Northern CA is on fire

[ghostsinthemachine]

All over. Sonoma, Napa, Calistoga. Nevada County. Mass evacuations.

[awesomerwb1]

1. Such a beautiful area.

Makes me very sad. Hope no human or animal casualties.

[Downtown Hound]

2. I'm currently the only one at my dispatch office in Santa Rosa. I work for an internet ISP.

There is smoke everywhere and the roads are clogged with people being evacuated. I'm safe for the moment.

Fun times. It's a madhouse here.

[Crash2Parties]

16. Please be careful, if you are where I think you are.

[ghostsinthemachine]

3. News on Sonoma fires

https://www.google.com/amp/kron4.com/2017/10/09/santa-rosa-fire-jumps-highway-101/amp/ jumped Highway 1.

[ghostsinthemachine]

4. Nevada County info

https://yubanet.com/ here. I've a lot of friends that live here. Two are in imminent danger.

[ghostsinthemachine]

7. More fire resources..

Fire resouces:

Evacuation Area Map:
http://nevcounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/PublicInformation/index.html?appid=98b2c0f363104d25b858048c46fb56e2

www.knco.com - Radio 830 AM - https://www.facebook.com/KNCO-Newstalk-830-421405735192/

Nevada County Sheriff's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Nevada-County-Sheriffs-Office-176…/

Nevada County Office of Emergency Services - https://www.facebook.com/NevadaCountyOES/

KVMR's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/KVMRFM/

The Union - https://www.facebook.com/theuniongrassvalley/

CALTRANS - http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov

CALFire Current Incidents - http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents

[ghostsinthemachine]

5. Gov. Brown declares state of emergency for Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties

Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat

SONOMA — California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties because of wildfires that the governor says are threatening thousands of homes.

Brown issued the declaration on Monday, as multiple fires forced people to evacuate their homes.

Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann said more than 50 structures had been destroyed, but there were no reports of injuries or deaths.

Residents describe terrifying middle-of-the-night scrambles to flee from raging wildfires.

Read more: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7508091-181/gov-brown-declares-state-of?gallery=7507357&artslide=0

[suffragette]

6. It's been a devastating fire season in the west this year. Thoughts to those caught in this.

[raven mad]

8. I know. And you're not the only friend there.

There are two I haven't heard from.

Thoughts and prayers don't hack it, but sTrumpet and his Barbie doll are elsewhere.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, we've been loading cases of water for Puerto Rico. Wish we could ship some there, too, in the form of rain.

Be careful for all of us.

[raven mad]

9. CRAP! Forgot to add, great links, and I hope folks save them.

Any idiot doesn't think California matters should move to Uranus!

[Blue_true]

37. Actually they should move to Neptune, Planet X, or

a rogue planet. There is massive Cali hatred on the right.

[raven mad]

46. Fear is the mindkiller..............

My friends in Cali are, I think, okay.

[BigmanPigman]

10. I had a feeling that this would happen when it was 93 on Sat in San Diego.

Our two worst fires (Cedar 2003 and Witch 2007) were in Oct/Nov. School was closed for a week each time.

They just announced that there is one in Anaheim near LA.

It is hot, dry and windy in San Diego County now.

[Brother Buzz]

11. Your present Santana wind is tame compared to what has been happening in Northern California

Northern California's "North Wind" is the same offshore effect as you Santana wind and it's been blowing stink all weekend. 40-70 mph, baby!

They north winds were projected to end today, but I am now seeing it's going to last through Wednesday, albeit significantly abated. Damn.

[WhiteTara]

12. Moving into Lake and Mendocino

Our old home area in Redwood Valley (home of some wonderful organic vineyards) is being evacuated.

Luther Burbank Center has burned to the ground in Santa Rosa, I've been told. It seems to have jumped 101 and is moving the other side too.

[cally]

13. The old house and grounds in the middle of Santa Rosa burned down?

That's right in the middle of town?

[WhiteTara]

14. Yes, according to my friend who lives there

the entire city is on fire.

[Crash2Parties]

17. No! As of 2pm PST, the older parts of town are still okay.

By that I mean Old Downtown & surrounding areas. Fire is currently at about halfway between Fountain Grove / Kaiser and Coddingtown Mall, going north to south. Getting texts & tweets from friends in the area. Fountain grove & Hidden Valley are devastated, as is the other side of the 101.

[ailsagirl]

15. I'm in Marin

Smelled the smoke at 2:00 am

I work in Sonoma County though we had today off so I don't know what shape Petaluma is in

Frightening

[Crash2Parties]

18. Petaluma is okay, G & H sections of RP evac'd but no fire there yet.

In Marin now, too - the smoke has cleared, makes me fear what direction the winds are up North?

[ailsagirl]

21. A friend just told me that Sears Point is on fire-- is that so? that's awfully close

Thanks for the info re Petaluma-- was told by someone who works there that the air is terribly choked up with smoke and that her car is covered in ashes

[Brother Buzz]

22. Hwy 37 has reopened....

The Sears Point fire has been fully contained.

[ailsagirl]

32. Thank you for that!

[GregD]

38. My son is on Lakeville Highway, just above 37. They are evacuating.

[AngryAmish]

19. Tons of rain, tons of growth, tons of fire.

[malaise]

20. Just saw that

Stay safe DUers

[Brother Buzz]

25. Ironically, the weather turns, and fire season mostly ends on Columbus day (Oct 12)

[ghostsinthemachine]

23. Sonoma fire threatens cannabis crop...

http://m.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Cannabis-harvests-threatened-by-Sonoma-County-s-12263991.php?cmpid=fb-desktop

But watch em try to say a cannabis grower is responsible. Watch.

[maxsolomon]

24. Responsible for sparking the fire?

If they are, they are.

There was more than 1 fire, wasn't there?

[MontanaMama]

26. I have a friend in Kenwood.

I can't reach her. Anybody hear anything about that area?

[Downtown Hound]

27. I'm sorry to say but Kenwood is right in the path of the fire

It has already been evacuated. She's probably okay. I don't know about her home though.

[MontanaMama]

28. Thank you. I'll reach out to her son to make sure she is safe.

This is gawd awful. We had over a million acres on fire in Montana this summer. Worst summer ever. We have far fewer people and structures however. This will be devastating for California.

[Brother Buzz]

29. My friend in Kennwood lost her house

Her telephone was down before she bugged out.

[MontanaMama]

31. I'm so sorry to hear this.

My friend - actually my late mother's best friend - is in her 80's and lives a lone. The phone goes straight to voicemail. I'm worried...

[Brother Buzz]

33. Does she live on the valley floor or up a canyon?

[MontanaMama]

34. Valley floor.

[Brother Buzz]

35. That's a plus

My friend lived up a narrow wooden canyon.

[MontanaMama]

36. Thanks for the info.

I think I just found her son in Seattle. I'm going to call him.

[malaise]

30. Here's a good link

https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/california-firestorm-more-1500-structures-lost-mass-evacuations-napa-anaheim

[greytdemocrat]

39. These fires are horrible

I just hope some moron didn't start
one or more on purpose.

Did I hear at least 1 or two dead already???

[Brother Buzz]

40. North of ten on the radio

And that's just Santa Rosa reporting

[Baclava]

41. Inferno destroys parts of Santa Rosa blocks of homes gone

Santa Rosa's Hilton Sonoma hotel and Kmart store were among 1,500 structures burned in North Bay fires

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Santa-Rosa-businesses-homes-burn-as-firefighters-12263764.php

[Brother Buzz]

42. Apocalyptic

[greytdemocrat]

44. Holy crap. The poor people.

[marlakay]

43. My daughter lost everything

Her rental house burnt to the ground. No renters insurance either. She is devastated.

I feel so bad for her, I was already going to visit her this weekend and now will take her shopping, all her work clothes gone, its so beyond.

I had my younger daughter set up gofundme for her.

Her house was in Santa Rosa near the fountain grove area, two hotels there burnt also and many homes.

[CountAllVotes]

58. Very sorry for your daughter & you

Sad times indeed! Its a good thing your daughter still has her Mom around to help!

I hope things get better for both of you very fast!

[yuiyoshida]

45. I did smell it last night and this very early morning...

There were no local fires and my neighbor was not using his grill last night or this morning.

[snooper2]

49. If your neighbor grills and it smells like wildfire/homes burning- I wouldn't eat his food

just saying..

[Baclava]

47. Fire is the worst, everything completely gone

[ghostsinthemachine]

48. Things are not better and look to get worse

Winds shift today. A whole new round of evacuations over night. I know people in Napa, and two friends lost everything in Nevada County fires yesterday. That area is better, but Napa, Sonoma and environs still rages out of control.
I was in SF, at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, over the weekend. I went to see Lukas Nelson late night Sunday, and walked out of the venue and was "wow, huge fire". We stayed the night and Monday morning it was choking in the city. I can't imagine leaving the beautiful of the festival to an inferno, as I am sure my friends and a lot of festival attendees did. We drove down 80, saw the smoke and we could see how huge this was. I could smell that it wasn't just grass or forest, but plastic, building materials burning.
I live in the foothills, by Coloma, and the smoke is heavy. The weather people don't have us rated unhealthy, but the rest of the valley is bright red. There's Going to be a lot of respritory​ ailments there, which is the world's leader in that type of thing.

Things may just get a lot worse this afternoon when the wind shifts.

[ghostsinthemachine]

50. Napa update

From the sheriffs press conference just now. 3500 homes and businesses gone.

[CountAllVotes]

51. Old growth redwoods are ok

In the far north of Calif. -- no fires luckily!

Stay safe neighbors in the south!

[ghostsinthemachine]

54. Well not really

The largest of the fires, the Redwood Valley fire, is probably in the redwoods in Sonoma county. It is raining in the far north today. So they might escape, but the outdoor season is still in the ground and rain is never good. And, with Sonoma and Napa crops being ruined, the Humboldt, Mendocino crop is more valuable.

[CountAllVotes]

57. Up north they are AOK

There is one fire up this way inland towards Orleans.

The giant redwoods in Humboldt county are in preserves and the only thing that will take them down is a saw.

[cilla4progress]

52. Have lived through this in eastern Washington state,

even losing my home in 1994. Happening with more frequency now.

I feel you, and know how terrifying and life-changing this is. I have come back from my loss, and I know you there will, too, though it takes time...

[CountAllVotes]

53. Two in-laws in the immediate area

Have not heard a word from either of them and one of them is/was living in Santa Rosa not far from 101 south. She's old & demented and likely doesn't know wtf is going on is my guess. Lives w/one of her kids I ....

[ghostsinthemachine]

55. Calistoga under evacuation

No link but that's what's happening

[ghostsinthemachine]

56. Seven points on the inferno in Northern California

Seven points on the inferno in Northern California right now:
1. This is the worst we've seen. As I write, the confirmed death count is 24. Hundreds more are reported missing. And the official death toll will only count people who died in the blaze -- not the sick, elderly, and otherwise compromised pushed over the edge by the toxic, sooty air we've been breathing for days.
2. These are not wildfires per se. They are burning through vineyards, private lands, and suburban subdivisions. And the likely ignition source is not natural (see next point).
3. The most plausible explanation of how so many fires started at once comes from a Mercury News investigation by Paul Rogers: Sonoma County dispatchers sent fire crews to at least 10 different locations on Sunday night responding to calls of sparking wires and other electrical problems [shortly after the report came out, Pacific Gas and Electric no-showed on an interview they'd scheduled with us at KPFA].
4. The initial electrical damage happened during a night-time windstorm with gusts up to 79 miles per hour. Those are hurricane-force winds . . . hot, dry, hurricane-force winds driving fire instead of rain -- and driving it toward heavily-populated areas.
5. Such wind patterns aren't unheard of here. What has become more common in recent years, however, are warm nights that leave brush warm and dry, instead of cool and dew-moistened. Check Leah Rachel Swan 's reporting at SFgate for more.
6. Also connected to climate weirding: California had record-breaking rains this winter, followed by record-breaking heat this summer. The rains helped grow more brush--"fuel" in the parlance of fire officials. The heat dried it into tinder. (And the preceding five years of extreme drought also left California's forests full of dead and drying trees.)
7. All but lost in the disaster coverage (and the NFL taunting, and the nuclear drama): this is also the week that Scott Pruitt, President Trump's pick to head the EPA, announced a rollback of the most significant Obama-era rules intended to curb climate change, the Clean Power Plan. It wasn't adequate, but it was something -- and now it's gone. Brian Edwards-Tiekert