boltonblue

Reports of over 1500 structures have been destroyed.
That's bigger than my town.

jukngene

I have an acquaintance I used to work with who had to evacuate her home in Santa Rosa. She posted on FB that she, her husband, and dog were fine, but no word on their house. Hoping for the best for them.

trapper

You don't see much mention of this in the news.

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/we...-smoke-n810451

Morris

Update:
Over 5,700 structures have been burned, reported by news.
Some new evacuations are in process. A couple days ago the entire town of Calistoga (north end of Napa Valley) was under mandatory evacuation.
While some fires are still spreading, they are getting a handle on many, and containment of the fire that forced our evacuation is about 45%.
The Silverado resort area residents are now able to return, although between 75 and 100 homes within 2 miles of our house were lost.
We slept in our own bed last night, Friday night, for the first time since last Sunday. We have water and electricity, but no gas, so no heat or hot water. Turning on gas may occur today, each home must be individually inspected for leaks, and turned on at the meter, by a utility worker. (some coming form San Diego and L.A. to help)
Side note: Our home on 62 acres we sold 2 years ago, in the hills above the valley, is still standing, but a close neighbor retired nurse had hers burn to the ground. Her defensible space was not enough, while ours held, with the help from a 747 dropping chemicals exactly along the back yard fence.
We feel very fortunate to have our current home at Silverado spared, and have great friends who gave us their guest room for 5 nights, wined us and dined us.
If any of you visit the Napa Valley in the future, consider staying at the Meritage Hotel. They gave all victims a $99.00 a night room rate (normally 300 up) and 3 meals a day included.
Thanks to all my S2K friends for good thoughts and concerns.

dlq04

Thanks Dean for another update - - very sad but it had to feel good both the new and old house were spared.

MsPerky

Morris

I am copying this info from the Napa Register, in case anyone would like to help out the fire victims here in the Napa/Sonoma areas. Donations go direct to victims without any overhead. All personnel involved are volunteers. Nobody is paid a dime. Thank you. Morris.

The Rotary 5130 Fire Relief Fund is accepting cash donations to support those in Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties."The magnitude of the devastation that is occurring right now in the North Bay is vast and far reaching. The recovery and rebuild is going to be a long process but we are confident that we can lead the way in bringing these communities back up. Rotarians know how to get things done and won't stop until we reach the finish line," said Bob Rogers, Rotary 5130's District Governor.For more information on the fund or to donate online, go to larca5130.org. Questions can be sent to Iarca5130@gmail.com. You can also mail a check payable to: LARCA Fire Relief, P.O. Box 2921, Clearlake, CA 95422.

Morris

Final update: Sunday our gas was turned on. Oh my, warm house and hot shower. We have come to expect that and I wonder how our ancestors did it, living in houses with no heat and running water?
Sunday and Monday were clear, although there was smoke to the east towards Sonoma. Today the wind shifted and we were enveloped in smoke. Some fires are more than half contained while new fires break out in other areas. There were two or three new ones today, and without the crazy winds we had on the first night of fires, I'm beginning to wonder if the new ones are being set.
As with any disaster, rumors are rampant. There was even some nutcase that said a meteor came down Sunday night where the first fire started. Oh boy.
I have to revise my list from seven to five friends that lost their homes, as it turns out two of them did not. (glad to be wrong on that one) I tried to count the homes that were lost just in Silverado, and I couldn't keep track on the map. Best guess is that 75 -100 within two miles of our house are gone. I just now remembered running into the realtor at the road block, who sold us our land on the hill in 1988 and lives on Atlas Peak Road. His home burned down, so the correct number is six. Probably more...
Our ice maker leaked when the power went off and warped our wood floors, so I had to make a claim yesterday. Almost feel guilty about it.
Some day things will return to normal, but I think it will take a long time.
Dean

dlq04

While this country's infrastructure may be a mess I think we can all be thankful that our electric and gas grids are so great and well maintained. America can do some things right. I've seen pictures of natural gas lines in Russian cities where they were run up the outside of buildings and the run across the street from building to building overhead. Scary. Sorry, didn't mean to go off topic but as you say we all take the basic things in life for granted till they are not there.

MsPerky

Thanks for that update, Dean. I think we do take things for granted. It is very sad what happened to your friends and neighbors. With the number of natural disasters recently, I'm wondering if pestilence is around the corner. It's shocking, really.