Northern CA on Fire

[Tinker]

Here Is California's biggest threat, FIRE.   Packed a bag and headed to the office.  So far the fire is east of my home,  I won't be going to radiation therapy today, the cancer center may have burned down,  I can't tell yet, The Inn and restaurant a half a block away from the center has burned to the ground.  Even if it isn't burned  there is no way to get there.  Pretty scary stuff.  Santa Rosa is my escape route in the event there is fire here on the mountain but Santa Rosa has 35,000 acres on fire including residential areas. I anticipate a lot of calls, I insure many homes there.  Yikes,  I still have the ocean 10 minutes away so there is always a way out, I'm a good swimmer.  Stay safe out there.

~~Tink

 

[Tinker]

Update Nor CA Fires

I have always felt blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  We have such a diversity of landscapes from the shores of the Pacific, the coastal mountains of the Redwood Empire, the rolling foothills with gorgeous vineyards and one of the most beautiful cities, Santa Rosa in the valley with beautiful Oaks and a variety of other trees on every block in the residential areas.  

Much of this is now either ash or charred wood and the fires keep moving to other areas.  My home is in a redwood forest 30 minute drive to the west of this devastation so currently I'm safe, my home is safe and shamefully I was relieved yesterday when the winds turned and veered the fire east. But this could change with the crazy winds.  Everyday now when I leave my home I have a packed bag with me for emergency get away supplies not knowing if I can return.  Headed to the office to be available to my community.  I'm an insurance agent, our phones are going nonstop.  We know of 15 homes  of my clients are gone.  I am disbursing emergency funds to clients who are displaced and don't know the status of their homes.  Plus fielding all kinds of calls from people who all of a sudden want to know what their policies contain and can they increase coverage.  The answer is no.  There is a moratorium.   

This is so sad.  So much beauty destroyed.   Lives threatened.  Animals lost.  Horses turned loose (lots of horses here.) 17 lives lost that we know of.  73 cell towers down and therefore communication spotty at best.  Fire containment 0%.

This fire is simply scary and it just keeps shifting, now turning north.  

~~Tink

[Tinker]

Reposted from a friend-for my East Coast peeps. The amount of area on fire in NorCal—simply shocking?

Reposted:
For friends on the east coast who are unfamiliar with the lay of the land out here and extent of the fires - imagine if ALL of New England - Maine, New Hampshire, Mass., Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont were on fire and toss in New York and New Jersey. Those states combined are equivalent to the Sonoma/Napa Fires which are continuing to rage on uncontrolled. Mendocino has it's own fire the size of Maine and Southern California's the size of Massachusetts. 

Last  reported the fire is 27% contained. I don't know how they came up with that # but it seems to have turned the corner and they say they are making headway.   So far only 34 deaths, but thousands of homes and businesses are lost  

The San Francisco Bay Area an hour drive to the south is putting out warnings of dangerous air quality because of the smoke. They have no idea what it is like up here. The sky is thick with gagging smoke where my office is located in the bordering town. Luckily I can escape to my home on the coast and I'm elevated and getting clean air off the ocean and it is above the smokey valley. 

But disasters bring out the best in people. I can't tell you the many acts of kindness I've been privileged to observe. 

Sad stories, heroic stories, tragic stories. 

[badger11]

A traumatic time Tink, but you are right: the good in people is often found at such times.

 

take care

 

badge