VACAVILLE (CBS13) — Evacuations have been ordered in Solano County, northwest Vacaville and the outskirts of Fairfield on Wednesday after the so-called LNU Lightning Complex Fire exploded in size.
Starting around 4:30 p.m., traffic on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 stopped due to the fire. Many exits are blocked off and flames can be seen from the road.
According to Vacaville police, the fire jumped the freeway to the south around 4:30 p.m. This prompted new evacuations for the areas south of Almao Dr. from I-80 to the Putah Creek Canal.
Per the Vacaville Fire Protection District and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the fire has prompted evacuations for the following areas:
- All of Pleasants Valley Road and connecting streets
- All of English Hills
- All of Solar Hills and Gibson Canyon Road,
- Rockville Road
- Suisun Valley Road
- Gordon Valley Road
- Wooden Valley Road
- Clayton Road
- Mankas Corner
- Shelton Lane
- West Browns Valley Road.
- Neighborhoods in/around Peabody Road
- Cement Hill Road
- Vanden Road
Several areas near Fairfield were also ordered to evacuate early Wednesday afternoon. The areas under evacuation orders in this area are:
- North of Rockville Road
- West of Suisun Valley Road
- south of Twin Sisters Road
- Green Valley Highlands
- Rancho Solano/Sanctuary neighborhood
- the Rolling Hills neighborhood
- the Paradise Valley neighborhood.
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A rough map of the areas under evacuation orders has been released by the Solano County Office of Emergency Services:
Evacuation Centers are available at:
- Lambrecht Fields- Petersen Rd Suisun City
- Rodriquez High School
- Fairfield High School
Vacaville police say no structures have burned within city limits for the moment, but there are reports of homes burned in Solano County.
Swipe through photos below of the fire.
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TOPSHOT-US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRE-FIRETOPSHOT – A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – As of the late hours of August 18,2020 the Hennessey fire has merged with at least 7 fires and is now called the LNU Lightning Complex fires. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRE-FIREA home burns in Vacaville, California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – As of the late hours of August 18,2020 the Hennessey fire has merged with at least 7 fires and is now called the LNU Lightning Complex fires. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRE-FIREA home burns in the valley area of Vacaville, northern California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – As of the late hours of August 18, the Hennessey fire has merged with at least 7 fires and is now called the LNU Lightning Complex fires. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRE-FIREA car burns at a residence in the valley area of Vacaville, northern California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – As of the late hours of August 18, the Hennessey fire has merged with at least 7 fires and is now called the LNU Lightning Complex fires. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRE-FIREA home burns in Vacaville, California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – As of the late hours of August 18,2020 the Hennessey fire has merged with at least 7 fires and is now called the LNU Lightning Complex fires. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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TOPSHOT-US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRE-FIRETOPSHOT – Firefighters monitor flames as they approach a residence in the valley area of Vacaville, northern California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – As of the late hours of August 18, the Hennessey fire has merged with at least 7 fires and is now called the LNU Lightning Complex fires. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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US-CALIFORNIA-FIREBurned out vehicles sit under a burned tree at a residence in Vacaville, California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – California was in a state of emergency on August 19, 2020 as dozens of fast-moving fires, many triggered by lightning strikes during an extreme heat wave, spread across the north and centre of the state, threatening homes and causing the evacuation of thousands of people. About 20 fires broke out in the area of Vacaville in the northern Bay Area, emergency services said, and were being collectively called the LNU Lightning Complex fire after the intense lightning storm that sparked the conflagration earlier in the week. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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US-CALIFORNIA-FIREA home burns in Vacaville, California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire on August 19, 2020. – California was in a state of emergency on August 19, 2020 as dozens of fast-moving fires, many triggered by lightning strikes during an extreme heat wave, spread across the north and centre of the state, threatening homes and causing the evacuation of thousands of people. About 20 fires broke out in the area of Vacaville in the northern Bay Area, emergency services said, and were being collectively called the LNU Lightning Complex fire after the intense lightning storm that sparked the conflagration earlier in the week. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Officers had to go door-to-door in Vacaville early on Wednesday to warn residents to evacuate.
Evacuation centers have been opened at Will C. Wood High School, the McBride Center, the Ulatis Cultural Center and the Vacaville Skate Center.
Large animals can be evacuated to the Solano County Fairgrounds, while small pets can be taken to the Solano County Animal Shelter.
The view from my house in #Vacaville. This fire is insane. #LNULightningComplex @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/xA1uqJKBYg
— Dina Kupfer (@DinaKupfer) August 19, 2020
All Solano County schools have canceled distance learning for the remainder of the week. That includes Fairfield-Suisun USD, Travis USD, Vacaville USD, and Solano County Office of Education-operated programs in the districts.
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Firefighters across the state are battling dozens of wildfires amid a heatwave.
“Throughout the state of California right now, we are stretched thin for crews” because of the fires, said Will Powers, a state fire spokesman. “Air resources have been stretched thin throughout the whole state.”
.@VacavillePolice doing their rounds overnight, ensuring everyone on our street was packed and ready to go at moment’s notice. Our neighborhood was not under mandatory evacs, but most of my neighbors left. @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/uihj5tKTZs
— Dina Kupfer (@DinaKupfer) August 19, 2020
At least seven fires are being grouped together as one in the LNU Lightning Complex Fire. Firefighters have warned of “extreme fire behavior” from the fire, noting that the rural areas with steep terrain have made it difficult for crews to get in.
The fire is also burning in neighboring Napa County near Lake Berryessa.
As of Wednesday morning, the LNU Complex Fire was a total of 46,225 acres – equal to about 72 square miles. This would make the fire larger than the cities of Stockton (at 65.26 square miles) and Modesto (44.8 square miles).
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
