Fijian Families Find safety as Kincade Fire Lashes Sonoma County, California
AFiji-born Tongan has taken in three Fijian families as the Kincade Fire continues to burn in Sonoma County, California.
Norma Cecelia Blake, who grew up in Lautoka and now resides in Santa Rosa, yesterday opened her home to the Salato, Levula and Bevu families.
While her home is not far from the path of the fire, it is safe for now.
“I’m at my home with some Fijian caregivers waiting to be told to leave if the fire draws too close,” she said.
“Thousands of families were told to leave the area where we live and most homes now have no power at all.
“I still have power where I live but strong winds are expected so we are waiting to see what will happen next. The fire has been spreading around the areas that we live close to,” she added. Yesterday California’s governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency. This prompted mass evacuations.
Ms Blake has lived in the USA for 20 years and is now a citizen. She works as a caregiver. “The two ladies that I help are in a safe place and we have been told not to fight the fire.”
Ms Blake said the evacuation centres were about 35 miles away. “The authorities are getting people as far away from the fire because of the strong winds that will be hitting us again tonight and those strong winds remind me of hurricanes in Fiji,” she said The Washington Post reported that in Sonoma, one of the largest evacuations in the county’s history was underway as ferocious winds and dry air fuelled a wildfire that has raged in the region for days.
Evacuation orders remained in place for more than 180,000 people as the Kincade Fire spread to more than 54,000 acres the Post reported. Fast-moving flames have consumed 94 buildings since the fire began last week.
No deaths have been reported, but two firefighters were burned, officials said.