Santa Rosa — Firefighters continued mop-up and suppression work Tuesday on the Ledson Fire, which burned 16.5 acres east of the city near North Pythian Road in the Kenwood area, Cal Fire officials said.
What changed for residents
The fire remained at 16.5 acres after crews held it within established containment lines overnight. Cal Fire reported the incident was 45% contained the morning of Tuesday, July 14. An earlier evacuation order for Zone SON-3H3 was downgraded to a warning and later lifted, and an evacuation center at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building that had been opened was closed once the warning was removed.
Current response and outlook
About 40 firefighters were assigned to the incident Tuesday, supported by five fire engines, one hand crew and one water tender, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Jason Clay. Crews planned to continue suppression and mop-up operations over the next several days.
"Firefighters will continue with extensive mop-up operations Tuesday, working through heavy concentrations of dead and downed trees left by the 2017 Nuns Fire and 2020 Glass Fire," Clay said.
The blaze began shortly after 1 p.m. Monday near North Pythian Road on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains at the northern end of Sonoma Valley. Firefighters stopped forward spread by about 3:30 p.m. Monday and then focused on strengthening containment lines and extinguishing hotspots.
- Size: 16.5 acres (no change reported)
- Containment: 45% as of Tuesday morning
- Personnel and equipment: ~40 firefighters, five engines, one hand crew, one water tender
- Evacuation status: Warning for Zone SON-3H3 downgraded, then lifted; evacuation center closed
Local context and hazards
The Ledson Fire burned inside areas previously affected by the 2017 Nuns Fire and the 2020 Glass Fire. That burned landscape contains heavy concentrations of dead and downed trees, which complicate mop-up and control efforts. Before crews halted its forward movement, the fire was advancing uphill through dry vegetation, prompting an aggressive ground-and-air response.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Acreage | 16.5 acres |
| Containment | 45% |
| Assigned personnel | About 40 firefighters |
| Engines/crews | 5 engines, 1 hand crew, 1 water tender |
Cal Fire urged continued caution to residents in nearby communities while crews work to fully extinguish hotspots. It remained unclear Tuesday whether any residents had evacuated the area before the warning was lifted.
News Block will provide additional updates if containment changes or if there are new evacuations or structure impacts reported by Cal Fire or local authorities.
