Evacuation orders lifted in Oakmont, parts of Sonoma Valley

1:30 p.m. - Cal Fire announced the lifting of several more evacuation orders around Sonoma County as firefighters continued to gain control over the blazes burning around the region.

Orders were lifted for Oakmont south of Highway 12 east of Calistoga Road to Pythian Road. That does not include Skyhawk or Rincon Valley east of Calistoga Road. Northbound roads off Highway 12 remain closed.

View an evacuation map here.

As of 1 p.m., evacuations also were lifted for the area north of Highway 128 until Varoni Road outside the perimeter of the Pocket fire burning in the northern county, Cal Fire said.

Additionally, residents will be allowed back into some unincorporated neighborhoods east of Sonoma, including areas stretching from 4th Street East to Lovall Valley Road at Thornsberry Road, Lovall Valley Court, south from Lovall Valley Road to East Napa Street, east from 7th Street East toward the fire perimeter and Highway 121 and all streets south between East Napa Street and Napa Road, Cal Fire said.

The medical complex at 3536 and 3540 Mendocino Avenue in north Santa Rosa is also open, although the mandatory evacuations around the complex still remain, according to Cal Fire. The complex is accessible via Steele Lane and Mendocino Avenue.

The Oakmont fire continues to grow into Tuesday afternoon with crews battling the flames in rough country off Pythian Road and Adobe Canyon Road outside of Kenwood.

“We are very concerned with this fire,” said Jerry Fernandez, Cal Fire spokesman, a mile from the fire line. “It is very active.”

Homes are scattered throughout the mountains and wind had picked up at higher elevations, Fernandez said.

White smoke bellowed up from Adobe Canyon as helicopters dropped water on active fire zones at noon. A 747 supertanker is on standby to drop flame retardant on the blaze, Fernandez said.

The Oakmont fire was sparked from the Nuns fire Saturday morning forcing the evacuation of many Rincon Valley residents.

As of Tuesday morning the blaze had scorched 1,029 acres and was 27 percent contained. Fernandez was unsure if the fire had connected with the Nuns fire burning at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Crews plan to light backfires in the afternoon to hold their containment lines, Fernandez said.

Through the smoke hanging over the valley floor, scorched forest and pasture could be seen behind Ledson Winery, which was threatened by flames Saturday.