Firefighters are battling a fast-moving vegetation fire that broke out around 10 a.m. Wednesday near the 9400 block of Steele Canyon Road in Napa County, scorching roughly 70 acres and threatening one structure. The blaze, dubbed the Steele Fire, has shown a moderate rate of spread, and CAL FIRE has reported no injuries so far.
According to ABC7 Bay Area, crews were dispatched to the area shortly after the fire ignited, and officials are asking the public to use caution when traveling near the scene. The report notes the fire's footprint and threat to structures come as Napa County works to contain the blaze before it grows further.
Evacuation Warning Covers Zone East of Steele Canyon Road
Napa County officials issued an evacuation warning Wednesday for Zone BER-E008, covering areas east of Steele Canyon Road, west of Wragg Canyon Road, and north of Highway 128, as reported by Napa Valley Patch. The warning gives residents in that pre-mapped zone advance notice to prepare in case conditions worsen and an evacuation order follows. Steele Canyon Road is associated with Berryessa Highlands and Lake Berryessa and is relevant to wildfire evacuation and responder access.
A Corridor With a History of Fire
This isn't the first time the Steele Canyon area has burned. A previous wildfire also named the Steele Fire ignited near Steele Canyon Road and Arroyo Grande Drive in July 2018, scorching 135 acres, destroying eight structures and damaging four others, according to CAL FIRE. Two years later, the Hennessey Fire — a major component of the 363,220-acre LNU Lightning Complex — was linked to Lake Berryessa and evacuations in the area.
Wildland fire protection for the Steele Canyon corridor falls under CAL FIRE's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, which oversees wildland response across six Northern California counties, according to the County of Napa. The unit's reach includes Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Solano, Yolo and Colusa counties.
Statewide Fire Activity Already Running High
The Steele Fire adds to California fire activity this year. Napa County alone has seen multiple ignitions this season, including the Whisper Fire, a vegetation fire that broke out on private land in May, as Hoodline reported at the time.
Local Fuel-Reduction Projects Aim to Slow the Next Fire
Napa County has been investing in fuel-reduction efforts meant to blunt fires before they reach populated areas.
Napa County emergency management guidelines recommend that residents register with Alert Napa County and monitor Zonehaven platforms to receive direct updates during wildland interface emergencies. As crews continue working to contain the Steele Fire, county officials have not indicated when the evacuation warning for Zone BER-E008 might be lifted or upgraded.
