LNU Lightning Complex Fires: 124,000 Acres, Nearly 200 Structures Burned; I-80 Reopens

VACAVILLE (CBS SF) -- Out-of-control wildfires touched off by lightning have torched more than 200 square miles and closed a major freeway in one of the major wildfires groups raging out of control in the Bay Area and Northern California.

The LNU Lightning Complex fires (map) which began in Napa and Sonoma counties, moved into Solano, Lake and Yolo counties Wednesday, prompting thousands of evacuations and closing Interstate 80 in Fairfield for more than four hours, as flames burned on both sides of the freeway.

• EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES (updated 10 p.m.)

At least 124,100 acres - nearly 200 square miles - have burned since the fires began early Monday morning. Close to 200 different structures have been destroyed or damaged, and at least four people have been injured. There was zero percent containment as of 7 p.m. The group of fires are one of three major fire complexes burning in the region, along with the SCU Lightning Complex fires and the CZU Lightning Complex fires.

Flames on both sides of the freeway between Air Base Parkway and Cherry Glen Road in Fairfield led CHP to close all lanes of traffic eastbound and westbound at around 5 p.m. The closure was later expanded to between Manuel Campos Parkway and Cherry Glen Road. The sigalert was lifted around 9 p.m.

In Solano County, neighborhoods in Fairfield were evacuated Wednesday afternoon, ahead of flames that had already destroyed homes in Vacaville. On the northern edge of the fires in Lake County, evacuations were ordered for residents living in and around Hidden Valley Lake and Jerusalem Valley areas.

The commander at Travis Air Force Base issued a mandatory evacuation order at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

"The Travis Air Force Base installation commander has ordered evacuations for non-mission essential personnel in accordance with the Solano County fire department's mandatory evacuations," the statement read. "All non-mission essential personnel residing in Travis AFB housing or lodging are directed to evacuate immediately."

Driving along Pleasants Valley Road at the edge of Vacaville Wednesday afternoon, the damage from overnight becomes apparent quickly with mailboxes marking the spots where homes should be.

Not far beyond that, the danger that still remains becomes apparent as flames march down rugged hillsides toward more properties. 

"My wife and my daughter and I were evacuated this morning," said area resident Sean Kerwin. 

Kerwin wasn't just waiting for news. He and dozens of others were trying to rescue horses that had to be set loose from barns overnight as flames advanced. 

"In this area, when it's a fire, it don't matter. Everybody's family at some point," said Keira Mackenzie. 

On the other side of the sepia-tinted skies, new evacuation orders were sending residents fleeing. Dave Ritchey of Green Valley was there helping his mother and sister get out. 

"This is our second time in two years. This fire...God, I get choked up. This fire is 10 times worse than the Atlas Peak fire," said Ritchey. 

Just up the street, Jack Mackall had gone to the store before heading home to collect his wife and father in law. 

"Get the heck out of Dodge," said Mackall 

Ritchey also offered advice for anyone impacted by the fires. 

If you get a warning, get out. If you feel it's not safe, get out. Because it's not, said Ritchey.

Wednesday morning, flames roared over Mt. Vaca in the early morning hours, knocking out a communication tower and then quickly moved toward I-80 and the neighborhoods nestled in northwest Vacaville. Along Pleasants Valley Road, multiple homes were burned to the ground in scenes reminiscent of the 2008 wildfire that destroyed the Butte County town of Paradise.

"The past 24 hours on the LNU Lightning Complex has been pretty dynamic with not only the fire growth but fire behavior we witnessed yesterday and also overnight into the early morning hours," said Cal Fire incident commander Sean Kavanaugh. "The fire weather not only in this region but throughout Northern California -- it's going to be a tough day. We have the hot dry winds that may occur this afternoon that may hamper some of our control efforts."

Kavanaugh warned people near the fires to be prepared even if no evacuation orders or warnings are issued in their area.

"You don't have to wait for an evacuation order," said Kavanaugh. "If you have a to-go bag, stuff packed up, if you feel at any type of threat whatsoever make that decision to leave your home,"

Cal Fire reported at least 50 homes had been destroyed and 50 others had been damaged, but the damage tally would rise. "We do anticipate that number to be larger," said spokesman Jeremy Rahn. "It would be safe to say there are multiple buildings that have been damaged or destroyed beyond that amount."

The largest of the LNU Complex fires, the Hennessey Fire that started near Hennessey Ridge Road in Napa County on Monday morning, had burned an estimated 12,500 acres and was not contained at all Wednesday morning, prompting evacuations that extended into areas near Vacaville in Solano County.

The Gamble Fire near Berryessa Knoxville Road had burned 13,000 acres and the Green Fire near Putah Creek Bridge and Berryessa Knoxville Road had burned about 8,000 acres, with both blazes also zero percent contained as of Wednesday morning, according to Cal Fire.

There were at least two other fires burning in Napa County with no containment -- the Markley Fire near Monticello Dam at 5,000 acres burned and the Morgan Fire at 2,200 acres burned.

In Sonoma County, about 10,000 people had evacuated from the Walbridge Fire west of Healdsburg that has burned about 1,500 acres, while the Myers Fire north of Jenner had burned 25 acres, both also with no containment.

In Vacaville, many local residents went to bed with the fire seemingly burning miles away. Then the winds kicked up and the fire quickly advanced on their homes, they were forced to flee with just the clothing they were wearing.

Police and firefighters were going door-to-door in a frantic scramble to make sure residents were able to escape the flames.

Among those scrambling to escape was a woman named Diane and her husband. She told KPIX 5 of her narrow escape.

"I got all my children out, but then I panicked a little bit. It took me a little while to get out," said Diane Bustos as she stood wearing a singed nightgown. "My husband was driving the car and it burned. He got burned and had to leave the car and it blew up. So I was walking down by myself and I got all these flames on me. I lost my shoes. But I made it, God saved me."

The fire blazed toward Pleasants Valley Rd & Pleasant Hills Ranch Way. Local resident Matthew Henderson went live on Facebook as he walked through a burning neighborhood -- several homes were fully engulfed in fire.

Residents of Pleasants Valley Road -- a 12-mile stretch which runs the length of Vacaville from Highway 128 to I-80 -- and all connecting streets scrambled from their homes as the fast-moving blaze -- one of several fires in the LNU Lightning Complex fire -- leaped over the roadway.

By 5:45 a.m., flames had roared into the Gibson Canyon and English Hills areas between Vacaville and Winters. At least two homes were destroyed by fires in the English Hills neighborhood. Firefighters had deployed south of Pleasants Valley Rd, ready to stop the flames from reaching further into Vacaville.

Related: Bay Area Wildfires

• CZU August Lightning Complex Fires: Roadways Jammed As Thousands Flee Out-Of-Control Santa Cruz Mountain Wildfires
• Fire Resources Spread Thin As Napa Wildfire Explodes In Size Forcing Mandatory Evacuations
• Firefighters Battling 700-Acre Fire In Point Reyes National Seashore; Evacuation Warning
• SCU Lightning Complex: Wind-Whipped Flames Straining Fire Lines; Residents Forced To Flee Homes

Kraig P. Kooiman took to social media to describe his sister's close call.

"My sister escaped without any warning that the fire was on their property," he posted. "Just drove through 30-foot flames escaped. Their property is at the end of Vickery Lane on the left side. There were last known there were two peoples trapped."

Brent Wolfe was among the Pleasants Valley Rd. evacuees.

"I actually got had a neighbor text me -- his house is gone and his father's house about that," he told KPIX 5. "The sheriff's department showed us and told us to vacate and if you have sprinklers turn them on and get out of here."

Meanwhile, the Vacaville Fire Department pleaded with residents to flee.

"All residents need to evacuate the West Side of Pleasants Valley Rd now," officials posted.

Evacuations orders were in place for all residents in Quail Canyon, Miller Canton, Mix Canyon, Gates Canyon, Pleasants Valley Rd and connecting streets/roads.

Elsewhere in Solano County, the Solano County Sheriff's Office said residents west of Blue Ridge Road to Interstate Highway 505 and
north of Cherry Glen Road to state Highway 128 were told evacuate immediately Wednesday morning.

The Fairfield Police Department issued advisories for the residential areas east of Interstate Highway 80 north of Manuel Campos Road;
residential areas west of Highway 80 off of Hilborn and Lyon roads; and residential areas near Rancho Solano Parkway.

EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES