Skip to main content

I know a couple people here live in the Bay Area. I don’t think anyone here lives in the North Bay toward Napa. If so I hope you are ok and got out of the area in time.

This fire is a pure disaster on a crazy scale. It’s not the typical CA fire this time of year that burns through unincorporated canyons and hills. This fire is going directly through heavily populated neighborhoods. 

Here is an image of the Coffee Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa:

Here is the same neighborhood this morning:

These fires (22 of them now) are tearing through similar populated areas faster than firefighters can run. There are entire neighborhoods all over the North Bay that look exactly like Coffee Park. I think every home above Silverado Country Club in Napa has been vaporized to nothing. 

The worst part is that things are going to get exponentially worse today. The fires are either 3% contained or lower. The winds are forecasted to gust in the worst possible direction later today. The humidity in the Bay Area is currently 8% (which is another discussion entirely that the humidity level is that ridiculously low) 

According the local radar there isn’t a cloud in the sky today. But right now the sky is a pure blanket of gray orange with ash flying all over the place. And I’m 25 miles away from the closest fire. It looks apocalyptic outside. 

If anyone here is in the northern part of the Bay Area please be safe and get the eff out. 

Last edited by Boris
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

This is so sad. My son and his wife were married out there last year around this time. (Destination wedding.) We stayed for almost a week and had a great time despite the rain.  Yes, it rained at least half the time we were there...go figure. The outdoor wedding had to be moved inside.

I don't understand how so many fires can seem to start at the same time.

Last edited by QuietOne

It’s 74 degrees out. The sky is orange. And it looks like it’s snowing. 

Fire chief in Calistoga today. “We’ve got 100,000 Plus acres of active fires. Wind gusts forecasted. No humidity. We can’t do anything to stop this. I don’t know what to tell you. Only that a lot of people might not have homes by tomorrow morning” 

Air quality was just changed to “Hazardous” 30 minutes ago. Wind shift and 3,600 structures burned will do that. 

Regarding the number of fires. When this started Sunday night it was so dry the initial inferno whipped up so hard and fast it created its own weather system. It sucked in so much oxygen it drove winds to 70mph. Those winds carried embers all over the valley. And that was that. 

I have a 1st cousin who is a City Planner for Santa Rosa.  I saw on her facebook page that she is OK (Lives in Sebastopol), but she is part of leadership teams that work 12 hour shifts in trying to coordinate everything that goes into fighting this.  I would imagine for her it's probably doubly as devastating as I am sure a lot of her past and future plans for that city are in ruins.   

Craziest thing I watched this week. A rig from St Helena was sitting next to a hydrant in front of a multi million dollar home in Silverado. 6 firefighters were sitting on the curb watching this place go up in flames. The hydrant was a custom unit that was installed because it matched the neighborhood architecture. No hoses from the rig fit it. Engine leader said “it is a fine looking hydrant though”. They had a thousand gallons on the rig so they sprayed the house next door down to save it. That home burned down as well. So did every home in the neighborhood. 

Hard to look at that.   My daughter lives west of the fire in Aneheim and a couple of days ago she was getting ash and smoke in her house.  Lots of dry country down that way too.   Be safe all of you Golden State residents. 

This song kind of sums it up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYkSrqtgpnA

 

Last edited by Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak posted:

Hard to look at that.   My daughter lives west of the fire in Aneheim and a couple of days ago she was getting ash and smoke in her house.  Lots of dry country down that way too.   Be safe all of you Golden State residents. 

This song kind of sums it up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYkSrqtgpnA

 

Hoping she’s ok Pike. That’s another horrible situation. Not a lot of places to go to for safety other than Long Beach. Prayers up!

I'm down in Palo Alto today & the smoke is ridiculous even way down here.

Throat definitely feels like a mild sore throat.

It's just brutal all over the Bay Area

Screen Shot 2017-10-11 at 3.32.05 PM

Air Now Link

Attachments

Images (1)
  • Screen Shot 2017-10-11 at 3.32.05 PM
Last edited by Boris
CAPackFan95 posted:

I have a lot of friends that have been displaced, and at least 2 families that lost their homes. 

It's unbelievable how shiity 2017 has been.  

Only one rational explanation. Trump is Rosemarys Baby. 

QuietOne posted:

I don't understand how so many fires can seem to start at the same time.

What happened is 75 MPH winds, blowing embers everywhere & igniting the dry brush & everything in it's path

Image result for 75 MPH winds embers blowing across street santa rosa

Wow stay safe everyone that looks like an extremely dangerous situation if you are in the hot zones. 

Have friends and family in the Bay Area and I know a number of X4 members are out there so hang in there! 

Was in So California in mid 90s and recall fires this time of the year in 1996. Was bad but much worse in other years. People worry about earthquakes but the wildfires always scared the crap out me because of how rapid and unpredictable they could spread especially if the winds kicked up.  

ChilliJon posted:
CAPackFan95 posted:

I have a lot of friends that have been displaced, and at least 2 families that lost their homes. 

It's unbelievable how shiity 2017 has been.  

Only one rational explanation. Trump is Rosemarys Baby. 

SDPF whine coming up!

ChilliJon posted:
CAPackFan95 posted:

I have a lot of friends that have been displaced, and at least 2 families that lost their homes. 

It's unbelievable how shiity 2017 has been.  

Only one rational explanation. Trump is Rosemarys Baby. 

You may be onto something here. Maybe our country needs an exorcism. 

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down

it brings nothing but sorrow to this forest loving man. good luck to everyone in the area.

ChilliJon posted:
CAPackFan95 posted:

I have a lot of friends that have been displaced, and at least 2 families that lost their homes. 

It's unbelievable how shiity 2017 has been.  

Only one rational explanation. Trump is Rosemarys Baby. 

Or maybe Harvey needs some media cover? 

Be safe and good luck Chili.

I wonder, is fire damage out there covered under home owners policy, or is it like flood insurance where it's Fed backed?

Either way, be well all forum folks out there.

Fire insurance is pretty much a given out here and it’s covered under home. I’ve had it forever. 

Just heard from wife’s side of the family some residents in Santa Rosa caught a guy in a black Honda Civic driving around trying to spark new fires. They pulled him out of his car. No word if anyone called the police. I’m sure they’ll get around to that call eventually. 

By the Grace of God the wind didn’t really blow tonight. Needed a night for the fighters to get a little containment going. 

ChilliJon posted:

Just heard from wife’s side of the family some residents in Santa Rosa caught a guy in a black Honda Civic driving around trying to spark new fires. They pulled him out of his car. No word if anyone called the police. I’m sure they’ll get around to that call eventually. 

That is crazy.  I suppose if someone is an arsonist, it's a fine time to ply their trade as the bigger fires can cover their tracks a bit.

This isn't the work of a single arsonist. I believe (hope!) The fires started on their own. 

If anything, this would've been a team of arsonists. 

My biggest concern right now is these fires converging making 1 giant inferno. 

Last edited by Boris

The authorities don’t believe this was started by arsonists. The thinking it was just a perfect storm of conditions. Incredibly low humidity. Wind gusts. Fuel that was primed to ignite. 

Guy driving around in the Honda apparently had a black mask on and was looking for areas to spark up new fires. One sick guy but apparently just one lone nutjob. 

Its become the Wild West in parts of the Valley. Neighbors are standing watch over neighborhoods. There is looting going on. There are people from out of town posing as insurance adjusters trying to get “retainers” from people who lost homes so they go to the front of the line when it’s time to start the claim process. 

Yesterday a real estate angent was chased off when he snuck a client into a mandatory evacuation area to show a property. 

5 people have been arrested for looting. Glad to see them assholes getting busted.

463 people still unaccounted for.

Firemen from Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Nevada & even AUSTRALIA are coming to CA to help out. So great to see. True heroes!

Brainwashed Boris posted:

5 people have been arrested for looting. Glad to see them assholes getting busted.

463 people still unaccounted for.

Firemen from Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Nevada & even AUSTRALIA are coming to CA to help out. So great to see. True heroes!

Somedays, I really hate people. And then I read about firefighters putting it all on the line for others. And realize that heroes are greater than arseholes.

I have a relative out in Concord (about 30 miles west of SF) and she says wind has come from the north toward her area and the smoke is so bad she wears a surgical mask outside, can't see Mt. Diablo (7 miles away), and schools are closed. Whole neighborhoods are decimated. Stay safe everyone.

 

I’m basically between Concord and Napa. Closer to Concord. The wind is way down today so the firefighters are making a little progress. The Atlas Fire (Napa) is the largest fire (42,000 acres) and they got to 3% contained today. 

Smoke isn’t as bad today. But the entire north bay and east bay smells like one huge campfire. 

Anybody against a law allowing cops to shoot looters on sight?

I know, I know, but it's fun to think about it.

Thoughts and prayers for those of you out there. Was in Santa Rosa once (1974) beautiful place....

Our Sonoma and Napa stores are back open, but with small crews.

sonomanapa



There is a tremendous amount of smoke in the air and the customers of Napa and Sonoma were very appreciative the stores were open.

Attachments

Images (2)
  • sonoma
  • napa
ChilliJon posted:

Craziest thing I watched this week. A rig from St Helena was sitting next to a hydrant in front of a multi million dollar home in Silverado. 6 firefighters were sitting on the curb watching this place go up in flames. The hydrant was a custom unit that was installed because it matched the neighborhood architecture. No hoses from the rig fit it. Engine leader said “it is a fine looking hydrant though”. They had a thousand gallons on the rig so they sprayed the house next door down to save it. That home burned down as well. So did every home in the neighborhood. 

Un freakin believable!!!

Last edited by Esox

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×