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  4. California's Glass Fire tore through Napa Valley, torching a winery and forcing 53,000 people to evacuate

California's Glass Fire tore through Napa Valley, torching a winery and forcing 53,000 people to evacuate

Charles Davis   

California's Glass Fire tore through Napa Valley, torching a winery and forcing 53,000 people to evacuate
International1 min read
  • The Glass Fire, which started early Sunday morning, grew to 11,000 acres on Monday. It is 0% contained.
  • The fire destroyed the Chateau Boswell Winery, in Napa County, and the Black Rock Inn, a nearby luxury hotel.
  • More than 53,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from their homes.
  • Wildfires have torched over 3.7 million acres across California this year. In an average year, less than 350,000 acres are burned.

A fire tore through Northern California's wine country and torched some 11,000 acres in roughly 24 hours, forcing more than 50,000 people to flee their homes.

Among its damage on the ground, the fire devastated the 41-year-old Chateau Boswell Winery in St. Helena and the Black Rock Inn, a luxury hotel just down the street, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The Glass Fire in Napa County started just before 4 a.m on Sunday, aided by strong winds, low humidity, and dry terrain, according to California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

By Monday morning, it was 0% contained and a "dangerous rate of spread" had seen it expand to Sonoma County, the department said, prompting evacuation orders for some 53,000 people.

"It's like God has no sympathy, no empathy for Sonoma County," Sonoma County Supervisor Susan Gorin told the San Francisco Chronicle after evacuating her home.

PG&E, the local electric utility, said 28,000 customers were without power in Napa and Sonoma Counties, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Glass Fire is currently one of 27 major active wildfires across California, where 18,000 firefighters are attempting to beat back the flames.

Since mid-August, 26 people have been killed and 7,000 buildings destroyed by wildfires in the state. Over 3.7 million acres have been burned since the start of the year.

In 2019, for comparison, just under 260,000 acres were burned. The five-year average, according to Cal Fire, is 347,000.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

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