North Bay: Point Fire prompts evacuations, surpasses 500 acres

North Bay: Point Fire prompts evacuations, surpasses 500 acres

The Point Fire in Sonoma County that broke out Sunday has burned more than 500 acres and prompted evacuation orders near its origin at Lake Sonoma, authorities said.

Cal Fire reported that the blaze was first reported at 12:33 p.m. in an area about 12 miles northwest of Healdsburg.

As of Sunday evening, the state firefighting agency listed the fire as having consumed 550 acres and 15 percent contained. There have been no immediate reports of significant injuries or property damage.

Evacuation orders have been issued for residents on Fall Creek Road, Stewarts Point-Skaggs Spring Road and West Dry Creek Road. Evacuation warnings — alerts telling residents to be ready to leave — have been issued for areas extending south from Lake Sonoma.

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According to Cal Fire, seven crews are battling the fire, backed by more than 20 units of equipment including three helicopters.

For the time being, the agency reports, the fire has consumed brush and Fir trees, and has been fueled in part by northwest winds and low relative humidity.

Oddly enough, the origin of the Point Fire was not subject to red-flag warnings from the National Weather Service, though other parts of Sonoma County as well as Napa, Solano and Sacramento counties had the warnings in effect.

But the air around the fire zone is forecasted to be unhealthy for people with respiratory sensitivity on Monday, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

The largest wildfire currently burning in the state is the Post Fire near Gorman in Los Angeles County, which was first reported Saturday afternoon and had burned 14,625 acres as of Sunday evening. Authorities have listed it as 2 percent contained.