The Glass Fire (2020) was a California wildfire in Napa & Sonoma Counties, with 67,484 acres, 1,520 structures destroyed, 0 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as undetermined. Litigation reported. Status as of October 1, 2026, per The Press Democrat.
The Glass Fire burned 67,484 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties in the fall of 2020. It destroyed more than 1,500 structures, including hundreds of homes in Deer Park and eastern Santa Rosa, a winery and a resort near Calistoga. Nobody died.
Its cause is officially undetermined. CAL FIRE closed its investigation in August 2021 without naming one. Investigators ruled out PG&E equipment. They could not rule out private electrical equipment on a residential property, and reported that the evidence there had been destroyed before they examined it.
That outcome explains the legal record. We found no lawsuit over what caused the fire. PG&E's filings with the SEC do not mention it, and the Public Utilities Commission lists no investigation of it. The Press Democrat reported in August 2021 that no movement for legal redress had taken hold.
The lawsuits that have been reported are insurance disputes. Homeowners at the Calistoga Ranch resort sued the resort's operator in July 2021, alleging that coverage for the development had been reduced before the fire. A Calistoga winery sued one of its insurers over a denied claim. Both are allegations; we have not found the outcomes.
CAL FIRE publishes three counts of structures destroyed: 1,520 on its Top 20 list, 1,528 on its incident page and 1,555 in its 2020 Fire Siege report.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2020-09-27 |
| Containment date | 2020-10-20 |
| Region / counties | Napa, Sonoma |
| Acreage | 67,484 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,520 |
| Structures damaged | 282 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Cause status | undetermined |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
Undetermined. CAL FIRE reported on August 13, 2021 that it had been unable to determine the cause of the Glass Fire. According to the Napa Valley Register and the Press Democrat, which described CAL FIRE's 38-page investigation report, the fire apparently started in a canyon off North Fork Crystal Springs Road in the Deer Park area. Investigators ruled out PG&E electrical equipment and ruled out a nearby vineyard property as the place the fire started. They could not rule out privately owned electrical equipment on a residential property, where work done after the fire and wet weather had destroyed the evidence. The lead investigator wrote that he was unable to determine the exact location of the origin or the cause. No person or company has been named as responsible.
What happened
The Glass Fire started before dawn on September 27, 2020 in the hills northeast of St. Helena in Napa County. That evening fires on the west side of the valley merged with it and ran toward Santa Rosa. Calistoga, St. Helena, Angwin and parts of Pope Valley were evacuated in Napa County. In Sonoma County more than 19,000 residents were forced to evacuate, according to the Press Democrat, 12,925 of them from Santa Rosa. No deaths were recorded. CAL FIRE declared the fire contained on October 20, 2020 at 67,484 acres.
Glass Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Glass Fire starts before dawn northeast of St. Helena.
Source: CAL FIRE
The entire city of Calistoga is under evacuation orders; Angwin is ordered out.
Source: The Press Democrat
Federal major disaster DR-4569-CA is declared.
Source: FEMA
CAL FIRE declares the fire fully contained.
Source: The Press Democrat
Napa and Sonoma counties are added to the federal declaration for Individual Assistance.
Source: FEMA
Calistoga Ranch homeowners file suit against the resort operator over insurance coverage, as reported on July 13.
Source: The Press Democrat
CAL FIRE reports that it could not determine the cause.
Source: Napa Valley Register
It is reported that a Calistoga winery has sued an insurer over a denied Glass Fire claim.
Source: The Press Democrat
Litigation status
Litigation reported. Status as of October 1, 2026, per The Press Democrat.
We found no lawsuit over the cause or origin of the Glass Fire. The lawsuits that have been reported concern insurance for losses in the fire. The Press Democrat reported that homeowners at the Calistoga Ranch development filed suit on July 7, 2021 in Napa County Superior Court against Auberge Resorts Collection, in a case described as a $100 million lawsuit; the complaint alleges that coverage for the development was reduced from $175 million to $100 million before the fire. The same newspaper reported in October 2021 that Fairwinds Estate Winery had sued Kinsale Insurance Company in Napa County Superior Court over a denied $2 million claim. These are allegations reported by a news organization; no case numbers were published and we have not found a ruling or settlement in either case. On cause, we searched the Napa Valley Register and Press Democrat archives, PG&E's annual and quarterly reports, which do not mention the Glass Fire, and the Public Utilities Commission's wildfire investigations page, which has no entry for it. The Napa and Sonoma county superior court indexes were not searched directly.
A reported lawsuit is not a finding against anyone, and the absence of a cause lawsuit in our search is not a finding that none exists. Nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Glass Fire incident record , CAL FIRE
- DR-4569-CA Amendment 1, adding Napa and Sonoma counties , Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Wildfire staff investigations (no Glass Fire entry) , California Public Utilities Commission
This is a reported public-record status, not advice about any individual’s legal situation. Deadlines and eligibility change over time and depend on facts specific to each person. If you have questions about yours, contact us and we will help.
Key figures on the public record
Each figure below was published by the court, agency, or company named beside it, on the date shown. These describe the case and the disaster, not any individual’s situation.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned | 67,484 | CAL FIRE, October 21, 2022 |
| Structures destroyed, Top 20 list | 1,520 | CAL FIRE, August 4, 2026 |
| Structures destroyed, incident page | 1,528 | CAL FIRE, October 21, 2022 |
| Structures destroyed, 2020 Fire Siege report | 1,555 | CAL FIRE, December 31, 2020 |
| Structures damaged | 282 | CAL FIRE, October 21, 2022 |
| Sonoma County residents forced to evacuate | More than 19,000 | The Press Democrat, October 20, 2020 |
| Deaths | 0 | CAL FIRE, August 4, 2026 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Glass Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Oct 5, 2021Napa Valley’s Fairwinds Estate Winery sues insurer claiming refusal to pay Glass fire claimThe Press Democrat
- Aug 13, 2021Cal Fire says it does not have enough evidence to determine cause of Glass fireThe Press Democrat
- Aug 13, 2021Cal Fire cannot determine cause of Glass FireNapa Valley Register
- Jul 13, 2021Calistoga Ranch homeowners sue Auberge Resorts for $100M, claiming inadequate insurance for Glass Fire damageThe Press Democrat
- Oct 20, 2020Cal Fire declares full containment of Glass fireThe Press Democrat
- Oct 9, 2020As Glass fire threat ebbs, Sonoma County marks anniversary of deadly 2017 firestormThe Press Democrat
- Oct 5, 2020Crews Make Gains on Glass Fire, Allowing Thousands to Return HomeKQED
- Oct 4, 2020Cal Fire investigating report of illegal backfires to defend property against Glass fireThe Press Democrat
- Sep 30, 2020Glass Fire Continues Ruthless Assault on Wine Country as Firefighters Brace for More WindKQED
- Sep 29, 2020Entire city of Calistoga ordered to evacuate due to Glass fireThe Press Democrat
Common questions about the Glass Fire
What caused the Glass Fire?
Undetermined. CAL FIRE reported on August 13, 2021 that it had been unable to determine the cause of the Glass Fire. According to the Napa Valley Register and the Press Democrat, which described CAL FIRE's 38-page investigation report, the fire apparently started in a canyon off North Fork Crystal Springs Road in the Deer Park area. Investigators ruled out PG&E electrical equipment and ruled out a nearby vineyard property as the place the fire started. They could not rule out privately owned electrical equipment on a residential property, where work done after the fire and wet weather had destroyed the evidence. The lead investigator wrote that he was unable to determine the exact location of the origin or the cause. No person or company has been named as responsible.
Is there litigation over the Glass Fire?
Litigation reported. Status as of October 1, 2026, per The Press Democrat.
What areas did the Glass Fire affect?
The Glass Fire (Napa & Sonoma Counties) affected communities including Deer Park, St. Helena, Calistoga, Angwin, Santa Rosa, Pope Valley.
How large was the Glass Fire?
67,484 acres, 1,520 structures destroyed, 0 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Glass Fire?
The cause of the 2020 Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties, California is officially undetermined. CAL FIRE reported on August 13, 2021 that it could not determine the cause. News reports on its investigation say PG&E equipment was ruled out and that privately owned electrical equipment on a residential property could not be ruled out.
Did PG&E cause the Glass Fire?
No. According to the Napa Valley Register's account of CAL FIRE's investigation report on the 2020 Glass Fire, investigators ruled out Pacific Gas and Electric equipment as the source of the fire. PG&E's filings with the SEC do not report any claims over it.
Is there a Glass Fire lawsuit?
We found no lawsuit over the cause of the 2020 Glass Fire as of October 1, 2026. Reported lawsuits concern insurance: Calistoga Ranch homeowners sued the resort operator in Napa County Superior Court in July 2021, and a Calistoga winery sued an insurer over a denied claim.
How many structures did the Glass Fire destroy?
CAL FIRE gives three figures for structures destroyed in the 2020 Glass Fire: 1,520 on its Top 20 Most Destructive list, 1,528 on its incident page and 1,555 in its 2020 Fire Siege report. It burned 67,484 acres in Napa and Sonoma counties and caused no deaths.
When did the Glass Fire start and end?
The Glass Fire started on September 27, 2020 in Napa County, California and was declared fully contained on October 20, 2020, after 23 days.
Sources
- Glass Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires and annual statistics, linked from CAL FIRE Statistics, CAL FIRE
- 2020 Fire Siege report, CAL FIRE
- Cal Fire cannot determine cause of Glass Fire, Napa Valley Register
- Cal Fire says it does not have enough evidence to determine cause of Glass fire, The Press Democrat
- Disaster declaration DR-4569-CA, FEMA
- Wildfire staff investigations, California Public Utilities Commission
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.