CA Wine Country Burning...
Community
Parts of Santa Rosa, gone...
Fire-friendly weather conditions converged prior to the outbreak of wildfires in Sonoma and Napa counties, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist.
One, called offshore flow, is similar to the Santa Ana winds – strong, extremely dry down-slope winds that occur mainly in the fall and originate inland in desert regions, said Matt Mehle.
“We also had really gusty winds and really warm temperatures,” Mehle said. “This time of year it does happen quite a bit. For the San Francisco Bay Area, our summer is late September to early October, that’s when we have our warmest and driest conditions.”
I'll take hurricanes over fire any day. Two dead and more expected. They said the wind hit 70 MPH. With all that dry grass that is really dangerous.
Last I herd, 1500 homes are gone and they have confirmed 10 deaths. There will be more as the fires cool and searches ensue.
Last I herd, 1500 homes are gone and they have confirmed 10 deaths. There will be more as the fires cool and searches ensue.
I'm right in the middle of it. Fire came within half mile of my place. North end of town is a moonscape. Still no electricity here, have water and gas for hot water. 11 confirmed deaths with 200 reported missing. We had 75mph winds when it blew up Sunday nite. Fire is at ZERO% containment.
30 year veteran CalFire captain said hands down it is the worst fire he has ever seen
View from my place Sunday nite
My boss has a house right in the middle of it, blocks of houses around his have burned to the ground, but his escaped... For Now.
Prayers for all! Be safe and God Bless!
I spent about 10 years there during and after the Coast Guard. Lots of friends still there. At least one has lost everything, they barely escaped in the middle of the night, in their jammies, wife could not even get purse.
My Brother in Law is in the center of the "evacuation zone" map. Says they haven't evacuated him yet, but he's packed up and ready. I cannot believe the pictures I've seen of the devastation! Praying for God's intervention!
Best Wishes, Jeff
I flew into LAX last night after dark. Could very easily see the fires that are down in Orange county. I've never seen fires from the air like that at night. Scary looking for sure.
Might be getting an order to bug out soon. Situation is still very dangerous.
Winds are suppose to pick up again tonight...Careful over there!
This is just awful. Prayers to all the people out there.
All the air assets going right over my roof, looks and sounds like a scene from Apocalypse Now. I'm safe for the time being.
Sending good thoughts Rick. Hoping you and everyone else can dodge the rest of it.
Home still standing, situation is still very dangerous. Almost no containment.
560 souls missing, 3000 structures burned. They expect that number to go up before it's over.
My friend's parents lost their home also. They were in Oakmont, a seniors community, they just moved in a few months ago from Gilroy.
I'm adjacent to Oakmont, right up against Annadell State Park.
I have a friend there also on Bader Rd.
The Napa and Sonoma Valleys are some of the most beautiful places in CA, which is full of beautiful places.
Here's wishing anyone who may be threatened by these fires the best of luck and my prayers.
The smoke from the fires hit Reno this afternoon but seems to be dissipating slightly, mostly because the wind direction has changed a bit.
Fire has taken off south away from me, safe for the time being.
PECO, Bader Rd is about 500 yards from me.
PECO, your friend's place is safe. Bader road is intact. How our area DIDN'T burn is beyond me. It was way too close for comfort.
I just learned that two of my associates in our Regional Planning Office have lost their homes.
About 20 people that I know personally have lost everything, and two of my friends are among the missing. Why my place is still here, God only knows. It was WAY too close for comfort. It still isn't over yet, red flag conditions in effect through the weekend, and if it blows up again we could be right back to square one.
Rick, are land lines and cell towers out? I can not reach my friend. I have contact with her niece on fb that she is OK.
Pete, yeah there are still connectivity issues depending on provider. Lots of people are still offline. I'm up and running both cell and internet, but many aren't yet.
Green circle shows where I live, blue circle shows Bader Rd., and I drew in a red line following the ridge where it actually burned to. Too damn close.
That fire to our south, BTW, is 44,000 acres, and only 5% contained at this time.
Mother nature has not been kind this year. Thoughts and prayers to all effected. Grew up in CA and lots of amazing people.
We had some bad days here in OR this year.
Here's to rain and a quick end to it all.
Hope u guys are ok. It SUCKS... Mad Dog
Just evacuated. Fire 300 yards house. It blew up without warning, no alert notice, just firefighters yelling GTFO NOW!
Oh no, that sucks, hoping the best for you! I was expecting this update from you as my friend on Bader had to evac this morning.
Rick,
Damn, dude, reading this thread makes my palms sweat. I've been there done that, never want to again.
Please keep us updated when you can. In the meantime, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Matt
They allowed me to walk back in to my place around 430 pm and secure a couple things. Still standing, and they had every firefighting asset in the area on it. Relatively secure for now but evac orders still in effect
While not a fire situation like you, Rick, we had our house burn down in 2011. We didn't have to evacuate, but stood there in the coldest night of the year and watched our house burn. Luckily, everyone and pets survived.
Not something that one should have to go through. Many prayers your way that your home remains untouched. On a positive note, you have had the chance to get family to safety.
Godspeed.
jack
Prayers sent bro. Keep the faith!
View from Santa Rosa looking east towards my place.
36 fixed wing tankers, 73 helicopters, 600 trucks and 9700 firefighters.
5700 homes destroyed, 100,000 people displaced.
If you have gutters plot the downspouts and fill them with water. Sparks land on roofs and roll into gutters. This time of year there's debris that will burn and start a fire in the underlayment (plywood and tarpaper) of your roof.
This really hits home, I have family who used to live in work in St Helena years ago, spent a lot of time there.
Good news this morning. Containment is improving, Tubbs fire 65%, Nuns fire, the one that threatens my place, 25% contained. Winds are down, temps are down and humidity is up.
Iktomi, may your home suffer no harm. And may the onshore flow commence immediately in your favor....in Jesus' Name. PTL!
This can happen in just about any city. Every city has thousands of trees lining streets. All it takes is a strong wind and one small fire. After the Oakland fire I went out on my property and dropped a half dozen tall oaks that had grown up higher than my house and close to my deck. They were 40'+. I keep the brush cut down under trees but in a 40+ mph wind it doesn't matter.
Three years ago on May 24 a huge oak tree blew down on my house. I just got my wife away from her computer about ten seconds before the tree came though the roof and crushed her computer and chair she was sitting in. $80,000 worth of damage to my house. I have since cut down a huge hickory and red oak that were close to the house. Both over 100 feet tall. My wife doesn't like the new Apple computer nearly as well as the old one. The old one had a 17" screen and they don't make that model any more. The new one had a 15" screen. Great computer but not as good as the old one. She carries it all over the place.
Containment numbers are up this morning, except for the Oakmont fire, the one that chased me out. I *might* be able to return home today.
This is Cal Fires big gun. The first time they used this a few years ago they ended up clipping tree tops. Had to rethink their attack plans. These pilots are a little screwy to do this. Bad things happen flying over big fires at low level.
Dave, there's an even larger one, the 747. It flew right over my roof the other day.
Doesn't look like I'll be getting home today
It reminds me of the aftermath of an atomic blast where the fires gone through.
I drove past the north end of town yesterday. Unbelievable.
Saw a drone video on the weather channel. one side of the street completely gone and the other side still had houses standing as if nothing had happened. Cannot believe the devastation.
California...the new "Sanctuary State"...seems ICE has become interested in a suspect being held for Arson (see link)
elkmtngear, the suspect arrested is not a suspect in the fires that destroyed Santa Rosa. They don't suspect arson was the cause, most likely cause was the severe wind event that knocked over trees and pulled down power lines in remote, dry timberland.
I'm home. That was a close call. It's still actively burning to the north away from me up on the mountain heading away, but they let me back in. They are starting to get a good rope around the fires, and should have full containment on all of them by the weekend, if the weather cooperates. A couple of days ago I had my first live look at the devastation on the north end of town. Unreal. It reminds me of images I've seen of Hiroshima after the A-bomb. We've taken one hell of a beating. I'm one of the lucky ones. I have my life and a home to return to. So many others do not. 5700 homes and at least 1500 commercial buildings.
Well Rick they say sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. I'm glad you got the bear this time. Good news.
Glad to hear everything is ok, Rick. Can't imagine going thru that. Prayers from southeast PA.
Yes, great news. Congratulations, Rick! Forest fires are absolutely horrible. And dealing with all of the ash fall and soot odor for the months to follow ain't easy either. Glad you're home...
Thanks men. I'm very grateful right now, and thanking the Creator for seeing me through.
From Spike's link:
Emphasis mine.
"Sargent Spencer Crum told Breitbart that Mr. Gonzalez is also on a U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) detainer request, despite Sonoma County declaring itself as a “sanctuary county” in May 2014. The county only cooperates with “ICE holds” if the prisoner has been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanor offence that falls within the Trust Act within the last five years. Mr. Gonzalez’s immigration status has not yet been announced."
Posted that Story Yesterday, boys (scroll up).
Rick has already indicated that the individual in question was not responsible for the Fires in Santa Rosa Proper.
No Spike, the man arrested is not responsible for these fires. Full stop. I'll take the word of Rob Giordano, Sheriff of Sonoma County before I'll listen to the word of some political hack site.
From the horse's mouth.
"Sonoma sheriff shoots down right-wing reports linking arson suspect to wine country fires"
Rick,
I heard a blurb on the news up here that some officials believe Mexican cartels started the fires to destroy California pot crops. I find that hard to believe, from what I remember Humboldt county was pot central.
Craig, yeah, there's so much crap floating around that chest waders aren't enough. The night the fires broke out, remote homes and ranches up in the hills reported power flickering on and off before finally blacking out for good about 15 minutes before the fires were reported. We had, literally, hurricane force winds that night with VERY low relative humidity and a big fuel load from the wet winter and spring we just had. This is fire country, it's a natural part of the landscape. The problem is all the people who have moved into it.
Rick,
I'm relieved that you're safely home, and thank God for answering our prayers.
The pics I've seen of your 'hood are simply unbelievable. It's just another reminder that we humans are insignificant inhabitants here on earth living at the mercy of Mother Nature and its creator.
Matt
They'd have to burn down the whole state to reduce the Marijuana market. There's a huge problem here with grows in National Forests that they believe are related to drug cartels.
Rick that is great news that your house was spared. The anxiety must have been pretty extreme.
