Evacuation orders downgraded to warnings for Feliz Fire in Mendocino Co., CAL FIRE says
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Evacuation orders have been downgraded to warnings for residents near the Feliz Fire burning in Hopland area of Mendocino County, the Sheriff's Office said Sunday evening.
Evacuation orders have been downgraded to warnings for zones MEN-2UKV29 and MEN-2HOP04, which are west of Old River Road to just east of Page Road, and from south of Hopland, near Duncan Springs Road to north of Nelson Rach Road.
Warnings also continue for zones MEN-2UKV20, 21 AND 23, as well as MEN-2HOP01, according to CAL FIRE.
As of 7:20 p.m., the fire was holding at 872 acres and 30% containment. Despite hot, dry, and windy conditions, fire lines held well, CAL FIRE said Sunday.
The fire ignited Saturday day off Feliz Creek Road and U.S. Highway 101, in the unincorporated area of Hopland, south of Ukiah. The blaze started at about 3:40 p.m. and spread to over 800 acres within about five hours.
A firefighter on CAL FIRE's Mendocino Unit was injured Saturday night battling the wildfire.
Caitlin Grace, CAL FIRE Mendocino's public information officer, had few details about the injured firefighter's condition on Sunday, but said in a phone interview that they were taken by ground ambulance to an area hospital with unspecified injuries.
Ground crews were aided by an air attack Saturday that Grace said would be on standby Sunday as ground crews made progress on increasing containment lines.
"Our hope is to get people back into their homes as soon as possible," she said.
Roads remained closed at Feliz Creek Road at Mountain House Road, Hewlett Sturdevant Road at Highway 101, and County Road 112 at Highway 101, the county said on social media.
The fire ignited Saturday afternoon and quickly grew under hot, dry conditions, prompting a large air and ground response from CAL FIRE. Helicopters and fixed-wings aircraft spent Sunday attacking hot spots and reinforcing containment lines.
"The fire started with one acre, three acres, 40 acres, all of a sudden 500 acres," CAL FIRE spokesperson Caitlin Grace said. "It had a dangerous rate of spread."
Among those watching the fire's advance was Alex MacGregor, director of winemaking at Saracina Vineyards. He arrived to find flames already burning on nearby hillsides as crews worked to protect the property.
"Words can't describe what it was like last night at 11 p.m.," MacGregor said.
Firefighters were able to stop the blaze just feet from the winery's tasting room, preventing what could have been far greater damage.
The fast-moving fire also triggered mandatory evacuation orders for hundreds of residents, including portions of downtown Hopland. Guests at the Thatcher Hotel were forced to leave shortly after the evacuation warnings were issued.
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"There wasn't time to think about next steps," said hotel manager Jake Doren. "We had to get guests out and make sure our families were safe."
Hopland resident Nicky Bartell said her son evacuated with his animals as flames approached the area.
"My son put his animals in his car, and he evacuated," Bartell said.
Bartell described the experience as frightening.
"Really scary. It's anxiety, really anxious," she said.
Authorities acknowledged that confusion developed overnight when CAL FIRE mistakenly posted that evacuation orders had been lifted while the fire remained active.
"We're coordinating with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, their incident commander and ours," Grace said. "We had a slight miscommunication. We've kept those as evacuation orders."
Despite the scare, residents and business owners credited firefighters with preventing a potentially devastating disaster.
"If it wasn't for the swiftness of all those partners, it could have been a lot worse," MacGregor said.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
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