California declares state of emergency over wildfires
Chrissy Pierce of Windsor, Calif., puts the last of her family’s belongings into her vehicle as she prepares to evacuate from the threat of the Kincade Fire on Saturday. The entire communities of Healdsburg and Windsor were ordered to evacuate ahead of strong winds that could lead to erratic fire behavior near the blaze burning in wine country. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office said it would be the biggest evacuation in the county in more than 25 years.
SANTA ROSA, California —
California’s governor declared a statewide emergency with nearly 200,000 people ordered to flee their homes because of wildfires fueled by historic winds, while millions were without electricity after the largest utility cut power in some areas as a precaution to prevent other fires.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that officials are deploying “every resource available” to respond to the wildfires, including a large blaze in Northern California’s wine country driven by powerful winds.
Smoke from a second wildfire in the San Francisco Bay Area briefly halted traffic on a bridge. The flames came dangerously close to homes in Vallejo. In the south, a wildfire in the Santa Clarita area near Los Angeles has destroyed 18 structures, threatened homes and critical infrastructure.
The biggest evacuation was in Sonoma County where 180,000 people were told to pack up and leave.
The fear that the winds could blow embers and spread fire across a major highway prompted authorities to expand evacuation orders that covered parts of Santa Rosa, a city of 175,000 that was devastated by a wildfire two years ago. The latest evacuation orders came after Pacific Gas & Electric shut off power to 2.3 million people across 36 counties starting Saturday evening.
“This is the largest evacuation that any of us ... can remember,” the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office tweeted Sunday morning. “Take care of each other.”
Hundreds of people arrived at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa throughout the night and into Sunday morning. Some came from
Flames from a backfire, lit by firefighters to slow the spread of the Kincade Fire, burn a hillside in unincorporated Sonoma County, Calif., near Geyservillle, on Saturday. senior care facilities. More over Healdsburg and Windsor than 300 people slept inside and into Santa Rosa, that’s a an auditorium filled with cots little overwhelming and scary,” and wheeled beds. Scores of she said. “You don’t want it to others stayed in a separate be that big.” building with their pets. The Healdsburg area lost
Among them was Maribel one of its historic attractions Cruz, 19, who packed up her to the flames Sunday when dog, four cats and fish as soon embers carried by the winds as she was told to flee from her sparked a blaze that engulfed trailer in the town of Windsor, the Soda Rock Winery whose which is about 60 miles buildings included a general north of San Francisco. She store and post office founded also grabbed a neighbor’s cat. in 1869. The winery was about
“I’m just nervous since I grew 10 miles outside the town of up in Windsor,” she said. “I’m Healdsburg. hoping the wind cooperates.” The Kincade Fire began
Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Wednesday night and is only Essick pleaded with residents 10% contained, the California in the evacuation zone that Department of Forestry and stretched from the wine country Fire Protection said Sunday. It to Bodega Bay on the coast has burned 47 square miles and to get out immediately, citing has destroyed 79 structures. the 24 lives lost when fire Fire officials said about swept through the region in 30,000 firefighters took an October 2017. aggressive stance overnight to
“Although I’ve heard people keep the fire from spreading. express concerns that we are The fire was expected to be evacuating too many people, especially unwieldly Sunday I think those concerns are not due to powerful winds gusting valid at this point,” Essick said at up to 80 mph on hillsides. at a news conference Sunday, The wind event was expected noting that the winds pushed to last until Monday, the National fire toward the towns of HealdsWeather Service said. burg and Windsor overnight. Fire officials said the winds
Dani Foster, of Santa Rosa, could potentially spark spot fires went to the fairgrounds after up to a mile away. They feared moving only about a mile every that if it crosses U.S. 101, the hour in a traffic jam on the fire could spread westward to freeway headed out of town. an area that hasn’t had a fire
“To think of (the fire) coming in 80 years.
MONDAY
Toastmasters of Rome meets at the Rome-floyd County Library, 205 Riverside Parkway, on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6 p.m. Visit romegeorgia.toastmastersclubs.org for more information.
Senior Gospel Singers meet every Monday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Charles C. Parker Senior Center, 1325 Kingston Highway, and every Thursday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Shannon Scout Hut in Shag Williams Park, 40 Minshew Road, Shannon. For more information call Charles Patterson at 706-676-4445.
Floyd County- Rome Chapter 95 of Disabled American Veterans will be having our monthly meeting on Monday, 2019 with a free dinner starting at 5 p.m., with our meeting to follow at 6 p.m. Our meeting location is at Brookdale Senior Living Solutions. It’s located at 180 Woodrow Wilson Way, right behind the Harbin Clinic opposite Redmond Hospital on Redmond Rd. All Veterans are invited to attend. We discuss current changes in VA benefits and legislation. We look forward to seeing you all there. Come out and enjoy the comradely with other veterans. Any questions please call Chapter Commander Art Cook at 334208-2736.
The Rome Noon Optimist Club is pleased to welcome Mr. Earl Tillman as their guest speaker Monday at 11:45 AM at the State Mutual Stadium restaurant. Mr. Tillman is a well known humorist and motivational speaker. RNOC invites all interested to join us for lunch and the program Mr. Tillman will present.