The wildfires are burning out-of-control and have already destroyed an untold number of structures and businesses, as well as forcing the evacuation of patients in two hospitals in Santa Rosa, run by Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health.
Local Fox News affiliate KTVU is reporting there are multiple fires reported around Sonoma County. Currently, there are fires at Lasndale Road in Kenwood, Mark West Springs and Riebli Road in Santa Rosa, Shiloh and Conde in Windsor and Hwy 116 at Fredericks Road in Sebastopol, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office.
many residents gathered at gas stations in cities away from the fires, stocking up on gas and bottled water. Some described fleeing in the middle of the night on foot because the fires were moving so fast. The fires began popping up in Napa and Sonoma Counties first, but as the night went on, at least five counties are now affected.
Fires broke out in Mendocino County, forcing the evacuation of communities near Redwood Valley and Willits. Marin County reported a grass fire at 3:00 a.m. local time this morning that closed part of Highway 37. A brush fire broke out in Alameda County in the North Berkeley hills, but firefighters were able to bring it under control.
Guests staying at the Silverado Resort and Spa on Atlas Peak Road were evacuated during the night as the flames rushed toward the properties. “We were sleeping, but we kept smelling smoke,” said Chris Thomas, 42, of Kirkland, Wash., who arrived in the Napa Valley late Sunday with his wife, Marissa Schneider, for a wine-tasting trip.
“It was surreal,” Thomas said. “When I started loading stuff into the car it was a hell-storm of smoke and ash. There were 30 to 40 mph winds. I couldn’t even breathe, so I ran back to the unit to get Marissa. It was so smoky I went to the wrong unit. When I found her I said, ‘Forget it, let’s just go.’ It went from being an annoying evacuation to something really scary.”
The National Weather Service said the massive blazes have caused power outages and blanketed much of the Bay Area region with a pall of smoke. The fires were fanned by extreme, dry northeasterly winds gusting up to 50 mph and up to 70 mph on the mountain tops.
