Firefighters gain ground against 4,700-acre Cold fire near Lake Berryessa

Aided by a marine layer and cooler temperatures, officials said Thursday firefighters had gained ground overnight against a 4,700-acre wildfire burning for two days in a remote area near Lake Berryessa in Yolo County.

Evacuation orders were lifted for the 35-home Golden Bear Estates subdivision off Highway 128 west of Winters.

The fire grew only 100 acres Wednesday night and not at all Thursday while crews increased a containment line from 5 to 15 percent, Cal Fire spokeswoman Suzie Blankenship said. The fire, which started Tuesday, burned east of Lake Berryessa, along the Napa County line. It’s a difficult region to reach, and much of the firefighting was being done by 22 bulldozer and 24 hand crews.

“It’s grass oak woodland, very rugged terrain. Access is very difficult,” Blankenship said. “Twenty-two bulldozers tells you how rugged this terrain is and how remote it is.”

By midmorning Thursday, the marine layer had lifted but luckily, unlike previous days, the afternoon winds didn’t materialize, said Cal Fire spokesman Rick Vogt.

“The low temperatures and diminished winds certainly helped us in our efforts,” Vogt said. “I think tomorrow we’ll probably start seeing some increases in those containment percentages.”

Many firefighters are familiar with the area because it burned in 2014, she said.

The Monticello fire swept through 6,500 acres and threatened the same rural communities west of Winters.

The area is also just northeast of August 2015’s Wragg fire that burned 8,051 acres.

The fire was first reported about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday southeast of the lake near the Monticello Dam, Highway 128 and Pleasant Valley Road.

About 200 acres had already burned, fueled by strong winds, when firefighters arrived to the area. Precisely where it started and how remain under investigation by Cal Fire.

The fire is called the Cold fire because of the nearby Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.