Pickett Fire Update: Containment Increases to 11% in California's Wine Country

Pickett Fire Operational Update

• 🎯 Containment on the Pickett Fire has increased to 11%, with 1,230 personnel assigned to the incident.
• ⚠️ An unstable atmosphere and afternoon winds led to increased fire activity, including a 30-acre blowout in the Horse Creek area, which crews contained using helicopters.

Fire Behavior and Challenges

• 🔥 The fire pushed hard to the east, challenging the Etna area and moving into grasslands around vineyards, leading to a successful but tentative firing operation to keep it south of Etna Springs.
• 📈 Crews are managing a large amount of spot fires in the eastern section, with dozers and helicopters working to pick them up and connect edges.
• 💨 Smoke from increased fire activity caused visibility issues for driving and grounded aircraft, but night flying helicopters are expected to help address spot fires once conditions clear.
• ⛰️ The northern section of the fire is in extremely rough territory with cliffs and rocks, making it challenging for crews to establish contingency lines.

Evacuation Orders and Warnings

• 📢 The Napa County Sheriff's Office is providing updates on evacuation orders and warnings, urging residents to check official government social media pages.
• 🚨 An evacuation order means an area is closed and residents should leave, while an evacuation warning means residents should prepare to leave.
• 🚓 Law enforcement uses a unique high-low siren to signal evacuation orders, and residents are asked to follow official messaging through government channels.

Incident Management and Resources

• 🤝 A unified command with Cal Fire and the Napa County Sheriff's Office is in place, emphasizing teamwork to minimize community impact.
• 🛠️ Napa County Firewise is providing funds for major fuel breaks, which have been successful in creating anchor points for crews and dozers.
• 📈 The incident will transition to a CalFire Type 1 incident management team due to fire behavior threatening control lines.
• 🌐 Resources like readyforwildfire.org and readynapa.gov offer tips for evacuation planning, including preparing go-bags and evacuation routes.

Staying Informed

• 💻 For the latest information on the Pickett Fire, visit fire.ca.gov for incident updates, acreage, and situational status.
• 🗺️ readynapa.gov provides evacuation information and maps.