Solano County Refinery Fire Prompts Evacuations, Air Quality Concerns

BENICIA (CBS13) — Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders were given on Friday after a fire at a Solano County refinery.

The issue started with a power outage at the Valero refinery in Benicia, then the smoke stacks began flaring and putting off a heavy amount of dark, thick smoke that carried to nearby communities.

Though visible on the horizon roughly 20 miles away from the Valero refinery, the black billowing plumes of smoke pose no danger to residents outside of the Benicia area, according to the Benicia Police Department.

Still some residents from Vacaville to Fairfield are concerned, with high winds blowing in an easterly direction for most of the morning.

This far away there is no smell and no smoke, and the possibility of not seeing something potentially dangerous coming your way is worrisome. Patricia Aubertin moved from Southern California to get out of the smog she jokes only to hear of this.

"I thought I would be far enough away that any residual dust or smoke or dust or whatever will not be coming this way," she said.