Authorities in Mariposa County have issued evacuation orders for several roads and a stay-at-home order for a hospital after a wildfire broke out early Thursday evening.

French fire in Mariposa County

PG&E wildfire camera

The Mariposa County Sheriff first posted about the so-called French Fire on social media at around 6:30 p.m. Residents of the following streets were asked to evacuate starting at 8:15 p.m.

• Hospital Rd. – From Silver Creek to the end (up the mountain)
• Grosjean Rd.
• 11th St.
• Avoca Vale
• Old Highway North from 140 to Wild Peach, including Wild Peach on both sides of the roadway
• Slaughterhouse Street.
• : Williams Street.
• 9. Branch in Campbell Rd.
• Pine Street.
• Dexter View

Officials are in the areas sending door-to-door notices. People at John C. Fremont Hospital, located at 5189 Hospital Road in the town of Mariposa, have been ordered to shelter in place due to the fire. An evacuation map showing affected areas is available online.

“If you live in the area and do not feel safe, please leave and do not wait to be told to evacuate,” the recent post said.

As of 8:45 p.m., Cal Fire's Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit confirmed the French Fire was 400 acres and 0% contained. There is no word yet on the response from Cal Fire and local fire departments.

In addition, Highway 140 is closed between Smith Rd. and West Whitlock. There are numerous other road closures.

Authorities have set up a temporary evacuation point at the New Life Christian Church at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa.

Residents are advised to stay away from the fire area. Several road closures in the fire area and surrounding areas.

Evacuation warnings have been issued for the following streets:

• Hospital Rd. – From Silver Creek to the end (up the mountain)
• Grosjean Rd.
• 11th St.
• Avoca Vale
• Old Highway North from Highway 140 to Wild Peach, including Wild Peach on both sides of the roadway
• Slaughterhouse Street.
• : Williams Street.
• 9. Branch in Campbell Rd.
• Pine Street.
• Dexter View

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The post Quick-moving French Hearth in Mariposa County triggers necessary evacuations appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

CARMEL (CBS SF) — Winds topping 65 mph roared through Northern California early Saturday fueling a wildfire racing through the hills in the Palo Colorado Canyon near Big Sur, forcing evacuations and a blaze near Geysers Peak in Sonoma County.

Cal Fire said as of Saturday evening, the fire had burned 1,050 acres, down from the original estimate due to better mapping. They said containment had grown to 20%.

UPDATE: Air Attack, Calming Winds Aid Firefighters Battling Wildfire Near Big Sur; Containment Grows To 25 Percent

“The fire lined up with the wind and the terrain and that gave the fire a lot of energy to make a big run,” said Cecile Juliette, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The National Weather Service issued high wind warnings and advisories throughout Northern California. A warning for the North Bay mountains was extended to 4 pm Saturday. Winds topping 70 mph howled over Mount Diablo and a gust in the Healdsburg Hills was clocked at 96 mph and 94 mph at the nearby Pine Flat Road weather station.

It was unclear what caused the fire.

Fire officials said it’s uncommon to have a fire of this size burning in the winter. They said this is another reminder California’s fire season is year-round.

“The winds absolutely played a huge part in what happened last night. We had wind gusts of up to 50 miles an hour,” said Juliette. “Everything is just so dry that it just really allowed this fire to spread very rapidly in the middle of winter.”

The National Weather Service said while Monterey County had a good amount of rain from late October to December, there was no measurable rain in January. They added the area burning had little or no fire history.

“The timing is quite unique because in January, we generally don’t have a lot of fires,” said Dr. Craig Clements, Director of the Wildfire Research Center at San Jose State.

“Given the fact that we haven’t had rain at all in January and we had a big off-shore wind event, these are the conditions that lead to wildfires typically in the Fall, not in January. So it’s just something that’s quite surprising,” said Dr. Clements.

Even thought there was a lot of rain late last year, Dr. Clements said several years of extreme drought mean there’s still a lot of dry fuel out there.

“If we pick up our precipitation, our snowpack in the Sierra in February and March, then we might get back to normal,” said Dr. Clements.

“It no longer makes sense to refer to fire season as something that just happens three months out of the year. It’s a year-round thing in California now and we anticipate that it could get worse,” said Juliette.

Cal Fire said because of the constant threat, people who live in fire-prone areas should stay vigilant and be ready to evacuate at all times.

The blustery conditions quickly spread the two wildfires. Cal Fire officials reported that crews were responding to a wildfire in the Palo Colorado Canyon north of Big Sur at around 7:30 pm Friday.

The flames spread on the hillsides still tinder-dry from months of drought conditions. Rains in late December had eased through conditions but January has been extremely dry again.

“Fire has remained stubbornly active overnight,” National Weather Service forecasters said. “Pictures on social media suggest some pretty surreal fire behavior given the wet Oct and Dec that was observed across the region with multiple atmospheric river events. Looking at historical fire data it appears the fire is burning south of Palo Colorado and towards Bixby Creek along Long Ridge in an area with little or no fire history.”

“Anecdotally, it seems as though the long-term drought is acting like a chronic illness where even recent rains and cold winter weather isn’t helping to keep fires from developing.”

Wildfires this time of year have been a rarity.

“It’s unusual to have fire this size here on the coast at the end of January,” Juliette said. “The fact that we had a fire this size is of great concern.”

By 11 pm mandatory evacuation orders had been issued with an American Red Cross shelter being set up at Carmel Middle School. Residents quickly fled on roadways covered by clouds of blowing embers. The flames jumped Highway 1, burned below the famed Bixby Bridge and were visible from as far away as the famed Pebble Beach golf links.

The concrete bridge spans the deep and wild canyon along the highway and has been the backdrop of many car commercials, movies and TV shows, most recently the HBO drama “Big Little Lies.”

Authorities made contact with about 500 residents, urging them to evacuate the sparsely populated area between Carmel and Big Sur. More than 250 firefighters from multiple agencies and volunteer groups, aided by water-dropping aircraft, contained about 20% of the blaze by Saturday evening.

“The winds have died down and that has worked in our favor,” Juliette said Saturday evening.

The California Highway Patrol closed Highway 1 at Rio Road just outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea due to the fire. From south of the fire, Highway 1 was closed at Andrew Molera State Park, just north of Big Sur.

The area affected by the evacuations was for residents living along Palo Colorado Road from Highway 1 east to the Rocky Creek Bridge and Bixby Creek Road. It was not immediately known how many homes were being threatened in the rural area.

Lake Evacuation Zone Map

“Looking back at last evening the fire appeared to start during the peak offshore winds and very low humidity,” the weather service said. “The strongest offshore winds have now ended in the vicinity of the Colorado Fire. As of 3 am, the current weather is showing relative humidity values ​​42-52% with southerly winds around 5 mph. These light south winds will represent a potential change that residents and firefighters should monitor today.”

Video showed a wall of flames roaring across the picturesque hillsides while Cal Fire deployed assets from as far away as the Bay Area. Cal Fire’s CZU unit in San Mateo County sent 4 fire engines to help battle the blaze.

Meanwhile, a second wind-swept fire erupted in the hills near Geysers Peak Road after midnight. It grew to about 5 acres before responding crews were able to get a handle on the blaze.

Winds were whipping through the region at the time of the fire. A gust in the Healdsburg Hills was clocked at 96 mph and 94 mph at the nearby Pine Flat Road weather station.

The #GeyserFire above Alexander Valley burns on Geyser Peak, Saturday, pushed by 70-80mph offshore winds. Fire is out, unknown acreage. The area has received over a dozen inches of rain this winter and was under a coating of snow just a month ago. @NorthBayNews @NWSBayArea #CAwx pic.twitter.com/zCfGXDIAHw

— Kent Porter (@kentphotos) January 22, 2022

#GeysersFire (Geysers Peak, Sonoma Co) – IC reporting 3-5 acres moving downhill away from the repeater site towards the south, significant winds, slow-moderate rate of spread. No evacuations needed & no obvious signs of power lines down. pic.twitter.com/HvpMMCUtiJ

— CA Fire Scanner (@CAFireScanner) January 22, 2022

© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The post Wind-Whipped Wildfire Close to Massive Sur Forces Evacuations; ‘Some Fairly Surreal Fireplace Conduct’ – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SANTA ROSA (CBS SF / BCN) – Residents of 95 homes and a four-unit apartment building in the Bennett Valley neighborhood of Santa Rosa were evacuated Sunday afternoon due to flooding, city officials said.

The fire department went door-to-door to alert homeowners in Neotomas Avenue and Tachevah Drive, Brookhaven Drive, Tuscan Drive, and the Washoe Court area, said Adriane Mertens, Santa Rosa Public Information Officer.

CONTINUE READING: Atmospheric Flow: More than 147,000 affected by widespread failures in the bay

The city received multiple reports of flooding, fallen trees and power lines early Sunday afternoon, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department.

“We have several dozen homes in the process of being evacuated, with rapid water rescue teams as well as our high-profile wildland fire engines pulling door to door to get people out of harm’s way as the water continues to rise in the neighborhood,” said Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal .

Officials asked residents in the area to remove their belongings from the ground floor and garage due to the rising water. All residents in low areas were encouraged to do the same.

During the evacuation, residents of two houses needed help and the city called services to help them. City buses were also dispatched to help the evacuees.

The city is working to lower the flood. Debris will be removed from the drainage areas and drains will be cleared so the water can flow properly, Mertens said.

CONTINUE READING: Video: San Rafael streets flooded Lashes Bay Area as wild, wet storm

At around 4:26 p.m., the fire brigade announced that the water level had dropped significantly, but the road closures and evacuations would continue until the precipitation rates subsided.

UPDATE: Promising news – water levels have dropped significantly in the flood-hit Bennett Valley area, but road closures and evacuations will remain in place until rainfall rates subside.

– Santa Rosa Fire Department (@SantaRosaFire) October 24, 2021

Northeast of Santa Rosa, a vehicle drove through a flooded Slusser Road north of River Road and south of Mark West Creek and was handicapped. The California Highway Patrol said the public works workers blocked the road at the time, but the driver drove around the workers and got stuck.

This is Slusser Road north of River Road. Sonoma County Transportation & Public Works was actively blocking the road at this point, but the driver was still spinning around and getting stuck. The driver got out of the car unharmed, but the vehicle has to wait until the water level drops before towing it. (Photo: BHKW)

The driver got out of the vehicle unharmed, but has to wait until the water level drops before towing it, said the CHP. Motorists are encouraged not to attempt to drive on flooded roads, regardless of whether they are closed or not.

You can find updates on the storm at srcity.org/october2021storm.

MORE NEWS: UPDATE: Atmospheric river crashes on land; Flood warning for Napa, Sonoma Counties

© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

The post Flooding In Santa Rosa Forces Evacuations in Bennett Valley Neighborhood – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – Hundreds of people evacuated from a neighborhood near downtown San Jose after a gas line break on Wednesday will not be able to return until Thursday evening at the earliest, the fire department said Thursday morning.

At a morning briefing, the San Jose Fire Department said two gas lines were affected, an 8-inch line and a 12-inch line, and PG&E crews were working to fix both.

Officials said Wednesday that an 8-inch steel gas line ruptured around 10 a.m. in the Race Street and Eugene Avenue area. Gas from the underground leak could not be drained and accumulated underground and posed a greater danger to the environment, said the fire department.

The leak immediately resulted in the evacuation of homes and businesses within a 900-foot radius, with San Jose police going door-to-door alerting residents and businesses. About 325 addresses were affected, SJFD officials said. The gas was turned off for dozens of customers.

SJ Gas Leak Evacuation Card (SJFD)

PG&E found that an outside contractor hit the 8-inch gas pipeline with mechanical equipment in an area where utility lines for construction were properly marked, the fire department said, adding that contractors should dig within two feet of the marked Gas pipes.

NorCal and San Jose Parks Red Cross Office, Recreation & Neighborhood Services have been helping with evacuated residents. On Wednesday afternoon, accommodation was set up in the Bascom Community Center and is available to all residents who need accommodation.

Roads around the intersection of Race Street and Park Avenue will remain closed as the PG&E crews continue repair work, which is expected to continue into the evening.

The fire department said the area includes odd and even addresses from 153 to 245 Race Street and 212 Grand Avenue to 102 Park Avenue.

The post San Jose Gasoline Leak Repairs, Evacuations To Final Into Thursday Night – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

GRIZZLY FLATS, El Dorado County (CBS SF) – New evacuations were ordered in El Dorado County ahead of the Caldor Fire exploding in the Sierra Nevada on Tuesday, which has already destroyed dozens of homes and threatened hundreds more structures, firefighters said.

Portions of Pollock Pines, a community well known to Bay Area travelers traveling to the Lake Tahoe area along US Highway 50, were evacuated from wildfire Tuesday afternoon.

The fire burned at least 6,500 acres without containment after igniting in the Cosumnes River Canyon area of ​​the El Dorado National Forest. Access to the fire is extremely difficult due to the steep, rugged terrain, according to the US Forest Service.

A Cal Fire battalion chief said at least 50 homes had been burned down in the Grizzly Flats area as gusty winds drove embers into homes with defensive space.

Cal Fire also confirmed that two civilians were found who were seriously injured in the fire.

One of the fire victims reportedly turned to the fire department in the Grizzly Flats area on Tuesday morning. These firefighters initially provided initial medical care, but the fire victim was then taken to hospital by rescue aircraft for treatment of serious injuries.

TWO CIVIL INJURIES IN CALDOR FIRE REPORTED
On August 17, 2021, two civilians were injured in the fire in Caldor, which is currently burning in El Dorado county. Please note that this is a dynamic and rapidly evolving incident. pic.twitter.com/jUn7IBFNbq

– CAL FIRE AEU (@CALFIREAEU) August 17, 2021

The second person was also found in the Grizzly Flats area and was also transported by ambulance to a hospital for treatment. The authorities did not provide any further information about the fire victims, who were also seriously injured and required an airlift.

Raw Video: Aftermath of Caldor Fire in Grizzly Flats

The actual number of buildings destroyed and damaged was not known until 1:35 p.m. as the fire conditions were not yet certain to allow assessment teams to be consulted. Fire officials said the Caldor fire was a rapidly changing incident with dynamic fire behavior and posed a high risk to several inhabited communities.

The El Dorado County Sheriff has ordered the following evacuations:

Pollack pines

• East of Sly Park Road. South of Highway 50 to Ice House Road. North of the Mormon Emigrant Trail (including Jenkinson’s / Sly Park Lake).

Grizzly Flats / Somerset

• All streets off Grizzly Flat Rd., East of Mt. Aukum Rd. In Somerset (known as Four Corners) in Grizzly Flats Proper

Happy valley

• All roads off Happy Valley Road, east of Mt. Aukum Road. in Somerset to Sciaroni
• Leoni Wiesen
• Saw Town Creek
• Caldor area including North South Road
• Dogtown Creek south of Caldor Road
• Barney Ridge east of Omo Ranch Road
• From Omo Ranch Road to North South Road
• Caldor area including North South Road
• Pi’Pi Valley to Armstrong Hill

Evacuation warnings have been issued for the following areas:

• South of Highway 50 to Pleasant Valley Road. From Sly Park Road west to Snows Road and Newtown Road, including the Rancho Del Sol community.
• Towns of Omo Ranch Proper, Omo Ranch East, and Omo Ranch South.
• All streets off Grizzly Flat Rd., East of Mt. Aukum Rd. In Somerset (Four Corners) in Grizzly Flats right
• All roads off Happy Valley Road, east of Mt. Aukum Road. in Somerset to Sciaroni
• Leoni Wiesen
• Saw Town Creek
• Caldor area including North South Road
• Dogtown Creek south of Caldor Road
• Barney Ridge east of Omo Ranch Road
• From Omo Ranch Road to North South Road
• Caldor area including North South Road
• Pi’Pi Valley to Armstrong Hill

Cal Fire said Tuesday morning that at least 800 buildings are currently at risk, including apartment buildings and outbuildings. There are also threats to businesses, commercial forests, vineyards, and other agricultural land.

Firefighters have been working on establishing indirect control lines on the eastern flank of the fire, while, according to the forest service, an emergency line was planned north of the fire. Fire officials said crews were challenged by staff shortages and other fire incidents in the state.

#CaldorFire is raging out of control. #ElDoradoCounty @GoodDayTraffic @CameronCGlenn @CBSNews @CBSSacramento #wildfires #californiawildfires pic.twitter.com/jeZbNkm69l

– GD (@ CameraGuyDave1) August 17, 2021

A red flag warning was in effect in the region until 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The hot and dry weather over the fire was expected to continue earlier this week and the winds will continue to pick up as the week progresses.

A power outage map from Pacific Gas and Electric showed that more than 1,100 customers in the area were without power as of Tuesday afternoon.

CALDOR FIRE: Information on incidents, evacuations, maps

The wildfire began on Saturday night about six kilometers south of Grizzly Flats and about three kilometers east of Omo Ranch. The cause of the fire was still the subject of the investigation.

A local evacuate, Will Berndt, said the fire broke out in an area where a group camped along Dogtown Creek. Another witness told Berndt that two people with scorched clothing left the premises to alert others to a fire and to leave the area.

“It wasn’t a big fire, so I thought they might find someone to react to it,” said Berndt. “Nothing has happened.”

Berndt said around 9 a.m. Sunday morning he had returned to the area to take a look and the fire had spread across the Middle Fork Consumnes River towards Omo Ranch and ran along the canyon rim. At around 11:30 a.m., Berndt said firefighters were using air tankers to fight the fire.

Berndt said that in the decades he lived in the area, he never had to evacuate from wildfire.

“We talked about it, we’ve been up here for 43 years and we talked about it, so what if the mountain burns, what are we going to do?” Said Berndt. “It’s like, well, you just take what you can and get out of here. It’s one of those thoughts that you see on TV, you see that other communities have to deal with it, and you say, ‘Well, that sucks.’ But you never think we’re standing in the way of a smelly firestorm. “

ALSO READ: Dixie Fire Update: New Mandatory Evacuation Orders Issued in Lassen County

An evacuation center has opened at Fireman’s Hall at 3734 China Garden Road in Diamond Springs. People in need of small animal shelters can contact El Dorado County Animal Services at (530) 621-5795. Large animals were housed at the Amador County Fairgrounds, 18621 Sherwood St., Plymouth.

The post Caldor Hearth Forces Evacuations In Pollock Pines; 2 Grizzly Flats Residents Severely Injured – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Story highlights

NEW: Death toll rises to 17 in Northern California

About 2,000 structures in the state are destroyed, according to fire authorities

CNN
—  

New evacuations were ordered Tuesday evening as more than a dozen wildfires raged across Northern California, with the largest ones killing at least 17 people as they scorched the state’s famous wine country.

The largest of the deadly fires were burning in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties, with flames ripping through the lush, picturesque landscape.

Officials in the city of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County called for the evacuations of five more areas Tuesday evening. Already, 20,000 people had been ordered to leave the area and other parts of Northern California.

It is too early to tell whether any of the wildfires were started by humans, said Ken Pimlott, director of Cal Fire. “All these fires are under investigation,” he told reporters, adding that his department was focusing on rescues and firefighting. But he said the chance the fires were caused by lightning was “fairly minimal.”

Here’s what we know so far, according to California authorities.

• Ten people have died and the number is expected to grow.

• Two of those who died were in Napa County, county spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said. They were 100-year-old Charles Rippey and his wife, Sara, 98. They died when a fire engulfed their home near the Silverado Country Club north of Napa, Jourdan said.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
FRIDA/MEGA/Newscom

Aerial images showing parts of Sonoma and Napa County that have been hit by wildfires.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Randy Pench/The Sacramento Bee/AP

Colby Clark, left, comforts her mother, Bonnie Trexler, after law enforcement escorted them to Trexler’s home in Napa, California, to retrieve medicine and personal items on Wednesday, October 11. Trexler was one of the lucky few in her neighborhood whose home was spared. Deadly wildfires have been tearing through the state, destroying homes and businesses and prompting evacuation orders.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Highway Patrol officers go door to door to ask Sonoma residents to evacuate their homes as a wildfire approaches on October 11.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Homes are destroyed in the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa on October 11.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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Karl Mondon/San Jose Mercury News/AP

The sign of a Firestone store malfunctions in Santa Rosa on Tuesday, October 10.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Ben Margot/AP

Damaged winemaking vats and tanks stand in ashes and debris at the Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images

Smoke clouds the sun from wildfires burning in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley on October 10.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Jeff Chiu/AP

Mary Caughey, center in blue, reacts after finding her wedding ring in the remains of her home in Kenwood on October 10.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Puddles of melted metal trail away from a burned-out car near Napa on October 10.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Peter DaSilva/Polaris

A TV cameraman inches closer to a burning building at a winery in Napa Valley on Monday, October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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Will Lester/The Orange County Register/AP

A firefighting plane helps battle a blaze just north of Tustin on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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Kent Porter/The Press Democrat/AP

A historic barn burns in Santa Rosa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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Paul Kuroda/ZUMA Wire

The Santa Rosa Hilton Hotel burns to the ground on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP

Jim Stites watches as part of his neighborhood burns in Fountaingrove on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Ben Margot/AP

Fire burns from an open gas valve near the pool area of a Santa Rosa trailer park on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A man rushes to save his house as a wildfire moves through Glen Ellen on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Jeff Chiu/AP

Kristine Pond searches what’s left of her family’s home in Santa Rosa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Police cars block State Route 241 as smoke rises above Orange on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

A firefighter douses flames in Santa Rosa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
ROBYN BECK/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

A woman moves horses in Orange as strong Santa Ana winds blow smoke from the Canyon 2 fire toward them on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

A firefighter douses flames at a home in Anaheim on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Traffic backs up as people flee Orange on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Kent Porter/AP

Santa Rosa residents sift through the remains of a burned home on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The remains of fire-damaged homes and cars smolder at a Santa Rosa trailer park on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

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JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images

A tent structure built for the Safeway Open golf tournament burns in Napa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Fire consumes a barn in Glen Ellen on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

Smoke rises in the hills east of Napa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

A man passes a burning house in Napa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The remains of fire-damaged homes are seen in Glen Ellen on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Steve Page/AP

A wildfire burns behind the Sonoma Raceway on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Noah Berger/San Francisco Chronicle/Polaris

A building burns in Napa on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images

Flames overtake a building in the Napa wine region on October 9.

Photos: Wildfires blaze in California

PHOTO:
Jeff Chiu/AP

Two women hug as they watch houses burn in Santa Rosa on October 9.

• About 2,000 homes and businesses have been destroyed by the fires in Northern California, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Tuesday.

• More than 100 people were being treated at Napa- and Sonoma-area hospitals for fire-related injuries or health issues, including burns, smoke inhalation and shortness of breath.

• An estimated 1,500 structures have been destroyed and 57,000 acres burned in eight counties.

Before and after: Images of California devastation

• Most of the Northern California fires ignited Sunday night, driven by winds of more than 50 mph and dry conditions, Pimlott said Monday. The high winds led to “extreme rates of spread and volatile burning conditions,” according to Cal Fire.

Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park Neighboorhood

Google Maps, CHP – Golden Gate Division

• More than 180 people are missing, but authorities think communications issues are making it impossible for many of those people to check in with family.

Margaret Curzon said her parents lost almost everything in the wildfire that destroyed their home and the Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa, a city of about 175,000 roughly 50 miles northwest of San Francisco.

Her mom woke up early Monday morning and smelled smoke, but thought it was the neighbor’s barbecue or chimney, so she went back to sleep. They woke up again because their bichon frise, Brady, was whimpering.

Her father looked outside and his first thought was that there was some sort of bomb, or an attack.

“It looked like we were at war,” Curzon said. “The sky was orange and there were embers falling from the sky.”

Curzon said her parents had five or 10 minutes to grab their two dogs and anything else they could and escape.

She said it took about a half-hour to get out of their neighborhood because cars were bumper to bumper.

“He could feel the car getting hotter and hotter because the fire kept creeping up and getting closer to them,” she said.

The only thing that remained at her house was a concrete statue of the Virgin Mary, Curzon said after visiting the home site later Monday.

David McNew/Getty Images

Almost nothing is left of a home in Santa Rosa, California.

The devastation was significant in Santa Rosa. Fire leveled subdivisions and reduced cars and homes into burnt piles of ash and rubble.

Nearly 5,000 people were staying in Sonoma County shelters, county spokesman Scott Alonso said Tuesday.

A large part of Santa Rosa was evacuated, including Kaiser Permanente Hospital and Sutter Hospital. Authorities imposed a sundown-to-sunrise curfew for the northern and eastern parts of the city under evacuation orders.

Janice Abdalla/CNN iReport

Janice Abdalla captured this image of fires on a Monday flight into San Francisco International Airport.

“We are asking people to stay indoors” because of smoke, Alonso said.

There is no rain in the forecast this week, according to the National Weather Service. Winds in the next two days will come out of the north at around 10 to 20 mph with higher gusts of 35 to 40 mph possible, CNN Meteorologist Michael Guy said.

Family searches for woman after Santa Rosa fire

The biggest blaze was the Tubbs fire, at 27,000 acres, stretching from Santa Rosa to the Calistoga area in Napa County.

That fire has destroyed at least 571 structures, Cal Fire said Tuesday, making it one of the top 15 most destructive fires in recorded California history.

Napa County also had the Atlas fire at 25,000 acres and the Partrick fire at 1,000 acres.

In Sonoma County, firefighters battled the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, the Nuns fire at 5,000 acres and another fire that spread across 2,000 acres.

In Mendocino County, the Redwood Complex fire had burned at least 21,000 acres, as of Tuesday.

Large wildfires often are named for local geographic areas or features.

The Atlas fire destroyed several homes near the Silverado Country Club north of Napa, CNN affiliate KPIX reported, including the house where the Rippeys died.

Also in that area, fire burned the main building of the Signorello Estate Winery to the ground. Broken and charred wine bottles remained on seared metal shelves, video from KPIX showed.

Parts of northern California have been ravaged by intense wildfires that have now consumed ~100,000 acres of land: https://t.co/lIcpfpN9Yb pic.twitter.com/mHOAOqJRKa

— NASA (@NASA) October 10, 2017

The city of Napa, with about 80,000 residents, was not under evacuation. But parts of it were under a boil-water notice Tuesday, because fires destroyed a pump station near the Silverado resort and rendered a water treatment plant inoperable, the city said. Many in Napa also lost power and cell service, according to the Napa police.

Alison Crowe, the winemaker for Garnet Vineyards & Picket Fence Vineyards in Napa Valley, estimated two-thirds to three-fourths of the grape harvest already had taken place but said some grapes still haven’t been picked. The 2017 harvest will be remembered for this fire, she said.

The Signorello Estate winery

“Wine doesn’t matter; people matter,” she said Monday. “I know that’s people’s attitude right now.”

Napa and Sonoma counties have the most wineries in California. The economic impact from the wine industry was estimated at $13 billion for each county, according to 2012 and 2014 research done by Stonebridge Research Group.

Complicating firefighting efforts are low humidity and a lack of resources, Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann said.

“As of right now, with these conditions, we can’t get in front of this fire and do anything about the forward progress,” he said, adding that resources from across California were to begin arriving in the area later Monday.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday issued emergency proclamations for Napa, Sonoma, Yuba, Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Nevada, Solano and Orange counties. Orange County in the south is dealing with a 7,500-acre fire that has destroyed 14 structures, damaged 22 and threatens 5,000 others, Orange County fire Capt. Larry Kurtz said.

Pictures from Disneyland in Anaheim on Tuesday afternoon showed the sky with an orange glow.

“These fires have destroyed structures and continue to threaten thousands of homes, necessitating the evacuation of thousands of residents,” the governor’s emergency proclamation said. “These fires have damaged and continue to threaten critical infrastructure and have forced the closure of major highways and local roads.”

The White House said President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration and fire management assistance grants for the state.

“The loss of homes and burning of precious land is heartbreaking but the loss of life is truly devastating,” press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

Trump vows US will ‘stand with’ Californians during wildfires

CNN’s Dan Simon and Miguel Marquez contributed to this report from Santa Rosa, California. CNN’s Ralph Ellis, David Williams, Keith Allen, Chuck Johnston, Stella Chan, Dave Alsup, Joe Sutton, Judson Jones, Joe Sterling, Paul P. Murphy and Eliott C. McLaughlin contributed to this report.

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Lafayette residents were ordered to evacuate Sunday over a wildfire that severely damaged a tennis club, officials said.

The roughly two-acre fire burned near Camino Diablo and Springbrook Road north of Highway 24 on the east side of Lafayette. Residents on the north and south sides of the freeway east of Pleasant Hill Road were ordered to evacuate and were allowed to return between 4:40 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The fire broke out after 2 p.m., badly damaged the main building and destroyed two outbuildings of the Lafayette Tennis Club on the Camino Diablo, said Captain George Laing, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County fire protection district. The fire also damaged the roof and chimney of a house, Laing said.

Laing said the fire stopped from progressing around 3 p.m. About 100 firefighters fought against it.

A power pole lay flat over the Camino Diablo, which he had used to pull electrical cables down. A Lafayette police officer said the mast fell off when it arrived shortly after the fire started, and the flames spread south from there onto Highway 24. Embers leaping across the highway started another small fire that was quickly extinguished.

The area was not affected by the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. power outages, the official said.

About 15 meters from the collapsed distribution line, the clubhouse of the Lafayette Tennis Club was destroyed. At around 3:45 p.m., firefighters cleared the charred remains, leaving only a few walls. The surrounding tennis courts remained intact.

The wind continued to blow through the neighborhood, but by late afternoon the fire had calmed down. The Contra Costa fire department said several units would provide overnight shelter from the wind that picks up embers.

The Chronicle’s author, Joaquin Palomino, contributed to this report.

Rachel Swan and Matthias Gafni are contributors to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com, matthias.gafni@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan, @mgafni

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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) – As the fire season begins, animal rescue groups recommend that Bay Area residents involve their furry friends in emergency drills and household evacuation plans.

A good first step is to prepare a stretcher with supplies like linen, medicine, plenty of food, and portable bowls. Without proper transportation equipment, nervous pets can easily get loose when an owner stops to refuel or settles in an unfamiliar area.

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Michelle Hurst, host of community-run California Wildfire Pets rescue site on Facebook, is working to reconnect pets with their owners during the forest fire season, the most common cases she encounters being cats.

To prevent animals from taking off in stressful situations, she recommends that owners put their dogs on a harness or two leashes and put their cats in a stretcher or pillowcase if there is no other option during the evacuation.

“Often times people don’t have their stretcher, so they grab the cat in their arms and try to get from the house to the car,” said Hurst. “The cat freaked out because she can feel that you are upset, your adrenaline levels are going to zero … any sound can freak them out and they’ll scratch you and run away.”

The more practice an animal has in loading it into a truck – or livestock trailer – the less stressful it will be to move it quickly and the less likely it is to run free. Saanen Kerson, vice president of the Napa Community Animal Response Team, recommends practicing the process of moving animals in vehicles to prevent this from happening.

“If you have cats and dogs at home, we recommend just putting them in a box, putting them in the car once a month, just driving them around town, and then taking them home,” said Kerson . “That way, it normalizes the situation for them. They are used to walking in their pet carriers and they just know that dogs and cats do that sometimes. “

For a dog who loves driving, preparing for evacuation can be a breeze, but pets that are older, have an illness, or are more nervous may need some practice.

Training can also increase the chances of success in those worst-case scenarios when people evacuating their homes have to leave animals behind. This is especially true of farm animals, Kerson said. One of the most difficult situations evacuation workers get into is locking up groups of cattle that are not trained to load into trailers.

“When we are called to a site and have to run around a field to catch a horse, we are pressed for time to keep moving and being in the middle of an evacuation is not training time,” said Kerson. “It’s not really the time to teach an animal everything it needs to know about loading trailers.”

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Sometimes, like chickens or feral cats, animals have to stay behind. But they can be safe at home while their owners are evacuated, as long as the room is clear of flammable vegetation and open food and water are available.

During the two evacuations in Napa County last year, Kerson said her team was responsible for screening these animals while the owners continued to stay away.

“We had hundreds of animals out in the field where they were safe. The fire was over and they were fine, but their owners just couldn’t get back in because they were still being evacuated. We also looked after these animals until those evacuation orders were lifted, ”said Kerson.

The final result? “Evacuate early, even if you are not sure if it is necessary at all,” said Kerson. “If you feel unsafe, go. Take your animals, go early, have plans.”

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Residents of several Bay Area counties fled their homes on Monday under mandatory evacuation orders as inland temperatures rose above 100 degrees and firefighters battled a series of fast-spreading forest fires sparked by lightning storms – with the risk of more on top of that Are gone.

The National Weather Service warned of red flags in Northern California through Monday evening as extreme weather conditions increased the risk of wildfires across the area. An excessive heat warning should stay in place through Wednesday.

Elsewhere in the state, temperatures reached even more astonishing levels – in Death Valley, temperatures hit 130 degrees on Sunday, possibly the hottest global temperature ever recorded, according to the National Weather Service.

The chief of California’s primary power grid manager warned that rolling blackouts were imminent on Monday, but later said they weren’t needed. Grid managers blamed the electricity shortage on several factors, most important of which was the extreme and widespread nature of the heat wave, forcing brooding households to crank up energy-efficient air conditioning systems.

“We will see more thunderstorms across the region,” said Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the agency’s Bay Area division. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more forest fires, but it all depends on where lightning strikes.”

This video was captured by CHP Golden Gate Air Operations at 6:36 a.m. near Lake Hennessey and St. Helena. A spokesman said 911 calls reporting a fire were received almost 10 minutes after that video was recorded. Courtesy of Golden Gate CHP. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday that excruciating temperatures across California had “put tremendous pressure on firefighters” as the state fought at least 15 fires.

However, the governor said firefighters are confident they will be able to tackle smaller flames quickly, while some of the larger fires, like the river fire near Monterey, may take longer to contain.

Napa County officials ordered evacuations Monday due to the LNU Lightning Complex fires – a string of more than 60 lightning-related fires that began Monday. Most were less than an acre in size, but two were large and not included: the Hennessey and Gamble Fires. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the complex burned down more than 300 acres on Monday evening. The Hennessey Fire burned 2,500 acres in hilly terrain about 25 miles northeast of Santa Rosa. The gambling fire burned about 600 acres north of Lake Berryessa.

Evacuation orders also existed for the Alameda County marsh fire, which burned 1,775 acres Monday night, and the Deer Zone Fires in eastern Contra Costa County near Brentwood, which burned more than 1,160 acres Monday night.

Smoke rises from the # MarshFire that burns near Calaveras and Welch Creek Streets in #Sunol. The fire burned 1775 acres and is 0% included in @sfchronicle pic.twitter.com/qfCAN8NNuP

– Jessica Christian (@jachristian) August 17, 2020

In the Marsh Fire, a combination of four bursts of vegetation that began Sunday, residents of about 10 houses on Welch Creek Road near Sunol, about 10 miles south of Pleasanton, were ordered to vacate their homes. No injuries were reported.

Mike Cerny, 74, has lived in one of these 10 houses with his wife for 40 years. On Sunday evening, Cerny watched fire engines park in the driveways of his home and in the homes of his neighbors. Before they had to be evacuated Monday afternoon, Cerny said he could see flames from at least two fires from all the windows of the house.

They grabbed their photos and other irreplaceable valuables and left behind the house Cerny had built, including his wife’s antique Barbie doll collection.

“We could see the flames over the ridge, the smoke,” he said of a Jack in the Box parking lot, eating his first meal of the day, a sourdough jack sandwich, and his first coffee in 24 hours. “I don’t think anything hit us that could happen.”

The Deer Zone Fires also broke out on Sunday evening, and Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Deputies evacuated residents along Marsh Creek and Morgan Territory roads southeast of Brentwood and north of Livermore.

The Red Cross sheltered evacuees from Deer Zone Fires in nearby hotel rooms on Monday, according to a senior with the Brentwood Department of Parks and Recreation.

The fire damage along Marsh Creek Road in Alameda County.Sarah Ravani / The Chronicle

During 20 years and numerous fires, Clint C., 49, and Kirsten C., 45, a couple who live in a RV park on Marsh Creek Road, said they were evacuated only four times, including Sunday evening. About a dozen fire engines were on the road while the police drove up and down the street with sirens on, honking their horns and telling residents to flee.

“You get scared and excited,” said Clint. “It was stressful.”

“We were scared this time,” said Kirsten. “We thought something was going to get into our house. This fire is not funny. “

They packed up their two cats and their dog and drove to see Clint’s mother-in-law in San Ramon, where they stayed overnight.

“It was a nightmare to get the pets out,” said Clint.

Much further south, in Monterey County, the rapidly growing river fire east of Salinas hit 2,800 acres Monday, according to Cal Fire. Five houses were destroyed, 1,500 other buildings were threatened and four firefighters suffered heat-related injuries while fighting the fire.