Putah Fire near Winters now 75% contained as crews look to triple-digit weekend
Crews continue to gain the upper hand on the Putah Fire burning west of Winters, but firefighters could be on the ground into early next week, Cal Fire officials said Friday.
The blaze, which began Monday as a controlled burn before breaking containment lines along Highway 128, is now 75% contained, with fire crews holding the line at 860 acres.
Firefighters, including 10 hand crews working in steep, rugged terrain, made progress Thursday despite triple-digit temperatures and gusty winds. Crews knocked down hot spots inside the containment lines, slowing the fire’s spread.
The nearly 200 firefighters working the Putah Fire will look to gain more headway this weekend. Fire planners said Friday that mop-up operations are continuing, along with a search for more hot spots.
“We anticipate having resources on the fire through the weekend and early next week until we reach 100 percent containment,” Cal Fire officials said in an update posted to social media.
Fire crews will also need the weather to cooperate. Elevated fire weather conditions will persist through Tuesday, National Weather Service forecasters in Sacramento warned in an online post. A heat advisory is also in effect for much of the northern and central Sacramento Valley through 11 p.m. Saturday.
Temperatures throughout the region are expected to top 100 degrees Saturday, with warm lows hovering in the mid-70s in some locations.
.JPG)