next at 5:00 the flames die down a bit but that doesn't mean the fight is getting any easier in the north bay. we'll take you there. battling flames and fatigue. we examine the challenges the firefighters are facing right now. plus -- >> kindergarteners who start to shake when they see or smell smoke. >> from wildfires to covid north bay schools take action to help students through the tough times. as the fire rages, the bay area is about to get hit with more hot, dry, and windy weather. >> announcer: building a better bay area for a safe and secure future this is abc 7 news. >> we will begin once again with the firefight in sonoma and napa counties. there are new evacuations

northwest of calistoga. people there were told to leave this morning. cal fire told us late today that investigators have zeroed in now on a possible location where this fire started. they're actively investigating the 200 block of north fork crystal springs road. that is right off silverado trail. no other details besides that at this moment. >> we learned today that two firefighters in napa county were trapped by flames sunday night and had to deploy their fire shelter. they are safe though cal fire says a number of fire vehicles were damaged. meanwhile the alameda county fire department said today their firefighters were in the thick of it all in the calistoga st. helena area. they've been working practically three days straight. >> the biggest concern right now is the weather. fire officials sadly say it is about to make everything tougher. >> we're looking at a very similar wind event that when this fire first started moving out three days ago. now is the time for our firefighters to buckle down.

>> for the city of santa rosa residents -- >> vital for sure. good evening. >> thank you for joining us. let's get right to our abc 7 news meteorologist with what we are expecting. >> we are going to be facing critical fire weather conditions and as mentioned it is vital that we pay attention. let me show you the current conditions near the glass fire. it is hot. 90 degrees right now. dry. 18%. fortunately the winds are light at this hour. right now out of the west fwu gusting to 7. that is going to change as the winds increase over the next couple days. red flag warning for the north bay mountains. 1:00 tomorrow afternoon until 6:00 p.m. friday. northwesterly gusts 25 to 30. very low humidity and dry and here is a look at the hour by hour forecast. you'll notice what is going to hppen to the wind. they are not that strong right

now as we head into 3:00 a.m. 29, 30-mile-per-hour winds especially over the higher terrain going into 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. and that drying wind is really just going to dry us out even more, which is a big concern even going into tomorrow night. so that is what we're watching out for and, also, the heat build heat advisory for virtually all of the bay area tomorrow 8:00 to 8:00 risk of heat illnesses. i'll be back with more on the fire danger and hot weather coming right up. thank you. firefighters are hoping the progress they've made pays off as the red flag conditions bear down on them and they try to protect the town of calistoga. abc 7 news reporter laura anthony has that story. >> reporter: it seems counterintuitive to set fires when you're trying to stop one. but that is exactly what firefighters are doing high atop diamond mountain road a few miles from downtown calistoga. the goal, to gain the upper hand

on the glass fire while the winds are down. >> so that is why we're really trying to button up the lower parts of the fire with our operations and an aggressive mop up there. >> reporter: in downtown calistoga it is raining ash but no homes or businesses in town burned overnight. a night that prompted mandatory evacuations. some residents tried to get back in >> i am just trying to get to my house. i have koi fish i'm trying to feed. >> the last three nights were stressful. >> why? >> i couldn't sleep. the mountain was in flames. >> reporter: the people here are clearly weary. a series of fires in recent months and years have left them on edge always wondering whether to stay or go. >> if the ten acres above me go there is nothing we'll be able to do. we have a cab over camper fully loaded, packed, ready to go. as soon as we feel it is unsafe

we're going to split. >> reporter: as we stand here today in an evacuated downtown calistoga it is hot. there is ash raining down. the flames so far have stayed at bay. of course the big concern, what happens when those winds pick up again. in calistoga, laura anthony, abc 7 news. >> thank you, laura. as we mentioned earlier investigators are focused on crystal springs road near silverado trail as they search for how the glass fire started. nearly 49,000 acres have burned and the fire is 2% contained. we are expecting an update from cal fire shortly. first it was covid-19 and now the glass fire. it all means another week of no school for tens of thousands of students in sonoma and napa counties. we checked in with one family in santa rosa who came home to see the destruction. >> reporter: at first glance this high school looks untouched but the valley behind it tells a different story. >> we are so grateful it didn't get more of the school.

>> reporter: julie and her two daughters luff right across the street. >> we saw the embers fly up and over the mountain on to the hill side right behind our house and the school and that's when it got scary because we couldn't even get out. >> reporter: the young girls are two of more than 24,000 students forced to evacuate in sonoma county. for bailey, covid was hard enough. >> covid sucks because you're just at home with nothing to do and you can't talk to any of your friends. this time with the fire is when you need your friends. you're not close with them. >> reporter: the sonoma county superintendent dr. steve harrington says 6 of 10 students report experiencing trauma due to fires. >> we've had kindergarteners whs start to visibly shake when they see or smell smoke. we have families -- >> reporter: the district is providing ptsd training and counsellors for students who have evacuated. >> many of those students have

had to be evacuated over the past three years as many as five times due to fire. >> reporter: like bailey and her sister taylor who evacuated from the tubbs fire. >> it feels like dejavu from three years ago. this one is just so much closer to home because it's our own back yard. >> reporter: a back yard now burnt symbolic of 2020. this high school is one of several in sonoma county that have been damaged from the glass fire. thankfully, fire crews were able to prevent the flames from moving any further. reporting in santa rosa, abc 7 news. officials say they know residents want to return but right now it is just not safe. >> the evacuated zones are dangerous. there is still active fire. there are trees falling without warning. there are power poles that are down. wires on the ground. >> napa county is thanking everyone for the outpouring of

support on social media. he says it really keeps everyone motivated and going during a tough time. a san mateo county strike team saufd dozens of homes while battling the fire monday night. this is what they were up against while protecting a string of homes. winds picked up carrying embers from the six mile long fire. eight homes were destroyed and 25 homes were saved. meanwhile, the strike team's fire chief had a very close call the next morning. a chimney fell over and just barely missed him. he is a veteran of 30 years on the job. he just kept going on with the work he had to do. >> so scary. of course he kept going. that's what they do. for some of the firefighters they haven't had a break going from wildfire to wildfire for months. they don't complain but it is grueling. abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman is live in sonoma county where firefighters have been working around the clock. >> reporter: good evening. behind me a bit of a city where

firefighters go to take a break. they're here for 24 hours at a time then right back out on to the front. they need all the rest they can get. in the fire service people view a day like this as a low in the middle. not many big flames. just the worry they may return with red flag weather tomorrow >> i think people are tired of saying the new normal because it is not new anymore. it's been here for a while. >> reporter: this captain, his rig, this crew just finished 17 straight days on the walbridge fire. today they committed to 14 more in sonoma county. yes, they're exhaust edifice kali and mentally. >> we get to see the bad side of things. people losing their homes and belongings. you get to see people out doing recovery of bodies and what not but that's just part of the fire service. >> reporter: this is toil. as we approach the peak of fire

season they're four years into this not so new normal. it means weeks on the road and long shifts of 24 hours, sometimes more, in treacherous, uncomfortable conditions. >> most of our employees have been here since sunday night when the fire started or at least a couple hours after the fire started. >> reporter: this captain, santa rosa's firefighter of the year in 2014. we caught up with him during a short break just off highway 12 taking advantage of donated food. how many square meals a day are you getting? >> square? >> reporter: yeah. >> they are kind of round. >> they are working so hard and come back all dirty and tired and eyes are red. >> reporter: that is a point. every single firefighter reaches and remembers. a state of being they either learn to deal with or not. >> it's either a make or break moment for most people. they either stop doing it or keep going the rest of their lives. >> reporter: that is the difference between wanting to be a firefighter and actually becoming one. big difference. live in sonoma county, wayne freedman, abc 7 news.

>> it certainly is. thank you. some palo alto students could be back in classrooms in 12 days. the school board vote despite opposition from parents and teachers. that's ahead. plus wining, dining, and worshiping. we are there for day one of san francisco's next phase of

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a new normalcy is unfolding in san francisco. the city is the first in the bay area to move into the orange tier. restaurants can resume limited indoor services and churches can welcome back congregants. >> reporter: the noon mass drew a small number of faithful fires. they are required to wear a facemask and sit 6 feet apart indoors just as in the parking lot the last six months.

this is video of communion last sunday. inside mass is meaningful to this woman >> i am very happy now i can join the mass and receive the body of christ. >> reporter: with a limit of 100 some churches are doing online signups to comply. singing and chanting will not be allowed which health officials say can spread the virus. a short distance away, this restaurant started indoor service for breakfast and lunch customers though outdoor seating remains popular. >> we only have three tables inside but they've been occupied all day. we have some people who insist on sitting outside. that is fine. everybody will move at their own comfort level and pace. >> reporter: this long time customer took advantage of an inside table because she is not fond of al fresco dining. >> because the cars passing everywhere, people it's more safe. >> reporter: this public health doctor and her family sat outdoors at plow.

she welcomed the change in dining-in guidelines, provided safety practices are followed. >> the opening up seems very appropriate considering that we're able to take the important measures and cautions. >> reporter: san francisco restaurants are restricted to 25% of capacity. for small restaurants such as plow that won't sustain the cost of rent and a staff of 19. however, the co-owner and his spouse say it will give restaurants an opportunity to get back on top of their game. in san francisco, abc 7 news. in the south bay now the palo alto unified school district is moving forward with plans to begin offering in-person learning next month. keep in mind that is despite concerns from teachers and parents. abc 7 news reporter on that story. >> reporter: in just a matter of weeks students in palo alto will have the option of returning to the classroom but teachers are expressing deep concerns. >> they really want to protect their students and themselves and their own families from

getting this virus please. we're in the middle of a pandemic. >> reporter: last night the board of education voted unanimously to begin a staggered reopening of public schools. in two weeks the district's youngest students can return for hybrid learning which includes a mix of in-person and virtual lessons. other grades will be phased in over time. but middle and high school students won't return until january. the palo alto educators association says 90% of its members don't feel comfortable returning to the classroom this fall. teachers are concerned about whether they'll have enough access to ppe, air purifiers and portable hand washing stations and wonder if their buildings are equipped for proper air flow. the reopening was proposed by hundreds of parents who signed an online letter asking the board to delay the plan. a recall effort could now be in the works. >> where the kids finally feel stable, secure, safe, and a sense of normalcy. right in this moment when the kids are just beginning to feel like the world may be starting to make sense again.

>> reporter: but board members maintain every day of in-person learning is essential to ensuring that students don't fall behind and that the district is following all county and state guidelines when it comes to the safety of staff and students. >> kindergarteners aren't built to be in front of a screen at home all day. they are built to be in school with their classmates, on the playground, in the classroom and under the watchful eyes of teachers who can assess them for what special needs they might have. >> reporter: for now students who choose not to return in person have to stick with distance learning through the end of the year. in palo alto, abc 7 news. in the north bay local advocates and food banks are pushing for the expansion of food distribution programs for seniors in california. california food policy advocates got together at a san rafael food distribution event today. because of the pandemic food banks have seen a strain on resources. a recent census survey found more than 1 in 20 older adults lives in homes without enough

food. the same survey reported black and latino families were being hit harder. advocates are urging state leaders to increase the access to cal fresh food assistance by removing barriers like the lengthy application process. >> make it easier for them to apply, shorten the application. right now it is 18 pages long. other states have been able to get that down to six or eight pages. >> advocates want to also completely eliminate extensive annual reports that cal fresh recipients have to fill out. ucla economists are predicting a full recovery from the effects of the coronavirus will take more than two years. the ucla anderson quarterly forecast was released today and says california will see a loss of more than 1.5 million jobs by the end of the year. that assumes the worst of the pandemic ends and the vaccine is widely available. one positive note the housing market is projected to bounce back quickly. if you feel it is hard to breathe you're right. the skies around the bay area are definitely smokey.

i'm to help california's 19 most vulnerable. over 24,000 homes were destroyed by wildfires in less than two years. too many of those victims are also hit with a sudden tax hike

after their forced to move. it's wrong. prop 19 limits taxes on wildfire victims and limits taxes on seniors and severely disabled homeowners. join firefighters and emergency responders in voting 'yes' on 19.

good evening everyone. let's take a look at how it is outside right now. it certainly is hazier and smokier. from our emeryville camera looking toward downtown oakland the visibility is beginning to drop as we see impacts from the glass fire. 88 in santa rosa. 93 novato. 101 degrees in fairfield. certainly warmer today. 99 in livermore. here is a view from the tower camera and the haze is very visible over san francisco as the heat is building. #please 77 in the city. 72 degrees in half moon bay. deteriorating air quality right now. ukiah, for sensitive groups looking at unhealthy napa to fairfield. concord in the red. moderate air quality in san

jose. as we look toward the santa cruz area you are seeing the good air quality. checking out the smoke forecast, unfortunately, the haze and smoke is sticking around through this evening, continuing right on through thursday and even into parts of friday as we do have the wind coming more out of the north and the northwest as we head into tomorrow. air quality unhealthy. spare the air alert for thursday and for friday. notice the weekend. we start to see some changes. the view from our east bay camera, hot and hazy the next two days. records likely. breezy to gusty in the hills and high fire danger during that time period. cooler, better air quality is expected this weekend. live doppler 7 the fog we had is getting swept away by the wind direction. we are noticing hour by hour the wind is going to start to ramp up especially tomorrow afternoon and evening 29 miles an hour at cloverdale. 22 calistoga. the wind continues to come up as

we head toward friday evening which is why the red flag warning is going through tomorrow afternoon through friday evening. 27-mile-per-hour winds in calistoga. 25 in santa rosa. fire danger will be elevated. tomorrow morning patchy fog mainly at the coast. hazy skies from the mid 50s to the low 70s. afternoon highs will look like this in the south bay. 103 in gilroy. scorcher there. 98 san jose. on the peninsula 95 palo alto. 97 redwood city. half moon bay up to 80 degrees. downtown san francisco 88. 78 in the sunset district. north bay numbers 98 in san rafael, petaluma, vallejo. triple digits santa rosa. calistoga. temperatures well above average for this time of the year. in the east bay 93 oakland. 94 newark. 96 fremont. definitely take it easy and stay hydrated as this heat could make you sick. that's why the heat advisory goes up tomorrow. 102 in concord. 104 in liver mooar.

the accu weather forecast, much cooler weather for your weekend and next week will be a welcome sight. >> all right. thank you so much. >> we'll be right back. >> we need a break from this heat. thanks. we'll be right back here in a moment with a preview of game one of the nba finals.

getting out here pushing sound vibrations through the air ian once a week on fridays just for fun is so we can make music right now. >> we enjoy a stronger relationship with our neighbors because here we all are kind of in this together. all right. finally tonight the nba finals

tip-off in the orlando bubble here on abc 7. lebron james and the lakers take on his old team, dan, the miami heat. >> it should be a great matchup. lebron is making an historic tenth finals appearance his first with the lakers but if he wins the title a crowd of only #tonly 92 fans will be there in person. that is how many nba family members are in the bubble and will be in attendance tonight. >> coverage begins in two minutes with nba countdown. the lakers and heat tip off at 6:00 then after the game live at chase center some special guests and we're all set up out there as you can see. this is a live look. coverage starts around 9:00 p.m., dan, depending how long that game goes. >> that is exactly right. certainly fun on abc 7 tonight to watch. the first time the warriors haven't been in the nba finals since 2014. >> a little sad. >> it'll be a good game. appreciate your time.

>> thanks for joining us.

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>> announcer: the following is a special presentation of espn on abc. it is a beautiful night at the espn wide world of sports complext walt disney world resort in florida, and a perfect night to start the nba finals. crowning a 2020 nba champion has been 12 months in. making. two team res main. lebron james and the lakers are looking to win a title against a team lebron won titles with. but he's got a dominant running partner in anthony davis. for the first time james has a teammate averaging more than time going into the finals. but they have to take on heat who, guess