Nelson Fire Update: Fairfield, Vacaville Being Evacuated Due To 1,000-Acre Blaze

A grass fire that broke out along the Paradise Valley Estates subdivision in Solano County, California, spread to 1,000 acres, prompting evacuations in Fairfield and Vacaville on Friday.

Since the blaze is currently burning in the area of Nelson Road, it has been named the Nelson Fire by the Vacaville Police Department.

“The most recent update on the Nelson Fire. The fire is at 1,000 acres and 10 percent contained. Crews are working diligently to protect the structures and a great deal of effort is being put into stopping the fire at the canal behind the Peabody subdivision. The SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] has been evacuated, the prison is sheltering in place and the Foxboro neighborhood is under an evacuation advisory,” the Vacaville Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post.

Since the fire was rapidly spreading east toward Vacaville, residents of streets like Youngsdale Drive south of Foxboro, Melissa Court, Kirby Court and Laurelwood Way were evacuated. The same went for occupants of homes on Constitution Avenue, Estates Drive, and Couples Circle near the Paradise Valley Golf Course, ABC7 reported.

People who live in those areas were asked to immediately leave the area. Others were told to avoid the areas until further notice.

“While the #NelsonFire remains a close hazard to base personnel, it has not become an immediate threat. #Airmen are advised to keep in close communication with their chain of command as to their operational capacity in light of the recent wildfire. Stay tuned to evacuation orders,” the Travis Air Force Base, located in Fairfield, tweeted.

An evacuation shelter was set up at Fairfield High School, located at 205 E. Atlantic Avenue.

Meanwhile, the Holy Fire, which started in the Trabuco Canyon area of the Cleveland National Forest, burned 19,107 acres and was 10 percent contained as of Friday evening, ABC affiliate 10 News reported.

Around 1,200 firefighters, along with 86 water-dropping helicopters and 14 fixed-wing air tankers, were battling the fire, which continued to spread east into the Lake Elsinore area in Riverside County. Firemen and engines were facing difficulty in climbing the steep and treacherous terrain to get close to the flames and hence, had to rely on the heavy use of water drops from the air.