Feliz Fire Grows to 841 Acres Near Hopland as Highway 101 Reopens

The Feliz Fire in Mendocino County kept expanding through Saturday evening, reaching at least 841 acres, even as crews managed to reopen a major stretch of U.S. Highway 101 that had been shut down for hours in southern Mendocino County.

Containment stood at just 5 percent as of 9 p.m., according to Cal Fire, meaning the vast majority of the fire’s perimeter remained uncontrolled heading into the night.

A Fire That Grew Twentyfold in Hours

The incident was first reported at roughly 3:40 p.m. near Feliz Creek Road, with initial estimates putting it at around 40 acres.

By nightfall that figure had climbed past 841 acres. Growth on that scale in a matter of hours points to receptive fuels and favorable wind conditions, the combination that turns a manageable start into a multi-agency emergency before crews can establish a line.

The cause has not been determined and remains under investigation.

Highway 101 Back Open, With Cautions

Caltrans confirmed that U.S. 101 was fully reopened from Largo Road to Hewlett Sturtevant Road.

Drivers passing through were asked to remain alert, since emergency vehicles continue entering and exiting the roadway as part of the ongoing operation. A reopened highway during an active fire is not the same as a normal highway, and conditions can change quickly if fire behavior shifts near the corridor.

Evacuation Status

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office issued a sequence of orders and warnings as the fire developed.

An evacuation order was put in place earlier covering the area from Sarcina Vineyards to Feliz Creek Road. An order carries the strongest weight, directing residents to leave rather than prepare.

Evacuation warnings were separately established from County Road 110 to Duncan Springs, an area southwest of Hopland. A warning signals that conditions may deteriorate and residents should be ready to depart on short notice.

The distinction matters. People under a warning still have time to gather documents, medications and pets, but that window can close without much notice when a fire is growing at this rate.

Resources Pouring In From Three Counties

State Sen. Mike McGuire, a Democrat from Ukiah, described the mobilization as an incredible response drawing from across the region, with engines, bulldozers and hand crews arriving from Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties.

He noted that multiple aircraft were already working the fire and that additional air attack resources were being routed in from elsewhere in the North State.

Cal Fire ordered three night-flying helicopters to the area, a significant detail. Aerial firefighting after dark requires specialized equipment and crews certified for the work, and it is deployed when agencies judge that pausing air operations overnight would allow unacceptable growth.

Why This Area Is Vulnerable

The Hopland region sits in terrain that presents recurring challenges during fire season.

Grass and brush dominate much of the landscape, fuels that ignite easily and carry fire rapidly once conditions dry out. Vineyards and rural residences are scattered across the area rather than concentrated, which spreads defensive resources thin.

The Highway 101 corridor also runs directly through the zone, meaning any significant fire threatens both a major transportation artery and the communities alongside it.

What Comes Next

Overnight conditions typically bring higher humidity and lower temperatures, which can moderate fire behavior and give crews an opportunity to build containment line. Whether that happens here depends heavily on wind.

With containment at 5 percent, the fire’s perimeter is effectively still open. Crews will be working to secure the flanks and prevent movement toward populated areas and the highway.

Guidance for Residents

For anyone in or near the affected zones, several points apply.

Treat evacuation boundaries as subject to change. The sheriff’s office adjusted orders and warnings multiple times as the situation developed, and a location outside the current zone may not stay outside it.

Rely on official notifications rather than secondhand reports. Cal Fire and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office are the authoritative sources for both fire status and evacuation instructions.

If under a warning, prepare now rather than later. Vehicles fueled, essentials packed, animals accounted for. The difference between an organized departure and a frantic one is usually made hours before the order arrives.

Avoid nonessential travel through the area even with 101 reopened. Every private vehicle on that stretch competes for space with fire apparatus.

The Broader Season

This fire arrives during a period of elevated risk across much of the West, with heat, wind and prolonged dryness producing rapid-growth incidents in multiple states. Regional mutual aid systems are already carrying significant load, which is part of why the multi-county response McGuire described matters. Resources committed here are resources unavailable elsewhere, and that calculus shapes how aggressively agencies attack new starts.