Containment rises on Putah Fire as crews battle Yolo blaze sparked by escaped burn
Firefighters increased containment of the Putah Fire overnight as crews continued battling the more than 360-acre blaze Tuesday west of Winters, where a prescribed burn escaped control lines and prompted evacuation warnings.
The blaze was first reported at 11:35 a.m. Monday near Highway 128 after increased winds caused the 40-acre prescribed burn to escape and spread uphill in flashy fuels of grass, Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit reported.
By 4 p.m., the wildfire had charred 361.7 acres, and Highway 128 in Yolo County was shut down from Pleasant Valley Road to Canyon Creek Resort. Evacuation orders were also issued for three zones in Yolo County.
By Tuesday morning, crews reported the blaze was 20% contained after cooler weather and clouds gave crews the upper hand in fighting the flames.
All evacuation warnings have been lifted, though evacuation advisories — warning residents to remain alert should conditions become dangerous again — remained in effect for YCU-197, YCU-291 and YCU-293.
“Overnight, firefighters battled gusty winds as they worked to keep the fire within the established control lines,” a spokesperson for Cal Fire LNU wrote on X. “There were multiple spots where the fire flopped over control lines that the hand crews and dozers continue to focus on. The left shoulder (western side) of the fire was the area that caused the most problems.”
A red flag advisory for gusty winds and low humidity across the Sacramento Valley will be in effect from 11 a.m. Wednesday through 5 p.m. Thursday. A spokesperson for Cal Fire LNU confirmed the advisory for dangerous fire conditions was considered in limiting the time frame of the prescribed burn, which began Monday morning and was originally scheduled to burn through Friday.
A total of 265 personnel, 12 hand crews, seven dozers and 15 engines were assigned to the Putah Fire suppression effort. Three aircraft, including one air attack plane, one air tanker and one helicopter, were also assigned aerial firefighting duties on Tuesday.
