Raging Wildfire Smoke Over Sonoma County

Here's the view of smoky Sunday skies over Sonoma County and Northern Marin as snapped from the top of the vineyard this morning.

Some 400 wildfires are reportedly raging across the steep, grassy, bone dry terrain of Northern California this weekend, following several days of extreme and steamy early summer temperatures.

The smoke that we can smell inside the house this weekend is being sucked across county lines from some 3,500 acres of burning prime vineyard property in neighboring Napa Valley.

By the time the boys went upstairs to bed last night, their bathroom was filled with a dense cloak of smoke which had smuggled like a thug through an open window. There's an eerie atmosphere enveloping Northern California communities, as residents such as ourselves are keeping a close eye on the safety and security of open spaces.

Many neighbors are not wasting a minute in escaping out to the beach for some respite, yet the oceanic breezes of the Pacific are packing a slight punch over Sonoma County today, as temperatures are gradually climbing back down into the comfortable 80s.

Over 150 homes were evacuated over the hills into Fairfield, a notoriously windy, hot, sticky, slightly more  central valley community positioned between wine country and Sacramento.

These are the perils of life in paradise. Wildfire, floods, earthquakes. Keeping an emergency supply in the garage is a good idea for times of extreme natural disaster. Although we seem to be fairly safe so close to the coast on this occasion, all it takes is a foolishly discarded cigarette to set off a massive blaze. Certainly no campfires in the covered pit this week.

Off to Brian's annual Cherry Picking Party tonight. We might need to don gas masks to complete the technical operation of this gastronomic event. Actually, there is one hanging on the end of oldest son's bed. Right by the side of a vintage life jacket. Haven't ever asked him about the logic of his eclectic bedroom decor. Maybe it's because he's a Californian born and bred. Natural disaster preparedness being in-bred!

Monday Update: News this morning is that neighboring Mendocino County to the North is now incredibly under siege from out of control wildfires. Lightning-sparked blazes are the culprit, according to up-to-date media reports throughout the region. Grassland, conifer and oak forests are on fire in areas which have not seen this type of devastation in the last quarter century. Marin County firetrucks were filling up with water from hydrants in our quiet hillside neigborhood as I made my way home from the cherry picking party late last night. Not sure where they were heading, North or East, but no doubt all fire trucks in the region are on full-throttle right now. Do we have enough water supply for this scale of a regional wildfire season?

Comments

[Jan]

Hi Frances,

I saw your post on Expatmum's blog and thought I'd pop by and say hello.

Amazingly, I used to live close by you in Solano county. Small world, init? Was there for 4 years, in a little place called Benicia. I now live in NE Oklahoma.

Sorry to hear about the wildfires, I hope you and your family are all safe. We are still dodging tornadoes here, but hopefully things will settle down soon.

[Frances]

Sweet little city, Benecia - though no doubt the Fairfield fires made for a pretty smoky weekend down by the Bay. Do you mis the Bay Area, Jan? Now you must have to deal with tornado weather.

[Lesley]

Just got back into town from our short Tahoe vacation. Have to tell you that the smoke from the fires was clearly visible all over the Lake. We were wondering what the thick blanket of smog was when we were packing up this morning, turned on the news and heard the fires were in Napa. Thankfully they seemed to be all out, or under control by the time I reached that particular area on the drive home.

[Frances]

Good thing that Tahoe was spared this time at least - don't think there would be enough resources to go around, with over 800 fires now blazing from Big Sur in the South to Humboldt County in the North. Over 600 firefighters are in the front line as I write. It's intense.

[Jan]

I have been reading about all the fires in Northern California following the lightening strikes. Glad to know Tahoe was spared, it is a beautiful area. But then then there are many beautiful areas in N Cal.

I have to say that Benicia was one of the nicest places I've lived. The thing I miss most about California is the ocean. I'm now just about as far away from the sea as I can be.

But I also love Oklahoma, and like the changing seasons, but I hate the hot, humid summer months.

[Suzanne]

So much smoke! Hard to breathe. Cough, cough. Send lots of good thoughts to the brave men and women fighting the fires. Could be a long season!