Sand fire containment and size grows

Progress continued on the Sand fire in rural Yolo County with containment at 60 percent of the 2,512-acre fire.

The fire is the largest in the state and is burning in the northwest corner of Yolo County, which borders Lake County. It’s in an unpopulated area with steep terrain and heavy brush. Tuesday’s forecast included continued heat, although not as high as Monday, and the hot, dry conditions still were considered a threat.

Fire officials began to let some people return home Monday evening, but advisory evacuations remained and Highway 16 remained closed between Rumsey and Highway 20.

There were 1,138 people on the fire effort Tuesday with 80 engines and nine helicopters.

No new buildings burned during the night. Seven structures have burned since the fire started Saturday, during hot and windy conditions.

Other fires also sparked in the state and started Sonoma County’s run of sending strike teams out of the county. Five engines were sent last weekend to Napa County for the Ink fire, northeast of Calistoga, a fire official said. They’ve since remained in Napa County helping cover fire stations there as those crews have been tied up on other fires.