[UPDATE 10:04 p.m. Reports of One Fatality] 62 Square Miles of Lake County Devastated by Fire, We Have Maps!
UPDATES at bottom as they come in.
————————————-
Yesterday afternoon, flames rolled out again across Lake County. The area had already been hit earlier this summer by two large fires–the Rocky and the Jerusalem. This one, however, moved even faster then they had. It burned into several small towns. Cal Fire reports this morning that the fire is now 40,000 acres which is roughly 62 square miles. There is no containment. ( We have gotten access to maps of the fire created from information gathered as of 1:30 this morning. Here is a pdf. (Another added 9:26 a.m. click here. And here is a Google Earth map (New version 9:22 a.m.) They are rich with detail so may take quite some time to load.) (See embedded map at Updated 12:30 p.m. below]
Last night there were videos of entire streets flaming and houses crumbling. Four firefighters were injured. And, there were reports of people trapped by the quickly moving blaze.
Senator Mike McGuire called this blaze “unprecedented.”
Unprecedented growth of the #ValleyFire. Devastation in the communities of Cobb, Middletown & Hidden Valley Lake. pic.twitter.com/9TXSGTAKEQ
— Mike McGuire (@ilike_mike) September 13, 2015
We’ll keep you updated on this post throughout the day.
UPDATE 8:26 a.m.: The dispatch reports from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) from early this morning are heartbreaking and convey some of the terror felt by residents. Here is one. “KAREN AND ROB – HOME IS BURNED BUT THEY ARE FIELD BEHIND IT.” And here is another, “[Female] OUT W/ CALFIRE – NEEDS ASSISTANCE TO EVAC CENTER.”
UPDATE 8:39 p.m.: Caltrans District 1 is asking people to not drive into the affected areas.
UPDATE 8:45 a.m.: Cal Fire’s incident page for the Valley Fire lists these evacuations and road closures,
Evacuations: | Mandatory evacuations –Hwy 29 (Kelseyville) at Hwy 175 south on Hwy 175 towards Cobb, Red Hills Road to Hwy 29, Hwy 29 X Hwy 175 south to Seigler Canyon Road (south side of Hwy 29), Hwy 29 Tubbs Lane (Calistoga, Napa County) to Hwy 29/Hwy 53 (Lower Lake, Lake County) Butts Canyon Road to Napa County Line, including Berreyssa Estates, Butts Canyon Road to Pope Valley. Communities of Cobb, Seigler Canyon, Loch Lomond, Middletown and Hidden Valley Lakes.Advisory Evacuation:
Livermore Road, Summit Lake Road and north of the community of Angwin. Evacuation Centers: Kelseyville Presbyterian Church in Kelseyville and Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga.. |
|
Road Closures : | Hwy 29 X Bottle Rock, Hwy 29 X Hwy 175 (Kelseyville), Hwy 29 X Red Hills Road, Hwy 29 X Seiglar Canyon Road and Hwy 29 from Hwy2 |
UPDATE 8:55 a.m.: California Governor Jerry Brown declares state of emergency for Lake and Napa counties.
.@JerryBrownGov declares state of emergency in Lake and Napa counties: http://t.co/n7AiXUs0QX #ValleyFire
— Gov. Brown Press Ofc (@GovPressOffice) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 10:16 a.m.: Seen from space, the Valley Fire is brighter than Reno.
#ValleyFire
The #ValleyFire burned brightly this morning. Easily detectable from space, even through cloud layer. #cawx H/T @NASA pic.twitter.com/7AO7HmyRT8
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 10:26 a.m.: Live interview with Cal Fire spokesperson on Periscope here.
Here is a quick recap.
In Middletown: one private school burned. All public schools still intact.
Harbin Hot Springs: “It was hit pretty hard.”
UPDATE 10:30 a.m.: Smoke covers much of California. If you are sensitive, take precautions.
Sensitive groups need to be extra cautious today due to smoke from #ValleyFire & ButteFire. Air quality at 9AM #cawx pic.twitter.com/Z67PBz9LBv
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 11 a.m.: Our worst fears are being confirmed. Cadaver dogs are being sent for. The Press Democrat quotes the Monte Rio Fire Chief describing the nightmare situation:
Lake County deputies were going to search homes, believing they might find some bodies, said Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman, who was leading a strike team of Sonoma County firefighters battling the blaze. “It moved so fast people couldn’t get out of Cobb. They have to get cadaver dogs to go up there,” Baxman said Sunday morning.
UPDATE 11:42 a.m.: Donations are being collected here in Humboldt to go to victims of the #ValleyFire in Lake County. If you would like to help, donations can be dropped off at Lithia. Check out Pay it Forward Humboldt’s page for details on what is needed.
UPDATE 12:10 p.m.: All Kelseyville Schools closed until further notice via the Kelseyville School District.
UPDATE 12:30 p.m.:
UPDATE 1 p.m.: Fire photographer writes,
As of an hour ago early recon shows at least 125 Structures destroyed ( likely more ) with another 9,100 threatened #ValleyFire #Breaking
— Bernie Deyo (@EPN473) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 1:22 p.m.: Cal Fire report here on today’s fires.
UPDATE 1:57 p.m.: Here is one of the firefighters injured yesterday.
@CAL_FIRE Copter 104 FF Richard Reiff in good spirits after suffering burns while attacking the #ValleyFire. pic.twitter.com/ZnNbNKmAGl
— Chief Ken Pimlott (@CALFIRE_CHIEF) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 2:10 p.m.:
While crews have not had a chance to do a full damage assessment on the #ValleyFire (Lake Co) we know 100s of structures have been destroyed
— CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 2:27 p.m.: To listen to scanner coverage, click here.
UPDATE 3:44 p.m.:
#ValleyFire [update] in southern Lake County is now 50,000 acres. http://t.co/ggH21VbYzf
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) September 13, 2015
UPDATE 4:50 p.m.: At this point, the firefighter’s continue to struggle.
Some news organizations are reporting that the Geysers geothermal electrical generation company may already have suffered some damage. Earlier, Cal Fire stated, “The Valley Fire Incident is currently 50,000 acres with 0% containment. The fire is threatening critical communications infrastructure in the Geysers area, as well as, threatening the Adalin Power Plant (Cal Pine).”
At 4:45 p.m. a incident commander requested more resources. “50+ acre spot fire on Pine Flat burning towards the Geysers…No real perimeter control.”
UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: As Humboldt County firefighters and crews from around the state pour into Lake County remember…
UPDATE 6:50 p.m.: Scanner traffic indicates that the fire is as far south as Hilderbrant Road on Hwy 29.
UPDATE 7:30 p.m.: Place to look for/report lost and found pets.
https://www.facebook.com/lakecountypets
UPDATE 8:34 p.m.: A video of someone barely making it out of Anderson Springs in the Valley Fire last night.
UPDATE 9:14 p.m.:
UPDATE 9:20 p.m.: Multiple news agencies are reporting a AP story saying that there has been one fatality. As of 10 minutes ago, the chief Cal Fire spokesperson was saying,
There is a report of a fatality on the #ValleyFire. That report is still being confirmed with the sheriff's office.
— CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) September 14, 2015
UPDATE 10:04 p.m.: Another good fire map can be found here. You need Google Earth to make it work.
UPDATE 10:20 p.m.: Check out this interesting map. Lots of information available if you click here.
UPDATE 11:05 p.m.: Reunite with lost loved ones. Post in this link here.
Yesterday’s coverage here: Another Major Blaze Ignites in Lake County, Vehicles Trapped on Road, Multiple Structures Reported Burning, Firefighters Injured
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
map won’t open
may take a while. It was slow on my normally fast laptop, but it’s a fairly detailed file.
👍🏾
[…] UPDATE SUNDAY at 8:13 a.m.: We have maps and the latest information on another post. Click here. […]
Oh jeeze, Harbin Hot Springs is right in the burning zone.
Every report I have read says that Harbin is gone.
No one has been allowed in except emergency personnel so I’m waiting for an eyewitness confirmation to see what might have survived.
CALFire has confirmed that all structures within 3 miles of the springs and their lodge have been burned to the ground.
CalFire has only tweeted, “Harbin Hot Springs was hit pretty hard”.. whatever you can take from that.
https://twitter.com/kurtisalexander
Has video taken today at Harbin, sadly, all buildings completely gone. The Hot Springs still exist, and can be rebuilt some day, though…
Thank You so much Kym for the stellar coverage!
San Francisco and Daly City only cover 53 square miles. Imagine both cities burning in less than 18 hours. The catastrophic 1991 Oakland Hills fire burned 1520 acres in 2 days before it was contained. Yes, there’s a huge difference in an urban fire and what is largely wildland in Lake County, but no difference to those losing their homes or putting their lives on the line fighting it.
Your excellent comment adds perspective.
Looks like more evacuations are started http://local.nixle.com/alert/5491396/
Is that the town of Middleton’s sign on fire? I think it is. I hope it calms down soon. Already getting humidity here ahead of a rain coming in.
Yes, it is.
Here is link to a Google Earth .kml from a recent inferred flight.
http://ftp.nifc.gov/incident_specific_data/calif_n/!CALFIRE/2015_Incidents/CA-LNU-008670_Valley/IR/20150913/
Thank you. Added it and another map. See the links in the first paragraphs.
God Bless you for all you’re doing providing such constant and accurate updates and links!!
Do we know the cause of the fire?
I haven’t read anything about the initial source although I have read that someone tried to set a fire that then jumped the line they made, and also that embers are spreading rapidly, causing more fires.
“Harbin is gone” is a bit misleading, as some of the buildings, like the temple which has a cobb base, may have survived, and surely the hot springs are still there, maybe the springs are buried in debris but the land and waters remain. So, I’d like to get clear on how much of Harbin is gone? “The earth remains, it is us, it is us, that may not.. ” a quote from John Trudell circa 1980.
No one knows for sure, as it is still too hot to go recon that area. As soon as it is safe from downed power lines, snags falling, etc., damage assessment crews will be out there. I know it’s a special place to a lot of folks, but be patient..
Needed a remodel anyway. That is about the only silver lining I can think of. No wait,…my wife just said it was remodeled. So sorry for the victims of this natural disaster.
https://twitter.com/kurtisalexander
Video and pix of the devastation at Harbin
One of the fires that burned into the main one, was caused by a citizen trying to start his own backfire. It ended jumping the main fire into a whole new area. He was arrested. DON’T light a backfire, you can burn people up, destroy more homes, and kill Firefighters. Let trained, equipped, organized Fire personnel make that kind of decision…
Again? They arrested someone for doing that a month or so ago.
Backfires can be tricky. Firefighters have backfires get away from them, also. They don’t get arrested when that happens. Why should someone else? It is hard to blame someone for trying to defend their home, and I don’t think that “let the professionals handle it” is necessarily the best policy when you are in an emergency. That advice simply creates a populace which can not do anything for itself. Remember that murder in New York some years back where dozens, perhaps hundreds of people were nearby and could hear the screams of the woman being killed, but none of them did anything? That’s not the kind of community I want to live in. I don’t know the facts of this backfire attempt, and I can imagine circumstances in which it might be criminal. But if you go through the RHBB archives you’ll find that some people on Route 36 set successful backfires a few weeks ago, and possibly prevented the fire from jumping the road. They were not arrested. Nor did they get medals of honor (yet).
Yes they did keep the fire on the south side of 36. One is a good friend who has been through fire years ago. Kudos to them…..
My thoughts exactly.
No, the people on Hwy 36 on South Fork Mountain did not light a backfire, I was on that fire, They held it with water, at the top of South Fork where it crosses 36. .They had water tenders, and ATV’s…and were at the TOP of a mountain, not the bottom… Lighting a backfire, without radios to know where everyone else is, a current map to know where the houses are, and the training to make it pull left, pull right, backing fire, ring fire, or strip fire, takes years to learn how to do safely. This is not just lighting the bottom of a hill. if you think that, you are encouraging part of the larger problem. This person did not “defend his home” , he lit the fire on the wrong side of the road, letting it cross a road that may have held. He caused multiple homes to burn. If people want to know how to save their homes before a fire, join a Firesafe council, do brush removal, Join the local Volunteer Fire Departments. This is like telling someone its ok to operate on their childs’ brain with no training, because it will “Help”. It doesn’t. Believe me, Ive been in wildland Fire over 30 years. Unauthorized backfires cause firefighters MORE work, and take them away from higher priority things, like saving houses…Since Law Enforcement is strapped now, would you encourage untrained people to arm themselves and patrol the fire to be Police? Backfiring is a tool for trained and experienced firefighters to use, not a save-all that anyone can do effectively and safely..
Since setting unauthorized backfires is a FELONY, if you are convicted of that, and someone has died in the fire, you could conceivably end up with involuntary manslaughter charges as well under California laws…
Something to think about when you are “Helping” the fire by lighting one…
Anyone know anything about Dry Creek Road/Cutoff? Is Twin Pines Casino standing?
saw a video on bay area news station from twin pines parking lot and fire all around it . nothing more and no idea what survived
i hate waiting on the ” OFFICIAL ” report . i know its early but they know and just not saying
Thanks, if you hear anything please update… wondering about our property off Dry Creek, no one was there when this started thank God.
Just read about cadaver dogs being sent out to some areas. This is the worst fire yet.
I am quite scared at this point.
I have heard that, too. But no confirmed information. Please, if you find it, let me know. {Edit: News Organizations are reporting this now.]
Thank-you Kym for all the info, I am in NYS but my brother, sister-in-law and their four little ones live on Greenridge in Hidden Valley Lake, but were at their campsite above Willits when the fire started. They were unaware until I notified them. They only have text communication so I have been monitoring and updating them from here, your info and this site is invaluable, at this point we are reasonably assured their home is still standing and all of her family members are on their way to them from Middletown. They were becoming concerned because all the smoke is reaching them there at the cabin, but there are no fires near as far as I can see. I just spent a week with them in August, so sad for all the losses, words cannot express.
Just came in: 1 dead. Sadly, I think there will be more. http://www.newser.com/article/e2066f0ad023458dbd8b3580a28ef256/the-latest-california-wildfire-leaves-1-dead-400-homes-and-businesses-destroyed.html
I think you might be right but so far Cal Fire won’t confirm. AP put out a story that multiple news agencies picked up saying one fatality but…Cal Fire’s Chief spokesperson refused to confirm it.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205241691185088&set=a.1961313715774.2101192.1330768108&type=1
Really changes my outlook for the day. Hard to imagine the grief/horror/terror going on in Lake county. Best wishes to all.
Thank-you very much Kym for the coverage.
I have not yet been able to view the most recent google earth map. Does anyone know if the communities of Cobb Mountain and Whispering Pines were burned?
Downtown made it but many structures gone in the town edges.
Hollie, this map has the basics. It follows pretty closely what we have heard on the scanner. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.785801,-122.554182&z=12&t=h,MODIS_thermal,Wind_in_6_hrs,Fires&q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/fires/wildland_fires_basic.txt
when will this end?
After a week of good, hard, heavy rain, then months of cleanup
Thanks for an updates. Most news about Middletown. Any news on the situation in Cobb? Does anybody knows the website or numbers to call to find out when people can come back or find information about the property?
best news i’ve found on the fire is from kym and her followers and helpers on this story and previous fire story . or maybe bay area tv stations online
i live here and the best i’ve found is kym for my local fire and she is over a hundred miles away
I agree. The Lost Coast Outpost has nothing at all about this.
Lester Holt was reporting on it, why cant LOCO
Hi
Middletown is my boyfriends town and all though we are living in BC canada I would still like to donate some money to help is any way needed. Is there a gofundme page?
Thanks,
Katie and Casey.
The Press Democrat is all over this as well. Aircraft have been grounded.
Just another note of appreciation of Kym, to add to the mountainous pile.
thankyou for the valley fire coverage. only souce i could get to early today. you’re news coverage now and and the near past are becoming legendary around here
.
If you follow the fire spread back to Cobb Valley, Off Bottle Rock Rd., near Alder Creek, the burn pattern points like an arrow to where it most likely started, right next to what appears to be some pot gardens right next to the timber there…
interesting if true
Just look at the fire map, trace the yellow fire progression back North until it stops at a point. That’s the fire’s origin. It’s like a backwards arrow pointing where it started. Zoom in and look around on that map.
Fires burn in a reverse cone pattern, that is, they spread as they go. A fire like this one points right to the origin area. Look at the pic. What do you see in the area?
Valley Fire – Here is an updated online map link.
Online fire map version 3 centered on the Valley fire:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.772822,-122.594376&z=11&t=h,MODIS_from_GeoMAC,Fire_perimeter&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/USA/USA_wildland_fire_3.txt
The old version of the map shown in the 12:30 update includes some wind forecast layers that no longer work.
To tell which version of the map you are looking at, click the basemap button (next to the “Menu” button) and look at the list of “Overlays”. Version 3 of the map says “Fire_perimeter” as the 4th entry in the Overlay list.
Joseph
my daughter is there. She helped evacuate animals and people. So many homes lost.
just heard on scanner , fire burning near geothermal electric producing plants on lake / sonoma county border , west of cobb mt. employees asking if they should evacuate . im listening to sheriff scanner on evacuations and everything else on scanner
if the winds picking up I would get the hell out of there don’t wait for word its ok…
I would NOT wait until someone tells you to leave if you feel unsafe. There aren’t enough Fire folks there yet to know if everyone is safe or not. Use common sense, Pack up, leave, you can always come back in later if it didn’t get hot there.
Latest on Losses: 1000 + homes lost…
CalFire’s Cpt. Richard Cordova tells up to 1k homes destroyed in Middletown. #ValleyFire pic.twitter.com/KmmJkzaqmT
Two trustworthy organizations who will send 100% of your monetary donations to help the fire victims are: Mendocino Coast Childrens Fund: http://www.mccf.info and Redwood Credit Union. Although the Childrens Fund is on the Mendocino Coast, they care about our neighbors and all donations from September will go to help Lake County fire victims. See their Facebook Page.
This web site has a list of ways people can support those affected.
http://www.lovelakecounty.org
Desperate for a more recent burn area map. The latest seems to be midday Sunday.
This one appears to coincide pretty closely with what we are hearing on the scanner. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.785801,-122.554182&z=12&t=h,MODIS_thermal,Wind_in_6_hrs,Fires&q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/fires/wildland_fires_basic.txt
Thanks for using the Google/GIS fire map I produced.
Please update your link to version 3 of the map:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.772286,-122.612915&z=11&t=m,MODIS_from_GeoMAC,Fire_perimeter&q=http://www.propertylinemaps.com/p/public_land_map/USA/USA_wildland_fire_3.txt
Joseph
This is a Facebook group for those affected and to share info to help those affected
https://www.facebook.com/groups/175238412809869/
Pay It Forward Humboldt has already sent a van down with supplies to help out. Also Red Cross with the designation for the specific fire ensures your donation goes where you want it to go. Thank you for the excellent up to date coverage Kym. Prayers out to all who lost so very much. Sad days indeed.
Anyone know if bottle rock power plant is burn too???? Please we need info. Thanks
[…] 62 Square Miles of Lake County Devastated by Fire […]
[…] 62 Square Miles of Lake County Devastated by Fire […]
[…] 62 Square Miles of Lake County Devastated by Fire […]
[…] 62 Square Miles of Lake County Devastated by Fire […]
[…] 62 Square Miles of Lake County Devastated by Fire […]