SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Nearly 4 million acres of California have been burned by wildfires this year, with dozens of large fires currently burning.
Among the most destructive are the Glass fire, located in Napa and Sonoma counties near Calistoga, and the Zogg fire, burning in Shasta and Tehama counties.
Firefighters have been making progress in containing the two wildfires, but have been fighting off numerous other fires during this year's highly active fire season.
Red flag conditions have since faded, but Cal Fire officials say that warm weather and low humidity is creating challenging conditions for fire crews, who contained 34 new wildfires in a day on Friday.
As containment continues to rise on the Glass and Zogg fires, upcoming weather forecasts offer a mixed outlook.
"A cooling trend will begin slowly tomorrow, with more seasonal temperatures expected by the end of the week," Cal Fire officials wrote in a statewide update Saturday morning. "Locally gusty winds could bring critical fire weather to some locations."
Here is the latest on the fires:
GLASS FIRE
The Glass fire has reached 62,360 acres, according to Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, but firefighters have finally reached double-digit containment levels.
As of Friday, the fire was just 6% contained, a number which rose to 10% by Saturday morning.
The Glass fire started as a cluster of smaller fires in the early hours of Sept. 27 in Napa Valley before quickly spreading west toward Santa Rosa, fueled by strong winds.
In Napa County, 173 homes have been destroyed and 40 have been damaged, while 264 commercial buildings have been burned. In Sonoma County, 120 homes have been destroyed and 57 have been damaged.
Among the carnage were several large wineries. The Chateau Boswell winery was destroyed, and at least five other wineries in the area suffered damages. The Restaurant and Meadowood, recognized with three Michelin stars, was also destroyed.
Although the fire has not injured any firefighters or residents, many homes remain threatened. Officials from Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit said that nearly 29,000 structures are still in danger.
The city of Calistoga remains under a mandatory evacuation order, as does the town of Angwin. Some evacuation orders in Santa Rosa were reduced to warnings on Friday, but thousands of people remain displaced.
ZOGG FIRE
The Zogg fire, which is burning 56,305 acres, is now 57% contained, up from 46% Friday.
The wildfire started near the communities of Igo and Ono on Sept. 27 and, like the Glass fire, grew rapidly during windy conditions.
Cal Fire's Shasta-Trinity unit reported calm overnight conditions Saturday morning. Officials said helicopters were no longer using Whiskeytown Lake for water _ so National Park Service officials, who manage Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, have reopened the reservoir to the public.
"The fire had minimal growth in size and the fire continues to burn in grass, oak woodland, chaparral and mixed timber. Hot and dry conditions are forecasted again today. Winds will be generally light and terrain driven during the day. Damage assessment teams will be out again today to verify damaged or destroyed buildings."
The fire has killed four residents in rural Shasta County. Two inmate firefighters were injured Friday evening while battling the Zogg fire. They were both taken to a hospital, where one still remains.
Cal Fire officials said in a Saturday morning update that 179 structures have been destroyed, 23 have been damaged and 101 are currently threatened by flames.
Many have been forcibly evacuated as the fire moved toward communities, but Cal Fire SHU lifted some orders Saturday morning. Residents along Placer Road and Foster Road were allowed to return home, but those along South Fork Road and its adjacent roadways, as well as those on Platina Road, were still under evacuation orders. There are no active evacuation orders in Tehama County.
As the fires rage, the skies of Sacramento region are again filled with smoke.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District recorded an Air Quality Index of 124 for the region on Saturday, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as those with lung disease.
According to the National Weather Service, the Bay Area and the areas to the north and south of Sacramento are experiencing even worse air quality, with AQI levels considered unhealthy for all groups.
Air quality is expected to improve somewhat Sunday, with AQI levels predicted to reach 89, considered moderate and prompting reduced activity or exertion outdoors among sensitive groups.
