Officials say a massive California wildfire that has already burned 2,700 acres is drought-driven.
The Napa County fire started burning around noon Tuesday and grew to more than 2,500 acres by 6 p.m.
As of Tuesday night, the blaze was only 30 percent contained.
Pope Valley rancher Scott Brown got a call from his son warning him of the fast moving fire.
"He called, saying 'You better get home!' The flames were literally right here," Brown told KTVU.
The winds moved the fire away from his ranch, which was good news for Brown but bad news for others.
“There’s like 200 homes up there, all in the brush,” Brown said.
The brush is so dry that it became fuel for the unpredictable fire.
Calfire Division Chief Mike Wilson said the winds not moving in a prevailing direction during the fire meant crews had to make runs in several different directions.
In addition to air tankers, a pair of helicopters helped making drops all afternoon.
Crews say their focus was saving lives in the path of the fire.
Pope Valley Union Elementary School was turned into an evacuation center for nearby residents.
Dennis Pratt and Patricia Holcomb were unable to get home Tuesday.
“I’ve lost a home to fire before so this is… don’t wanna go through it again,” Holcomb said, choking back tears.
They live in the Berryessa Estates in Pope Valley and as they waited at the school they worried about the pet they had to leave at home alone.
“I want to get home to my animals, get to my babies,” Pratt said.
Calfire said the land had not burned in decades, leaving extra growth, heavy fuels, during the worst of droughts.
“This is a bad one,” Brown said. “The worst I’ve seen.”
Five structures were destroyed, but Calfire officials said they believe they were outbuildings.
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