MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol late Tuesday afternoon closed Highway 29 over Mount St. Helena.

Officer Kory Reynolds of the Clear Lake Area office was on scene and confirmed to Lake County News that the highway was closed at Western Mine Road on the Lake County side.

He said Napa County officials have secured the opposite side of Mount St. Helena.

All traffic is being turned around at the Highway 29 closure, Reynolds said, adding he did not know if Butts Canyon Road is a detour option.

Reynolds said he had not yet received a report on the reason for the closure, but the timing was in concert with reports of new and increasing fire activity in neighboring Napa and Sonoma counties.

Napa and Sonoma county officials reported they were conducting new evacuations in some areas late Tuesday afternoon and early evening.

In Napa County, an updated mandatory evacuation was under way related to the Atlas Peak fire in the Berryessa area and on Mt. Veeder Road.

In Sonoma County, Annadel Heights was placed under an evacuation order and Ida Clayton Road from Highway 128 to the county line has been ordered to evacuate due to spreading fire northbound, officials there said.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.