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We have many members here that live in Northern California.  I know that Bob (Consultant) lives very close to, if not within the current fire zone.  Bob, please let us know you're OK.  I'm not sure how close, geographically, others are.  

We, of course, have more than our share of wildfires here in California and, too often, homes are destroyed.  But I've never seen entire large residential neighborhoods taken out and, worse, lives taken like the current one in the Santa Rosa area.  Thoughts and prayers to everyone affected.  

It seems like it is a new disaster every week lately.  Hard to keep needed and deserved attention on those from previous weeks when the next one comes along.   We need to remember that the new events don't make it any less devastating for those affected in previous events.  Need to keep helping each other.

Last edited by cabbagedad
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Here in San Francisco the skies are gray. The air is filled with the smell of smoke. We are 30 miles away, I can't imagine what it's like being in the middle of it all. Several properties that I do business with up in Santa Rosa have been totally destroyed. Fortunately, no injuries that I'm aware of. It's a total mess, complete neighborhoods leveled, gone.

Prayers to all of our northern neighbors.  

Mandatory evacuation from our home a couple days ago.  We had an hour thankfully, though in hindsight I would've grabbed some other things. Then booted from our hotel today so we're living out of the cars...and being supported by great friends. Lots of devastation.  Fire was 1000 feet away yesterday. Now 3 miles up our road and still raging.  Dense smoke. And we are alive and safe for now. Praise God!

Vinny Tosti is from Santa Rosa and he played in our All American game in San Diego in August.  His family lost their home in the fire.  Heard it was burnt to the ground.  They lost everything in the fire, but the family is safe.  Word is his high school also was a victim of the fire.

This has been a terrible year for natural disasters.

JCG posted:

I believe that roughly 50% of Cardinal Newman HS (Vinnie's school) survived. The baseball facility was damaged but I don't know how badly.

Newman is my wife's (well, she was at Ursuline before the merger) and her siblings' alma mater. The photos look pretty bad.

My in-laws' home appears to be safe so far (they're right on the edge of the evacuation zone), but my wife knows dozens of people who have lost their homes. It's been unbelievable. And it's still going on. Today may be bad -- winds are supposed to pick up again.

2019 - that's similar to our situation. Sort of surrounded. Not a good feeling to watch fire coming from two directions.  But we are out for now and I'm feeling hopeful and grateful, though of course there is so much heartbreak among so many friends.

Here is an upbeat story about athletes at another school in our league - arguably the best baseball program in the north bay. 

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/s...a-grande-high-school

 

 

I wish I wasn't typing this but things seem to be getting worse. I am working in San Jose, which is about 90 or so miles from Santa Rosa.  Visibility here is less than 1/2 mile with very thick smoke from the fires.

The entire town of Calistoga at the North end of the Napa Valley is now evacuated.

The house our son-in-law and daughter sold after their marriage is burned to the ground.  Our in-law in the town of Sonoma has just  been evacuated.

No controls in site and winds expected to increase in the next several hours.  Need some big breaks and lots of heart felt support for those in Sonoma, Napa and now Solano Counties.

I am so sorry and so sad. I am sad for lost lives, lost homes, lost memories and businesses. I am sad for anyone and everyone in our country and Puerto Rico being affected by hurricanes, floods, and fire.

I am mad though, that our elected officials are too busy tweeting and arguing to really care.

Stay strong California.

We need a sad button like Facebook. All true and the challenges are unprecedented but there are amazing people and resources focused on the area. Just saw half a dozen Palo Alto fire trucks driving north and it brought tears to my eyes. 

OTOH, I'm hearing a lot about comm issues between agencies making coordination difficult; 911 all over again.

JCG posted:

We need a sad button like Facebook. All true and the challenges are unprecedented but there are amazing people and resources focused on the area. Just saw half a dozen Palo Alto fire trucks driving north and it brought tears to my eyes. 

OTOH, I'm hearing a lot about comm issues between agencies making coordination difficult; 911 all over again.

Boy that first part of your post is on point, JCG.  Our son-in-law spent 48 hours straight beginning Sunday at Memorial.  Some of the surgeons in his group lost their homes so Dave took on a huge medical load with the only hospital open and taking on patients from Kaiser and Sutter.

We're out of Sonoma again as of last night. Friends we were staying with got evacuated too.  Gridlock getting out of town.

 We've been nomads since Sunday but we are safe. And East Bay air is much better!

Our home was reportedly still standing last night, though our friend / neighbor lost theirs early this morning.  

Thank you to all the medical personnel, fire and police, and all the acts of kindness.  And thank you for your prayers!!

Good to hear you are safe, Branson.  The situation around Sonoma is not looking good this morning just from maps etc.  I have been texting with one friend in Boyes Hot Springs, and I'm shocked she's still there.  Actually, it's been a couple hours so she may have left. I hope so.

Looks like the firefighters had a great day and night in Santa Rosa, winds last night were not as bad as expected, and the fires there have moved very little in the past 24 hours so the situation is looking more hopeful.

Has anyone heard from Bob lately?  I believe his neighborhood is OK but the air up there is just horrible and anyone who is old enough to be friends with Willie Mays should not be breathing it.  Nobody should.

TPM,Mom JCG, Branson,Infield Dad and Cabbage Dad;

I expect the knock on the door today or tomorrow! Smoke is "terrible".

Thank you for the interest as I am finally on a borrowed computer, power out at the house and the fire is one mile east. Sun out 67º. No wind. Enclosed is current photos and info from the local areas.

Physically I am OK [rode the bike 6 miles and lifted] Willie does not, actually never did.

Mentally, I am not. Probably never was. Sonoma County is a beautiful area because of the hills which now are a negative for the fire fighters {the real heroes]. Yesterday they used a "backfire" and it is effective. I watched from my window.

PS: drove by the National Guard Armory today and there was large mobile equipment standing idle. Maybe the left hand and right hand are not communicating.

Bob <goodwillseries24@gmail.com>

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/g...-valleys?artslide=24

 

Some of the stories are incredibly sad and tragic.  Heart breaking beyond words.  This morning I read of a couple in their 70's who were married for 40 years.  They were on vacation at a home in Santa Rosa. Got trapped by the fire and tried to save themselves in a swimming pool.  The water got intensely hot in the shallow area so they had to move to the deeper water.  The wife died in her husbands arms as he struggled to keep them both afloat.

When he could, he got out of the pool (he only had one shoe) and asked his wife if he might "borrow one of hers." He walked two miles wearing one of his deceased wife's shoes (needed it because of the heat of the pavement) before he could find help.

When one starts to see the list of those losing their lives, close to 90% are age 70 or above (so far).  So sad.

Some of the stories of those with severe burns are, if it could be possible, even more tragic.

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