Wine country ‘Woodside Fire’ torches landscape and forces evacuations

A grass fire that has been named the “Woodside Fire” is currently ripping through California wine country in Sonoma County.

The fire has burned through about 143 acres in the county as of Thursday and has prompted evacuations.

Officials said they made “great progress” overnight and the fire is now “30% contained.”

“Favorable weather conditions allowed crews to work throughout the night. Ground crews strengthened containment lines, conducted mop-up operations, and worked to extinguish hot spots. Helicopters also continued making strategic water drops throughout the night,” the Cal Fire division responsible for Sonoma County wrote in an X post.

The division said 30 engines, air personnel, one dozer, 8 water tenders, 8 hand crews and one fall module have been assigned to the fire.

The fire has sparked an air quality advisory for Sonoma and Marin counties from the Bay Area Air District due to the wildfire smoke. Sonoma County health officials have advised residents of the changing air conditions.

“Conditions are changing quickly, and the air quality conditions have evolved to ‘hazardous’ and ‘very unhealthy’ levels,” the Sonoma County Health Department said in an update at 8:15 p.m. Thursday.

“Areas of Sonoma County may experience ‘unhealthy’ or ‘very unhealthy’ air quality caused by the wildfire event along the coast near Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park,” officials said. “People may experience adverse health effects from the smoke over Sonoma County and across the region.”

The fire was first reported around 1:40 p.m. on Thursday.

Evacuation orders have been issued for zones SON-1D1, Salt Point State Park, Steelwater Cove Regional Park, Ocean Cove Private Camp and the Timber Cove Subdivision. Warnings are in effect for zone SON-1D2.

A portion of the iconic Highway 1 has been shut down between Timber Cove Road and Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Road.

Haunting footage was previously uncovered of a “man wearing a straw hat” walking away from the devastating Dove Fire that has threatened a town known as the “gateway to Yosemite.”

The suspect, who has since been identified as 30-year-old Jacob William Hoskins, is seen walking by passing vehicles with the blaze behind him shortly after it started.

It turns out that Hoskins, a “local transient,” allegedly started the fire, according to officials.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters