Be safe, NoCaliDopers… I mean, really, I’ll take the rains and winds over the fire any time.
Meanwhile were I head of FEMA by now I’d be starting to worry there is some sort of divine smiting going on, and wondering what sacrifice would placate the various deities…
Santa Rosan here. I lost power for more than a day, but it doen’t look like I’ll have to evacuate. Air quality’s not that good though, I’m definitely keeping the windows closed and wearing a breath mask outside.
My brother is closer to the fires; first he knew about it was when he woke up and the sky was all red. While it doesn’t * look* like he’ll have to evacuate, his main workplace, a school burned to the ground.
In Sonoma at this moment, the air quality is crappy. We’ve trapped Ms. Kitty in the house and are at the office. Potential evacs just to the north of us and the concern is wind picking up/shifting later in the day. Tons of fuel load between us and the fire. Ready to bug out, but hopeful. Fair amount of local traffic, but lots of business closed. I see quite a few people using masks even when driving.
It’s weird not knowing what’s happening, all we can do is stay ready and hope for the best.
Nothing has changed for me here in Napa. The nearest fire seems to be heading away from us, but it’s still scary at night when you can actually see the flames and the glow. We remain ready to leave if we must, but I still doubt we will have to unless the wind really gets rolling like Sunday night.
I have personal good news, though. My sister’s house in the hills to the east is fine. The firefighters kept the fires away from the four or five houses on her drive. My parents were over for dinner last night when she called. She was in tears with relief.
Her son’s house in Santa Rosa was spared, too. The neighborhood next to him was completely decimated, but his got spared.
Power has been restored to almost all of the city of Napa as well as Yountville. We also have cell service today. It’s a bit wimpy, but working.
The Atlas fire (the one near me) has six tanker planes working on it; the most for any fire in the state right now. I understand that every available fire fighting aircraft in the country is in California right now.
Air quality sucks. I’ve developed a bit of a cough, but I’ll be fine. They evacuated 80 residents of the Veteran’s Home in Yountville with respiratory problems out of the county.
I have a gig in Sacramento tonight. I have mixed feelings about being so far from home, but as a musician, I need to earn when I can. My wife’s work isn’t open, so she’s not earning, as well as my day gig teaching. Actually, it will be theraputic to go play some music, if I can clear my mind enough.
Sorry my posts are so long. It’s a bit cathartic getting all this out.
Glad to hear some good news.
And your posts are definitely not too long! Pretty damn pithy, I think.
Jumpbass, hey man, keep posting. Your reports are helping us too. I hope playing at your gig gives you some much needed emotional relief. Staying at the “peak danger” mode can really take a toll on your health.
I’m not saying one disaster is easier than another, but if someone made me choose between a wildfire and a hurricane, I’d take the hurricane. Fires freak me out, they move so fast and can change course in minutes. Very, very deadly. Prayers for the people missing, may they all be safely accounted for soon. What a nightmare.
Thirding support for continued updates from Jumpbass.
Meanwhile, WaPo is reporting there are at least 21 fatalities, now.
Thanks for the update, Jumpbass! If I wasn’t working the closing shift tonight, I’d try to catch your gig. Where are you playing?
That’s not a long post. In fact, just about perfect. Keep us posted and stay safe. I hope you gig works out well tonight, and that it also helps you get your mind off things!!
Some kid posted a video of his wandering through the ruins of Cardinal Newman High School and saying, “At least the football field isn’t damaged.” Dumbass.
I’m east of Sacramento, about a hundred miles from the Santa Rosa and Napa fires and about the same distance from the Oroville fire and about seventy miles from two other fires between here and Oroville, and the sky is yellow from smoke.
Fourthing. Real news is hard to come by, I really appreciate what you can share. I grew up in Vallejo; the burned areas weren’t my home, but are certainly places I knew well and cared about.
I graduated from Cardinal Newman. The attitude (and the depth of thought behind it) are pretty familiar. I think I was the only male student enrolled who wasn’t on at least one sports team.
Still sad to see the destruction: the library was crap, but I spent a lot of time there.
Thanks everyone for the support. It means a lot to me. There isn’t always a lot of news.
Just waiting.
I’m playing at the Straw Hat Pizza in Rancho Cordova from 6:30-8:30. Dixieland jazz with a really amazing group of players. I’ll be the guy in back with the bass and tuba smelling vaguely like smoke.
Mrs. Gap and I just left the office with her files and computers. Fires are about 3 miles from the office as the crow flies. People in the northern area of Aqua Caliente (just north of Sonoma proper) are leaving. Smoke is heavy and ash is floating down. Everyone’s keeping each other updated, the UPS guy knows more than almost everyone 'cause he’s tried to deliver there.
Be safe.
There’s talk of evacuating parts of Fairfield.
Saw satellite photos on the news this morning. These fires can be seen from space.
We had fires come nearby when I lived in Simi Valley, not the worst year, and it was mainly brush, not a lot of trees in that area. This situation looks far, far worse, the smoke alone threatening people’s health. Hope this will be over soon.
Last I heard the suggestion is to leave if you’ve been advised to be ready (prep a go bag with meds and docs, locate your animals). There are concerns that the fires are unpredictable and roads will get jammed. Leave if you can is the word.
I live in Fremont, 85 miles south of Santa Rosa, and the smoke is so heavy that I can’t see the hills that surround us. No one in the Bay Area can see the sun today.
The last report I heard was 21 fatalities and 3500 homes and businesses destroyed. But most of the fatalities have been found near the smaller fires. And containment is in the single digits at best.
It’s really bad where I live today, too, but I feel bad complaining about it since we’re more or less unscathed. We had something similar last year with the Soberanes fire down near Big Sur. They are still recovering from that fire with the Pfeifer Bridge set to open just this week.
They’re evacuating the entire town of Calistoga.:eek: