The Putah Fire, which began as a prescribed burn on June 8, has surged to more than 800 acres in Yolo County near Winters. As it burned through gusty conditions, officials issued an evacuation advisory and Cal Fire reported growing progress—while a Red Flag Wa
When the Putah Fire flared up again overnight. it didn’t just add acreage—it forced people to make hard decisions fast. By early afternoon on June 6. the blaze had expanded to 869 acres after gusty winds pushed critical fire conditions across the area. according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire. which started as a prescribed brush fire on June 8. has now burned over 800 acres and continues moving through California’s Yolo County hills near the town of Winters. Firefighters are working to bring the flames under control as the situation develops in the hills near Putah Creek and Highway 128.
Cal Fire said in a June 9 update that crews were making progress. “Crews are making good progress on the fire on Tuesday. with a strong reduction in fire activity observed. ” reads a post from Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit on June 9. It added that hand crews and dozers have “connected control lines from the left shoulder to the head of the fire. ” operating in “the steep and rugged terrain.”.
As of 4 p.m. on June 9, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation advisory for areas east of the fires. The National Weather Service of Sacramento issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of the Sacramento Valley and the Sonoma-Lake-Napa region starting on Wednesday. June 10. and continuing through Thursday afternoon. June 11.
Tuesday is shaping up as the pivotal window before those warning conditions take hold. “Tuesday is a pivotal day on this fire before red flag warning conditions develop on Wednesday. We will be fully engaged on this fire as we work to get it under control. ” reads a social media post from Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit on June 9.
By June 9, Cal Fire expected to staff the incident with 15 engines, 12 hand crews, seven dozers and seven water tenders, along with about 265 total personnel. The unit will also use three aircraft—one air attack, one airtanker and one helicopter—assisting in the response, according to Cal Fire.
The fire remains contained in the hills of Yolo County as of June 9. with its spread described as moving north and east of the reported location near Putah Creek and Highway 128. Highway 128 remains closed to traffic from Pleasants Valley Road to the Canyon Creek Resort as Cal Fire units attempt to control the blaze. As of 4:00 p.m., the fire was about 20% contained.
The origin of the disaster is tied to controlled intentions. On June 8. Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit was conducting a prescribed burn at the Putah Creek Fishing Access Site 2. expected to burn about 40 acres between June 8 and 12. according to a post on X. But the prescribed brush fire that escaped control lines quickly became a wildfire. according to Jason Clay. public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Clay said the escalation came as wind conditions intensified. “Increasing wind conditions caused it to escape the established control lines, so firefighters immediately transitioned from prescribed fire operations to wildland suppression efforts at that time,” Clay told on June 8.
Even with reported gains on the line, the timeline and the weather make this fight feel like a countdown. The day after crews described reduced fire activity. they were already preparing for the Red Flag Warning period beginning Wednesday. June 10. and running through Thursday afternoon. June 11—an interval that could determine how quickly the fire forces new evacuations.
For now, officials say the blaze is still confined to the Yolo County hills near Putah Creek and Highway 128, with Highway 128 remaining closed from Pleasants Valley Road to the Canyon Creek Resort and the evacuation advisory limited to areas east of the fires as of 4 p.m. on June 9.
Putah Fire Cal Fire Yolo County evacuation advisory Red Flag Warning Winters Highway 128 prescribed burn wildfire