A wildfire erupted in Napa County on Wednesday and triggered an evacuation warning as flames threatened a lakeside resort area.
The Steele Fire began as a 10-acre vegetation blaze on the 9400 block of Steele Canyon Road before exploding to 70 acres in less than an hour, according to CalFire. The rapid expansion forced authorities to issue formal warnings for residents in the threatened zone.
The evacuation warning covered the area east of Steele Canyon Road, west of Wragg Canyon Road and north of Highway 128. Officials drew the boundaries as crews raced to contain the wind-driven flames.
The blaze burned near Steele Canyon Resort, a campground that offers boat launches on Lake Berryessa. The resort sits in a rugged canyon area popular with boaters and campers drawn to the large reservoir straddling Napa and Solano counties.
Firefighters faced steep terrain and dry conditions as they worked to keep flames from reaching structures in the area. CalFire did not immediately report any buildings destroyed, though the fire’s speed raised concerns about property protection.
Lake Berryessa, created by the Monticello Dam on Putah Creek, has long been a recreation destination in the inner Coast Ranges. The surrounding hills and canyons carry heavy fuel loads that can accelerate fire spread during hot, windy weather.
The Steele Fire broke out amid California’s ongoing wildfire season, which has seen multiple large fires strain firefighting resources across the state. Napa County has experienced several major fires in recent years, including complexes that burned through wine country and destroyed thousands of structures.
CalFire continued battling the blaze as authorities monitored weather conditions that could affect fire behavior. The cause of the Steele Fire remained under investigation Wednesday.
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