Crews battle fire that has burned at least 60 acres in St. Helena, CAL FIRE says

ByTim Johns KGO logo
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Crews battle 60 acre fire in St. Helena, CAL FIRE says
Crews are responding to a brush fire in St. Helena. At least five firefighters were evaluated for injuries, CAL FIRE said.

ST. HELENA, Calif. (KGO) -- Crews responded to a brush fire in the North Bay on Wednesday.

CAL FIRE says the Crystal Fire burned near the 200 block of Crystal Springs Road in St. Helena and started around 1:40 p.m.

Shawn Moura was at her home in rural Napa County, just a few miles from St. Helena Wednesday afternoon when she smelled smoke.

When she went to look out her window, Moura says she saw a wall of flames heading her direction.

"Just a... oh bad word," Moura said.

After processing what she was seeing, Moura says she grabbed the dogs she's currently watching, immediately got into her car and went to go get her parents who live nearby.

"Drove up the hill to get them. And then called the neighbors that live up there and then stopped by another neighbor that I knew was home but I don't have their number, just to say get out now," she said.

MORE: Corral Fire burning in Livermore-Tracy area is 90% contained, CAL FIRE says

Among other harsh conditions, crews battled the blaze faced outside temperatures of over 100 degrees.

Five firefighters had to seek medical attention, three of them transported to a nearby hospital.

"Steep terrain, really hot, so a lot of hard work trying to get hoses up to that fire for the firefighters that were on the ground," said CAL FIRE spokesperson, Jason Clay.

This is the first major fire to break out in the North Bay this season.

Fire officials say they're prepared for a potentially busy summer.

MORE: Fire concerns remain high in East Bay while some try to enjoy heat

They're urging everyone who lives in a fire zone to be make sure they too are ready.

"Everything is drying out. We started to see at the end of May, in the North Bay at least, that fire activity really start to pick up," Clay said.

The cause of this fire is still under investigation.

But Moura says she's just thankful for the quick action.

Preventing this from possibly becoming so much worse.

"Just so grateful. So grateful. Immediate response. They care and they're here for us. My house is here because they saved it in the Glass Fire, so they did it again."

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