MENDOCINO COUNTY — The Woodside Fire broke out around 1:43 p.m. on Thursday in Sonoma County, burning near Salt Point State Park in the 24000 block of Highway 1 in Timber Cove. Evacuation orders were issued for all of Salt Point State Park due to the Woodside Fire.

The Woodside Fire was zero percent contained as of Thursday afternoon. Eighty-five firefighters were on the scene of the Woodside Fire, and multiple firefighting air tankers flew to the Woodside Fire area from around the state.

The cause of the Woodside Fire is under investigation. In a separate incident in Mendocino County, the Feliz Fire broke out near Feliz Creek Road in the Hopland area of Mendocino County, southeast of Ukiah. Ukiah is city in and county seat of Mendocino County, California, United States.

The Feliz Fire started around 3:40 p.m. on Saturday. The Feliz Fire grew from 40 acres to more than 500 acres in less than three hours. The Feliz Fire burned 501 acres by early evening Saturday.

Cal Fire described the Feliz Fire as spreading at a "dangerous rate." Firefighters reached 5% containment of the Feliz Fire by 6:58 p.m. Saturday. Evacuation orders were issued for zones MEN-2HOP04 and MEN-2UKV29.

Evacuation warnings were issued for zones MEN-2UKV20, MEN-2UKV21, and MEN-2UKV23. Downtown Hopland was placed under an evacuation warning. US Highway 101 was closed between Burke Hill Road and the junction with Highway 175.

US Highway 101 was closed from Henry Station Road to Highway 175. Fire officials ordered three night-flying helicopters and a night-flying helicopter supervisor to continue battling the blaze after sunset. An evacuation center was established at the Mendocino County Office of Education, 2240 Old River Road in Ukiah.

A temporary evacuation point was established at United Disaster Relief, 650 Babcock Lane in Ukiah. The Mendocino County Animal Shelter on Plant Road in Ukiah was opened for displaced pets. A Small Animal Shelter was established at 298 Plant Road.

Livestock and other large animals were directed to the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds. A large animal shelter was available at the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds at 1055 N. State St. in Ukiah. The cause of the Feliz Fire remains under investigation.

Two separate wildfires in Northern California triggered evacuations, highway closures, and significant emergency responses within days of each other. The Woodside Fire in Sonoma County and the Feliz Fire in Mendocino County both required the deployment of ground crews, air support, and animal shelters for displaced residents and pets.

The rapid growth of the Feliz Fire, which expanded from 40 acres to more than 500 acres in less than three hours, illustrates the volatile nature of wildfire behavior in the region. Both fires remain under investigation for their causes, and the closure of major highways such as Highway 1 and US Highway 101 disrupted travel and access to affected communities.

Why It Matters

The Feliz Fire's expansion from 40 to over 500 acres in less than three hours forced evacuations and closed US Highway 101, a major regional corridor. This rapid growth required night-flight operations and the activation of multiple shelters for residents, pets, and livestock. Occurring days after the Woodside Fire triggered similar highway closures and evacuation orders in Sonoma County, these incidents demonstrate a pattern of volatile fire behavior demanding immediate, large-scale emergency responses across Northern California.