Extra

Northern California Tuesday Midday News Roundup

Dan McMenamin (BCN)
Tuesday October 10, 2017 - 12:37:00 PM

At least nine people have died and at least 1,500 structures and tens of thousands of acres have burned in several wildfires that sparked in the North Bay late Sunday and continue to burn without containment today. 

The Tubbs Fire, which started off of state Highway 128 and Bennett Lane near Calistoga and spread to destroy many homes in Santa Rosa and elsewhere, has burned 27,000 acres as of this morning, while the Atlas Fire that started off of Atlas Peak Road south of Lake Berryessa has burned 25,000 acres, according to Cal Fire. 

The Nuns Fire off of state Highway 12 north of Glen Ellen in Sonoma County had burned 5,000 acres this morning, and the 37 Fire off of state Highway 37 and Lakeville Highway in Sonoma County had burned 2,000 acres and was 40 percent contained. 

The Partrick Fire, which started off of Partrick Road west of Napa, has burned an estimated 1,000 acres this morning, while the Pocket Fire off of Pocket Ranch and Ridge Ranch roads near Geyserville in Sonoma County had burned 500 acres, Cal Fire officials said. 

Many areas of Sonoma and Napa counties are still under mandatory evacuation orders, and flames from the Atlas Fire also prompted evacuations in western Solano County near the areas of Green Valley Road and Suisun Valley Road. 

"There's a lot of devastation that's gone on," Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann said at a news conference this morning. 

Napa County Sheriff John Robertson released the names of two elderly people who were found dead in the area of the Atlas Fire. Charles and Sara Rippey, 100 and 98, died and "our thoughts are certainly with the family at this time," Robertson said. 

At least seven people died in Sonoma County, but county officials are not yet releasing their names. 

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors was briefed this morning on the damage to their county and discussed what one supervisor called "woefully inadequate" communication to county residents about the fire. 

Sonoma County sheriff's officials said 25,000 people have been evacuated, and they have received about 150 missing persons reports. 

Sonoma County Assistant Fire Marshal Andrew Parsons said 4,991 people are living in 34 evacuation centers that can accommodate 9,157 people, and 51,000 people are without power. 

Board member David Rabbitt said the county's effort to provide information about the fires was "woefully inadequate," and other board members agreed. 

"We had a press conference at 5 p.m. Monday. It should have been at 10 a.m.," Rabbitt said. 

"I got a call from Sen. (Dianne) Feinstein and I had no information to give her. We need to work on the poor communication," Rabbitt said. 

California Highway Patrol aircraft have rescued 44 people, all but two before Monday afternoon in the initial hours of the fires. 

They also have used the public address system on their aircraft to warn residents of the need to evacuate, and in some cases landed near homes under threat from the fire to provide notification. 

"A lot of people didn't know they needed to be evacuated, so we landed and expedited the process for them," Flight Officer Paramedic Shawn Bouyea said. 

Due to ongoing fires in the Santa Rosa area, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Division of Drinking water, the Sonoma County Health Department and the city of Santa Rosa Water System issued a boil water notice late Monday night for residents of the Fountain Grove area. 

The warning means residents should use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution until further notice. 

City officials said the warning only applies to residents who live east of Mendocino Avenue, north of Chanate Road, west of Fountain Grove Parkway and south of Mark West Springs Road, or residents who are experiencing little or no water pressure. 

Biermann urged patience for Napa County evacuees who might want to return to their homes, saying crews still need to secure utilities and vegetation in the fire-damaged neighborhoods. 

"It's a process we've already started to work on," he said. "We ask that people please be patient, the fires are still out there." 

Biermann also urged people to not use any drones in fire areas since that will prevent firefighters from flying to put out the flames. 

Many Napa County evacuees have gone to shelters set up at places like the Napa Valley College gym at 1088 College Ave. in St. Helena and the CrossWalk Community Church at 2590 First St. in Napa. 

A list of evacuation areas and shelters in Sonoma County can be found at https://srcity.org/610/Emergency-Information. 

* * * 

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors was briefed this morning on the devastation caused by the 27,000-acre Tubbs Fire that has claimed seven lives in the county and discussed what one supervisor called "woefully inadequate" communication to county residents about the fire. 

Sonoma County Assistant Fire Marshal Andrew Parsons said the Army National Guard was flying over the county this morning to get updated information about the extent of destruction. 

The fire started around 9:45 p.m. Sunday off state Highway 128 and Bennett Lane in Calistoga. Fierce sustained winds drove the fire west to Santa Rosa, causing the worst damage in the north county and in northwest and northeast Santa Rosa where mandatory evacuations remain in effect. 

As of 10:30 a.m. today, the Tubbs Fire has destroyed 550 residential structures and 21 commercial structures, according to Cal Fire. 

Cal Fire assumed control over operations of the Tubbs Fire at 7 a.m. today, Parsons said. 

Sonoma County sheriff's officials said 25,000 people have been evacuated, and they have received about 150 missing persons reports. 

Parsons said 4,991 people are living in 34 evacuation centers that can accommodate 9,157 people, and 51,000 people are without power. 

Board members expressed concern about the effects the temporary closures of Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center and Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital are having on local health clinics and the ability of patients to renew their prescriptions. 

Board member David Rabbitt said the county's effort to provide information about the fires was "woefully inadequate," and other board members agreed. 

"We had a press conference at 5 p.m. Monday. It should have been at 10 a.m.," Rabbitt said. 

"I got a call from Sen. (Dianne) Feinstein and I had no information to give her. We need to work on the poor communication," Rabbitt said. 

Another news conference is at 1 p.m., but the location has not been confirmed, County Administrator Sheryl Bratton said. 

* * * 

Three large wildfires are continuing to burn in Napa County without any containment this morning, county officials said at a news conference. 

The Tubbs Fire, which started off of state Highway 128 and Bennett Lane near Calistoga, has burned 27,000 acres as of this morning, while the Atlas Fire that started Sunday night off of Atlas Peak Road south of Lake Berryessa has burned 25,000 acres, according to Cal Fire. 

The Partrick Fire, which started off of Partrick Road west of Napa, has burned an estimated 1,000 acres this morning. 

County officials, speaking at a 9 a.m. news conference today, said all three fires remain at 0 percent containment. 

"There's a lot of devastation that's gone on," Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann said. 

Sheriff John Robertson released the names of two elderly people who were found dead in the area of the Atlas Fire. 

Charles and Sara Rippey, 100 and 98, died and "our thoughts are certainly with the family at this time," Robertson said. 

About 27,000 PG&E customers are without power in the county, and many evacuees have gone to shelters set up at places like the Napa Valley College gym at 1088 College Ave. in St. Helena and the CrossWalk Community Church at 2590 First St. in Napa. 

Biermann urged patience for evacuees who might want to return to their homes, saying crews still need to secure utilities and vegetation in the fire-damaged neighborhoods. 

"It's a process we've already started to work on," he said. "We ask that people please be patient, the fires are still out there." 

Biermann also urged people to not use any drones in fire areas since that will prevent firefighters from flying to put out the flames. 

County residents are encouraged to register at www.safeandwell.org to let their loved ones know they are safe. Residents can also check the county's website and social media channels for updates on the fire. 

* * * 

With flames burning nearby early Monday, about 130 patients from Kaiser Permanente's Santa Rosa Medical Center were safely evacuated and transported to other hospitals in the region. 

Kaiser Permanente officials said today that the patients were moved out by about 6 a.m. Monday, with the majority taken to Kaiser's hospital in San Rafael and others taken to facilities in San Francisco, Oakland and elsewhere. 

The Tubbs Fire, which started near Calistoga but spread to Santa Rosa and has burned at least 25,000 acres as of this morning, destroyed the Journey's End mobile home park at 3575 Mendocino Ave., located just north of the Kaiser hospital at 401 Bicentennial Way. 

The interior of the Kaiser medical center in Santa Rosa remains closed. All routine and pre-scheduled procedures and appoints for today at the Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and Mercury Way medical offices have been canceled. 

Kaiser patients needing to be seen for a medical problem can visit walk-up urgent care in Rohnert Park, while people are also can use video visits and telephone appointments for primary care needs. Anyone with questions about appointments can call (866) 454-8855. 

Kaiser officials said their pharmacies in Santa Rosa and Napa are closed today, but their pharmacies in San Rafael, Petaluma and Novato remain open. 

* * * 

A K-8 school in Solano County is closed today because of the 25,000-acre Atlas Fire that has prompted evacuations of some parts of the county. 

Jas Bains Wright, principal of Suisun Valley K-8 school located at 4985 Lambert Road north of Fairfield, wrote in a letter posted on the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District's website about the closure. 

The Atlas Fire, which started around 9:20 p.m. Sunday off Atlas Peak Road south of Lake Berryessa in Napa County, prompted mandatory evacuation orders for parts of west Solano County on Monday, according to Fairfield police. 

Residents along Joyce Lane and Twin Sisters Road are evacuating northwest of Fairfield, as well as areas along Green Valley Road and parts of Suisun Valley Road. 

"Given the severity of the fire, and its impacts on the roads surrounding our school, in cooperation with Solano County Office of Emergency Services, the District has made the determination that we need to cancel school," Wright said. 

Suisun Valley K-8 is the only school in the district closed today. School officials said to check social media feeds and the district's website for any updates on the school's status. 

* * * 

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit is continuing free, limited service today between downtown Santa Rosa and downtown San Rafael during the wildfires that have devastated the North Bay. 

Southbound service began at 5:10 a.m. from the Santa Rosa downtown station and northbound service from San Rafael began at 6:29 a.m. SMART will run 28 trips today. 

Power outages and closed railroad crossings in northern Santa Rosa related to the fires have closed the Santa Rosa Airport and North Santa Rosa stations today. 

More information on the SMART schedule is available at www.SonomaMarinTrain.org. 

* * * 

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is issuing a smoke advisory for the second straight day today because of smoke from multiple wildfires that continue to burn in the North Bay. 

Winds have blown the smoke from fires in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties throughout the region, according to the air district. 

Bay Area residents should limit outdoor activities if they smell smoke and should set air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate so outside air does not move inside, district officials said. 

Children, the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses are particularly sensitive to elevated pollution levels and should take extra precautions. 

* * * 

A person died and a number of residents were displaced in a one-alarm residential structure fire burning in a two-story Richmond duplex early this morning, a fire captain said. 

Richmond Fire Department crews responded to the blaze in the 300 block of South 35th Street around 2:10 a.m., according to Capt. Rico Rincon. 

"The residents on the second floor, because of their smoke alarms, were notified and they self evacuated," Rincon said. "They were out front when we arrived." 

Most or all of the damage occurred on the first floor, where the fatality occurred, but there was sufficient smoke damage on the second floor so the upstairs residents were displaced. 

The cause of the fire, the full extent of the damage and the identity of the decedent all remain under investigation. 

On Monday, the Richmond Fire Department sent an engine to join a strike team protecting structures in the North Bay, where at least nine people have lost their lives and more than 1,500 structures have been destroyed, but Rincon said that doesn't compromise the department's ability to respond to emergencies. 

"One of the things we do here is fill those positions so we still have a full complement of resources within the department," Rincon said. "We want to make sure we have the same level of protection, regardless." 

* * * 

Firefighters extinguished a two-alarm fire early this morning at an apartment building in Pleasant Hill, fire officials said. 

According to a Contra Costa County Fire Protection District dispatcher, the blaze was first reported at 10:49 p.m. Monday on Camelback Road near Diablo Valley College. 

The scene was cleared at 1:45 a.m. today, the dispatcher said. Further details were not immediately available. 

* * * 

A 6-year-old child abducted from San Leandro on Monday has been safely located, according to the California Highway Patrol. 

Malayia Davis-Booker was allegedly abducted by 34-year-old Laquita Davis, according to the CHP. 

The CHP issued an Amber Alert for Alameda and Contra Costa counties just before 1 a.m. today. It was deactivated around 10 a.m. 

The CHP did not provide any additional information about how the incident was resolved or where Davis-Booker was found. 

* * * 

A small vegetation fire reported in San Rafael this morning has been fully contained and may be suspicious in nature because a person was seen running from the scene, fire officials said. 

San Rafael fire officials initially wrote on Twitter at 8:37 a.m. about the 1-acre fire off of Professional Center Parkway. 

As of 9:05 a.m., the fire had been fully contained. Fire officials are asking residents to call 911 if they have any information about the male seen running from the scene. 

* * * 

Police tracked down and detained teen carjacking suspects who stole a vehicle and then crashed it in San Francisco, police said Monday night. 

At 11:48 p.m., San Francisco police announced on Twitter that the teens had stolen an SUV, then crashed it at Third Street and Burke Avenue in the city's Bayview District. The suspects then ran from the scene, police said. 

Officers later tracked down the suspects. One of them had suffered injuries in the crash, police said. 

Further details about the case were not immediately available. 

* * * 

Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo has urged county residents who were at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival shooting in Las Vegas to reach out to his office for possible compensation for lost wages, medical bills, funeral expenses and mental health treatment. 

According to the district attorney's office, residents might eligible for reimbursement even if they weren't injured in the attack. The shooting on Oct. 1 has been cited as the largest mass shooting in modern American history, as shooter Stephen Paddock killed 59 people -- including himself -- and injured more than 500. 

Those who wish to apply can call the district attorney's victim's unit at (831) 755-5072. Flippo also encouraged those who attended the festival but haven't yet had any expenses related to the shooting to apply in case they have expenses in the future. 

The FBI is still compiling a list of people who were at the festival during the shooting. Those still needing to add their name to the list can visit https://forms.fbi.gov/seeking-victims-of-las-vegas-music-festival-shooting. 

Those looking to offer information on the attack and searching for more resources for victims can visit https://www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-assistance/seeking-victim-information/assistance-for-victims-of-the-harvest-music-festival-shooting-in-las-vegas.