AP: A snapshot of California's explosive wildfires

[Omaha Steve]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/6ca48cf2759a4eda9bf9b8c9d7d951e2/snapshot-californias-explosive-wildfires

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. (AP) — Drought-stricken California is in the midst of a deadly and destructive siege of wildfires, some exhibiting extreme behavior with what state officials describe as record rates of spread exceeding predictions of computer models. Here's a look at the situation Monday:

NUMBER OF FIRES: 12, mostly in the northern coastal ranges and the Sierra Nevada.

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TOTAL AREA OF FIRES: 703 square miles, more than half of it from the three most significant blazes.

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NUMBER OF PEOPLE DISPLACED: 23,000 from two fires.

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LOSSES: 535 homes in two fires, hundreds of other structures including businesses, barns, outbuildings and infrastructure.

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DEATHS: One confirmed; several people unaccounted for.

FULL story and more photos at link.

[Brother Buzz]

1. .

[wendylaroux]

2. Oh jeez!!

terrifying,talk about a living hell.

The jobs those firefighters do.Could not pay them enough.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. The Middletown and Butte fires --

are especially bad. I have friends who have lost everything in the Middletown fire. The community is really stepping up -- I am seeing offers of lodging for both people and animals, found/lost animals postings, and folks checking out and watching over property for others all over my social media feeds. A local legend, Harbin Hot Springs resort was totally consumed -- there isn't a thing left at the place. The weather and wind are a bit better today but will go back to hot/dry/dusty at the end of the week. We still have a huge fight on our hands.

[David__77]

4. The skies above Sacramento are murky with smoke.

And Sacramento is pretty far from these fires! It's a bit better today - all weekend the skies were totally grey with smoke.

[mike_c]

5. this one is making the Facebook rounds in my part of CA....

U.S. Forest Service - Los Padres National Forest

The Los Prietos Hotshot Crew at their best....Kings River on the Rough Fire.

[PufPuf23]

6. Hauntingly beautiful.

The Valley Fire has yet to make the InciWeb site but is up to 61,000 acres and joining two other large burns from 2015.

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/5/10/

(UPDATE at 1:47 p.m. PT, September 14, 2015)

The Lake County Sheriff’s office have confirmed they have found the body of a civilian that died in the Valley Fire, which has burned 61,000 acres 62 miles north of San Francisco. They don’t yet have an official identification from the Coroner, but it is believed to be an elderly, disabled woman who was not able to self-evacuate.

According to the Lake County Press Democrat the Sheriff’s office received a phone call at 7:12 p.m. on Saturday, about six hours after the fire started. At 7:20 deputies and officers responded to the area but were unable to reach the subdivision because it had already been engulfed in flames, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

Dispatch lines were flooded with requests from people asking for help evacuating and family members asking authorities to check on their relatives.

http://wildfiretoday.com/2015/09/13/valley-fire-in-california-burns-40000-acres-in-less-than-24-hours/

[malaise]

7. I heard someone respond to a question about the increase in fires this year

He said they were ahead by 1,500 fires. I shook my head.

That's a magnificent photo in spite of the destruction and dislocation.