High Sierra Topix

The hills east of the Napa Valley are on fire again...this time towards the Adventist communities of Deer Park and Angwin, which are being evacuated. 800 acres burned so far, with the fire described as aggressive, and red flag warnings for the area through tomorrow night.

Very sad.

2020 sucks so far.. On a happy note, my Mom didn't die yesterday on my birthday. UTI and a 103 temp and barf on the car on the way to the ER.
Shouldn't be anything left to burn soon around Napa.

Looking forward to 2021! Everyone should be thinking early season, depending on snow pack. choose wisely.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/ ... t-overview

Sure would like to see some rain soon.

What is it like to live in Napa these days? You never really get used to the strange sunlight through the smoke. You dread the weather forecast, with its high temps, high winds, and low humidity, And every hour your phone pings with yet another notice from the Office of Emergency Services: new evacuation orders, new evacuation warnings: That's where Mark and Ann, live, that's where Fred lives. I hope Sheldon is OK. They've even evacuated the hospital...

And you think through, one more time, what you would take with you if you have to leave in a hurry...

This is the image from this morning. Heartrending.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewe ... 2%2C102100

City of Calistoga is now under mandatory evacuation orders. Napa Valley College, where I teach a few classes, is now an emergency shelter for refugees from the fires. 68,000 people in Napa and Sonoma counties have been evacuated.

My own home is fine, the fires are a good ten miles north of us, but so many friends have been affected.

I'm sorry that your friends have been affected and am glad your home is okay. I lived in Santa Rosa for a few years and worked as a reporter for a now-defunct bi-weekly newspaper in Healdsburg. I lived in the Bay Area for 15 years. Two of my closest friends homes burned down in 2017, one in a forest on Mt. Veeder in Napa, the other in Santa Rosa. I've hiked around the Napa and Sonoma areas and walked/ran in Trione--Annadel State Park (where the fire is now) nearly every day. One friend rebuilt in Santa Rosa and her home is again threatened by this new fire. I'm so sad for everyone who lives in this beautiful area and all they've had to endure.