Cal Fire says Putah Fire near Wine Country was caused by escaped prescribed burn

A wildfire that burned about 860 acres near the edge of Northern California's Wine Country was caused by an escaped prescribed burn, Cal Fire said Wednesday.

The Putah Fire started Monday along Highway 128 west of Winters, near Lake Berryessa. Cal Fire's incident page listed the cause as "escaped prescribed burn," a change from earlier updates that had described the cause as under investigation.

The fire was 35% contained Wednesday, Cal Fire said. The agency said firefighters were continuing to strengthen and secure control lines ahead of a Red Flag Warning expected to bring more difficult fire weather.

Cal Fire said improved mapping revised the fire's size to 860 acres.

The fire broke out in the same area where the agency had scheduled a 45-acre prescribed burn Monday along Highway 128. In dispatch audio reviewed by the Chronicle, the incident commander for the prescribed burn reported a 3- to 4-acre wildland fire burning uphill and immediately requested a large response from aircraft and ground crews.

A state prescribed-fire listing showed the Highway 128 burn had been approved for Monday, with Cal Fire as the managing agency and a "permissive" burn-day decision.

The listing described the burn area as mostly native grasses, with some non-native grasses and yellow star thistle, and said the fire was expected to be contained between the highway and a mix of bulldozer line and hand line.

Highway 128, which had been closed because of the fire, reopened to traffic in both directions Tuesday night, according to Cal Fire.

No injuries or structural damage had been reported in Cal Fire's Wednesday update.

Highway 128 runs through ranchland and recreation areas near Putah Creek and Lake Berryessa, east of Napa Valley.

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