Smoke layer over Glass fire curbs aerial attack in Sonoma County

A layer of smoke over the Glass fire has air tankers and helicopters grounded, Sonoma County Fire District Chief Mark Heine said in a text Monday morning.

“Visibility very poor on Hwy 12 side (of the fire),” he said. “Can’t fly until smoke layer lifts.”

The air attack has started on the Napa County side of the fire, Kerrie Lindecker, an aide to state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said in an email.

State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, said by telephone he saw a helicopter drop water on flames east of St. Helena.

Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nicholls said at an 11 a.m. media briefing that “it needs to clear up” before firefighting aircraft can rejoin the fight in Sonoma County.

Paul Lowenthal, Santa Rosa’s assistant fire marshal, said the subsiding wind on Monday was “on of those double-edged swords.”

Lack of wind gives firefighters a chance to beat down flames, but it also means the “smoke doesn’t have anywhere to go,” he said.

“Stagnant air kind of inundates the area with smoky conditions and limits our ability to use air resources,” Lowenthal said.

Staff Writer Kevin Fixler contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @guykovner.