break. We got through it so far,'' Marshall said Monday. ``If all goes well, we'll reach the cautiously optimistic stage.''
The fire, which started Friday northeast of Geyserville, was 35 percent contained as of Monday evening. Full containment was not expected until Wednesday morning, Marshall said.
Anyone living nearby has been urged to have evacuation plans in place. Still threatened by the flames were 200 houses, five businesses and 60 outbuildings.
Four firefighters sustained minor injuries Monday, raising the injury total to six. None of the injuries were critical.
The Geysers, the world's largest geothermal power facility, has major power lines from 21 generating plants crossing over rugged terrain near the fire, creating the possibility of blackouts, said Kent Robertson, a spokesman for Calpine Corp.
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