Thousands of acres of California on fire. Tonight. We are tracking multiple active fires from northern to Southern California. One of the most challenging fire fights going on in the North Bay, where there's a recent and tragic history of devastating wildfires. The Point Fire in Sonoma County broke out just this afternoon, growing to more than 1000 acres over the last few hours. Standing at just 15% contained, Cal fire says structures have been destroyed and evacuation orders are in place, so are evacuation warnings. A spare the air alert now in effect for a growing part of the Bay Area. NBC Bay Area's Thom Jensen live in Healdsburg, where many are evacuated as strong winds pushed the flames towards more populated areas. Tom Terry. Yeah, a lot of people evacuating two Healdsburg here, filling up some of the hotels. I just talked to a guy in the parking lot here in the Safeway parking lot who came up to us and was asking us if the fire was moving towards Healdsburg. Healdsburg where he lives. And he was concerned because of that history here in the North Bay with these fires moving into populated areas. So fast in the night with the night winds and you can't really see the winds right here where we are, but they're a lot heavier, closer to where the fire is. And this fire did grow quickly. We started tracking just after 1230, about 100 acres, then 500 acres. And now tonight more than a thousand acres. And they're trying to stop this before it really does burn out of control. Once again here in the North Bay. Hundreds of firefighters from across the region are now attacking the Point Fire outside Healdsburg, some from the air, and a lot more from the ground. Hopefully with all of our resources that we have right now, air and ground, hopefully we're able to contain this fire sooner rather than later. Engine crews are working around houses in the evacuation zones and have saved hundreds of structures already. But the Point Fire claimed two homes and many more are still threatened. The operator of a horse riding ranch above Lake Sonoma called off planned rides today when the fire started just after 1230 in the afternoon. She's hoping it continues to move away from her property. As it stands, we're not in the evacuation zone because the fire's going the opposite direction, but, if they do evacuate us, then we'll be ready to go tonight. She's concerned about friends and neighbors in the Dry Creek area under evacuation orders, but staying home despite the warnings, at least for now. Some are doing their own work to protect their homes. They're just waiting and they're watching their farmers, you know? Yeah a lot of ranches down there, a lot of ranches and farmers, Cal Fire hopes everyone evacuates in those mandatory zones because the wind and terrain make the fire unpredictable. And the steep hillsides are covered in manzanita, madrone and oak trees. Those are highly combustible plant species. And here in Healdsburg, well outside the evacuation zones, everyone is paying close attention to what's happening. Knowing entire neighborhoods here could be ordered to evacuate. If this fire blows up tonight, they'd been through this before. It's still pretty far away from most things, so we're hoping. But I mean, I have stuff that I still have packed from the last fires. Yeah, they've got us almost trained with it. I don't know if you can hear right now. That's a truck noise coming right now. But we've heard the helicopters a lot tonight. And this firefight from the air even tonight, not just the ground into the night is being fought. Cal fire ordered three night capable fire helicopters on this fire on the point fire. So they are attacking it tonight from the air, trying to keep it, at bay before it does blow out of control, especially in these difficult conditions. Terry. Tom, let me ask you. You talked about the winds, the evacuees we're seeing. The winds are so much stronger, closer to the fire. But where you are there in Healdsburg, how bad is the smoke? Can you really get a strong sense of that? You know, I can. I can feel it. My lungs. I can feel it in my contact lenses. My eyes are burning, but it is a lot heavier and the winds are carrying it that way. A more towards Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa and that area. And you can see that as we were coming in those areas, even coming up the highway, if you didn't have the settings right on your car, if you were bringing the air from the outside in, you're bringing smoke and quickly, in my new car, I was trying to find the recirculate inside. So those areas are heavy in smoke and, people are concerned about that tonight. As far as health conditions and the fire possibly moving in those directions because the wind is blowing that way, and, you know, those areas have been run over by fire before. Terry. Absolutely. Tom. Good advice on the vent control in your vehicle. Thanks very much for the update from up there. And as Tom was talking about Cal Fire is fighting the point. Fire from the air and on the ground. This is video of the Sonoma Air Attack Base at the Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, throughout the evening, several different aircraft have been seen fueling up, taking off to attack the flames and Tom was talking about it. Three night capable helicopters
