Massive fires in Napa and Sonoma Counties

[gillep]

We don't live that close to the fires, but of course the entire Bay Area is dealing with the choking smoke. I found out that my kid's school district is stopping all instruction on Thursday although offices will be open and teachers will be reporting to school. I guess the idea is because arriving/leaving school means more exposure to the smoke. This is really nasty right now.

I live about as far South in SJ as you can get without being in Morgan Hill, and couldn't tell any difference in the air quality on Monday when you first posted, but today is horrible. I have no idea how those who are in Sonoma/Napa counties, who are not only are dealing with the direct effects of the fire, but also these horrible air conditions are handling this. My thoughts to those who are dealing with fires all across CA and the West.

 

[Rockette]

From a family member's FB post, they live in Santa Rosa...

They got out OK, but the difference is unreal. It looks like a war zone.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We just got notice to be on alert for possible evacuation later tonight. All schools closed for the rest of the week. The winds have picked up a lot, under a red flag warning and things are starting to pick up speed again.

I believe it’s up to 170,000 acres combined

Just to give an idea on the man power on this

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

It’s truly unreal

 

[Rockette]

We just got notice to be on alert for possible evacuation later tonight. All schools closed for the rest of the week. The winds have picked up a lot, under a red flag warning and things are starting to pick up speed again.

I believe it’s up to 170,000 acres combined

Just to give an idea on the man power on this



View attachment 276398

Be safe!

 

[Planogirl]

I've wondered about preparing for such an evacuation. I suppose that it's wise to pack up the car(s) ahead of time just in case but how do you decide what to take? This is so awful.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I've wondered about preparing for such an evacuation. I suppose that it's wise to pack up the car(s) ahead of time just in case but how do you decide what to take? This is so awful.

It’s hard, especially with 4 kids. We have clothes for 3 days, toiletries, kids’ school bags. All our framed photos, important art work, baby books, photo albums. There is a lot more I’d like to take but I have to be practical too.

We’ve videotaped the inside of our house for insurance. And now we sit and wait and pray that we’ll be unpacking in a day or so.

 

[lisaviolet]

Horrifying. When you have to flee in the face of a fire and possibly lose everything in such a terrifying and violent way, there are no words.

It is horrific to see. To those affected, I am so very sorry.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

It’s hard, especially with 4 kids. We have clothes for 3 days, toiletries, kids’ school bags. All our framed photos, important art work, baby books, photo albums. There is a lot more I’d like to take but I have to be practical too.

We’ve videotaped the inside of our house for insurance. And now we sit and wait and pray that we’ll be unpacking in a day or so.

Take pictures of any important documents - insurance cards, car titles, etc and email them to yourself. Even favorite recipe cards written by your grandmother etc.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Take pictures of any important documents - insurance cards, car titles, etc and email them to yourself. Even favorite recipe cards written by your grandmother etc.

Most of those I have either in my purse or in our safe deposit box. But I hadn’t thought of the recipe cards. Thank you!!!

 

[gillep]

We just got notice to be on alert for possible evacuation later tonight. All schools closed for the rest of the week. The winds have picked up a lot, under a red flag warning and things are starting to pick up speed again.

I believe it’s up to 170,000 acres combined

Stay safe

 

[jevs]

I've wondered about preparing for such an evacuation. I suppose that it's wise to pack up the car(s) ahead of time just in case but how do you decide what to take? This is so awful.

I live in a high bushfire area and have a bushfire ready box with important documents, hard drives with photos etc in it. Unfortunately, unless you get advance warning and leave early everything material gets left behind. Some members of my family had 9 minutes advance warning with Black Saturday.

Stay safe everyone x I hate fire season.

Eta. I also keep pure wool blankets in my car over summer.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I've wondered about preparing for such an evacuation. I suppose that it's wise to pack up the car(s) ahead of time just in case but how do you decide what to take? This is so awful.

When the Bastrop, TX fires hit a few years back, one of my mom's friends got an emergency evacuation notice - as in, drop everything and run NOW. In her haste, she left her phone and purse, but grabbed a single banana. Their home was spared, so it makes for a funny story after the fact. But, I can see how hard it would be to keep calm & logical at such a time.

 

[bcla]

Well - it burned down the Santa Rosa home of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/...s-widow-flees-santa-rosa-fire-home-destroyed/

Apparently some of the artifacts from Peanuts were in the house, but most of it was housed at the Charles Schulz Museum in the downtown area that's not touched by the fire. He apparently preferred to work out of his office's studio, but did work on stuff at his home.

 

[JenniBarra]

Depending on which way the wind is blowing, our air has been smokey (Sacramento region.) I particularly feel for the Santa Rosa area - we know so many people who have been impacted, and you just wouldn't expect a wildfire to destroy a very suburban area like that. I also have concerns about how well (or not) the rest of the state will be able to support and absorb the impact. Prior to this, there were already issues with many feeling there's not enough housing available. Some have lost not only their homes, but maybe their jobs as well due to workplaces burning down, too. So sad...

 

[bcla]

Depending on which way the wind is blowing, our air has been smokey (Sacramento region.) I particularly feel for the Santa Rosa area - we know so many people who have been impacted, and you just wouldn't expect a wildfire to destroy a very suburban area like that. I also have concerns about how well (or not) the rest of the state will be able to support and absorb the impact. Prior to this, there were already issues with many feeling there's not enough housing available. Some have lost not only their homes, but maybe their jobs as well due to workplaces burning down, too. So sad...

Today the air quality is far better in the Bay Area except for a localized area arpound Napa/Sonoma where the fires are actively burning. I can't really tell because air visibility is almost ideal and the smell of smoke is gone. The red area is considered unhealthy. It's gotten slightly worse than last night, but these things fluctuate all the time depending on the extent of the fires and the wind. Bad air seems to get trapped in valleys.

I found yesterday's map as an animated GIF, and it's pretty easy to tell that the air quality was getting better before it got worse again.

The Cal-Washington State football game went on in Berkeley on Friday even though the air quality was considered unhealthy at game time. The NCAA recommends that games be cancelled when it's at the hazardous (>200) level. The concern seemed to be that there was no way to reschedule since they didn't have coincidental bye weeks where it could be rescheduled.

It's pretty interesting checking out the EPA website.

https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city

 

[bcla]

Now they're dealing with price gouging.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/7523407-181/pd-editorial-a-new-peril