Are firefighters any closer to getting the huge Santa Rosa fire under control? As the Santa Rosa and other devastating fires in northern California grow, they’ve left destruction in their wake, and officials have said they still have a long way to go on the fires’ containment. The death toll from the fires has now grown to 29 and fire crews are concerned the number may grow.
The Tubbs Santa Rosa fire now has 10 percent containment, Cal Fire spokesman Richard Cordova said. The fire covers 34,200 acres.
Firefighters are making progress in fighting the fires, thanks to milder winds and additional fire crews from California coming to help. Officials had expected 40-mph winds that might carry embers and spread the fire, but winds haven’t been that high today. Winds of up to 20 mph are expected tonight, and the winds for this weekend are a bit unpredictable, so it’s unclear what will happen with the containment over the next few days.
By Thursday morning, Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Coursey estimated that 2,834 homes were destroyed in Santa Rosa, and 400,000 square feet of commercial space.
The fire has threatened the town of Calistoga, which is largely now a ghost town, LA Times reported. Calistoga Mayor Chris Canning told residents not to return. “If you are trying to visit Calistoga, you are not welcome,” he said, adding that anyone who returns won’t get personal fire protection.
Some of the larger fires in the north California region include:
- Tubbs fire: 34,270 acres and 10 percent containment
- Atlas fire: 43,762 acres and 3 percent contained
- Pocket fire: 8,130 acres – containment unknown
- Nuns and Norbbom fires: 14,698 acres and 3 percent contained
- Partrick fire: 10,817 acres and 2 percent containment
- 37 fire: 1,660 acres and 90 percent contained
- Redwood fire: 29,500 acres and 5 percent contained
- Sulphur fire: About 3,000 acres and 40 percent contained
- Cascade fire in Yuba County: 10,171 acres and 45 percent contained
There are 17 fires total in the area.