Jeff Chiu/AP
Massive wildfires engulfed huge swaths of Northern California’s wine country early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and sending residents fleeing for their lives.
Thousands of people in Napa and Sonoma counties have evacuated the area, which is known for its vineyards and wineries. Three other counties were affected after a series of fires ignited on Sunday and multiplied as strong, dry winds spread the flames over fields and freeways.
By the time most Californians woke for work on Monday, a blaze called the Tubbs Fire had burned at least 20,000 acres in the city of Santa Rosa, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Schools and hospitals in Santa Rosa have closed. Power outages are widespread.
The Atlas Fire in Napa devastated an additional 5,000 acres, according to the Chronicle.
We will continue to update this story throughout the day.
Napa and Sonoma counties are the top wine-making regions in America.
Melia Robinson/Business Insider
There is the city of Napa and the county of Napa, considered the holy grail of wine country. It’s home to more than 400 wineries, with many packed side by side along State Route 29.
Google Maps screenshot
Sonoma County stretches across nine cities and three times the land area of Napa County.
Melia Robinson/Business Insider
California’s lesser-known wine hotspot was named best small town to visit in America — take a look »
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