Healdsburg-area residents allowed back home after wildland fire

After having lunch in downtown Healdsburg, Lenny and Debbie Siegel were driving back to their home on Madrona Knolls Road when they saw smoke coming from the hillside near their house.

The scene frightened them, as it did countless other residents in Healdsburg and drivers on Highway 101, who saw the smoke rise from the Madrona Knolls area, a quiet neighborhood tucked amid grassy oak woodlands and fertile vineyards.

“It's just scary,” said Lenny Siegel. “First it was light gray, then it turned dark gray.”

The Siegels are among a small group of residents who were either evacuated or kept out of homes on Madrona Knolls Road, also known as Old Wagon Road, for several hours while Cal Fire crews and firefighters from numerous Sonoma County agencies beat down a wildfire that began about 1:35 p.m.

Local residents and winery employees said the fire and smoke provoked a quick and aggressive response from firefighters who were eager to prevent the 5-to-10 acre blaze from spreading to nearby homes and grasslands.

“The planes were on it in no time,” said Brian Wortmann, an assistant manager at DaVero Farms & Winery on Westside Road, near Madrona Knolls Road. Wortmann said he was driving to work from Healdsburg when he noticed “two planes, back-to-back,” dropping fire retardant on the fire.

Officials said a Cal Fire helicopter and Sonoma County Sheriff's Office's Henry 1 took turns making water dumps over the flames early on.

The fire forced the evacuation of residents from about 12 homes south of Madrona Knolls Road. They were told to evacuate for several hours before they were allowed to return at about 5 p.m, fire officials said. Some residents decided to shelter in place, said Ruben Mandujano, a Healdsburg Fire Department fire inspector.

Crews stopped the fire's progress but made no containment by about 4 p.m., Cal Fire spokesman Will Powers said.

At the Madrona Manor inn and restaurant, just downhill of the fire, employees reported hearing sirens for several minutes before they stepped outside to the see the smoke billowing from nearby trees. Not long after came the planes and helicoptors, said Arielle Larson, Madrona Manor's director of special events.

“It was insane how fast they started dropping fire retardant,” Larson said. “We were a little concerned at first, but then we talked to the first responders ... they made us feel really comfortable about it.”

Cal Fire spokesman Marshal Turberville said late Thursday night the fire burned a total of almost 10 acres. That fire also created a spot fire of a little more than 3 acres.

Turberville said the fire was 75 percent contained as of 9 p.m. Thursday night. He said there were no structures or buildings burned in the fire and all roads in the area have been opened.

Fire crews remained at the burn zone through night and will likely remain there, conducting mop up and containment into Friday evening, Turberville said.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @renofish. You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.