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Old 10-10-2017, 02:12 PM
Dirk Hofman Dirk Hofman is offline
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Default Fires in Northern California – Sonoma and Napa Counties

There's a real tragedy burning up in Sonoma and Napa counties, some fires raged through the area Sunday night, destroying many dense neighborhoods in Santa Rosa and surrounding towns. East winds (offshore) fueld the fires, which started at about 10:00 PM, and by 3:00 AM much damage had been done and many evacuated. So far 11 dead and untold property damage. The toll is sure to rise as they scour the burned areas. Really, really makes me sad.

So many players and luthiers in that general area, I hope everyone on this forum is OK and has not lost property. Cell service is out so I don't know that we would know. The Luther Burbank Center for the Performing Arts, where the Healdsburg Guitar Festival was held for several years was heavily damaged. Terrible.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/a...smtyp=cur&_r=0

Starting to poke around and see if there's anything I can do. Plan to head up this weekend if I can. Please post any news about volunteer opportunities if you come across it. I found this which has a couple of volunteer links.

http://www.sfgate.com/local/article/...a-12264095.php

So sad for all those folks who have lost so much.
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Old 10-10-2017, 02:28 PM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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One suggestion... After going through a house fire myself.

If you can offer people a place to stay.. Even for a couple days - its a huge help.

Often - you are in shock and the whole "What now" piece takes your brain a few days to its hands around..... Often folks don't have cash money or even important documents... Frequently only whatever clothes and items they could stuff into the car on the way out...

But you need a bed... A shower... A yard to walk the dog... Tonight! And a place to stop and get your brain organized/plan together/etc.
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Old 10-10-2017, 03:08 PM
Dirk Hofman Dirk Hofman is offline
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Yep, great call. Looking for places that can connect me with folks who need help. I'm 2 hours south, so we'll see if it's practical.
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Old 10-10-2017, 03:28 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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I hadn't heard about these fires until just now with this thread and for the first time it has just been mentioned on BBC TV news - I suppose this is because of other world news stories at present.

I have just gone onto Facebook to see how my friends in San Francisco are faring - apparently many are suffering breathing problems from the smoke.

Fires, flood, earthquakes, hurricanes - all terrible things that show us how fragile humans are compared to nature.

It must be awful to lose homes, property, and worst, lives through such events - almost as bad as being the victims in war zones.

Are the fires due to hot weather and drought or is human activity suspected?

Keep safe everybody.
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Last edited by Silly Moustache; 10-10-2017 at 03:35 PM.
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Old 10-10-2017, 04:25 PM
Dirk Hofman Dirk Hofman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silly Moustache View Post
I hadn't heard about these fires until just now with this thread and for the first time it has just been mentioned on BBC TV news - I suppose this is because of other world news stories at present.

I have just gone onto Facebook to see how my friends in San Francisco are faring - apparently many are suffering breathing problems from the smoke.

Fires, flood, earthquakes, hurricanes - all terrible things that show us how fragile humans are compared to nature.

It must be awful to lose homes, property, and worst, lives through such events - almost as bad as being the victims in war zones.

Are the fires due to hot weather and drought or is human activity suspected?

Keep safe everybody.
No info yet that I've seen on why they started, but the relatively rare and powerful offshore winds (Diablo winds here, Santa Ana winds down south) happen in the fall, and are the reason they were so destructive. Hot, dry, and around 60mph, they spread small fires into firestorms. Our typical weather pattern is off the ocean, with much more moisture in the air and cooler temps.

http://www.businessinsider.com/santa...-winds-2017-10
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Old 10-10-2017, 04:27 PM
Rodger Knox Rodger Knox is offline
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I got an email a little while ago that Allied Lutherie has closed due to the fires.
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Old 10-10-2017, 04:36 PM
Dirk Hofman Dirk Hofman is offline
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Before and after of one of the neighborhoods. Gut-wrenching. I'm really stunned at the devastation.



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Old 10-10-2017, 05:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman View Post
Before and after of one of the neighborhoods. Gut-wrenching. I'm really stunned at the devastation.



Simply Incomprehensible. Having just gone through Irma in Florida, we had days to prepare, gather important papers, secure important items. I can not imagine the speed of destruction which these folks have gone through. Very sad.
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Old 10-10-2017, 05:32 PM
jpd jpd is offline
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Default Fires

My wife is at the Solano County command center for Health and Social Services. Just told me the fire is breaching and area close to GreenValley Hoping the winds don't pick up, but already it's beginning to gust and the wind direction is changing. Friend of mine is dropping off his guitars and heading out towards TwainHeart. It's hard to breath with the thick ash, smoke. I thought Montana was a bad fire...this is something else!
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Old 10-11-2017, 10:42 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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I just found this thread. I live in the North Bay just south and west of the fires. It has been a couple of very stressful days with many displaced people and loss of many homes. Thanks for starting this thread, Dirk, as community is what will get us through this. As I mentioned in another thread, I have a forum member staying with me (lots of guitars strewn about the house!) and it really is all about friends neighbors helping each other as best we can.

One heartwarming story:
I was in a local hardware store buying respirator masks for some neighbors and friends as the air quality is very bad. There were about 16 people in line for the masks that had just been taken off of the delivery truck. 2 people there had completely lost their homes, another 3 had been evacuated and still did not know the status of their homes, one fellow's wife had just returned from Las Vegas where she had narrowly survived the shooting and now they were in danger of losing their home. When the masks arrived, it wasn't clear if there was enough to go around (they were in boxes of ten each). People gathered together and we made sure everyone had what they needed. One of the guys who lost his home, took fewer masks to make sure that a woman with an asthmatic child had several for her daughter. This is the community where I live and it was so heartwarming to see kindness and generosity in the midst of such loss and uncertainty.

Reminds me of the AGF - good people gathering over a common bond willing to help each other out.

Best,
Jayne
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Old 10-11-2017, 10:58 AM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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I really feel that somebody has to point out that the technology to put out these fires has existed for almost 15 years ... in the form of the Russian-designed Ilyusian IL76 Water-Bomber plane, which has the capacity to carry 16,000 gallons of water, able to put out a fire the size of 10 football fields lined up end to end, in fifteen seconds.

This is over TWICE the biggest US plane used for the job, and most planes used for wild fire fighting in the US are much, much smaller and drop chemicals, not water.

One cannot help but wonder why the US do not avail themselves of this superior technology. It couldn't be because these planes are made in Russia, could it ?
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Old 10-11-2017, 11:32 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
I really feel that somebody has to point out that the technology to put out these fires has existed for almost 15 years ... in the form of the Russian-designed Ilyusian IL76 Water-Bomber plane, which has the capacity to carry 16,000 gallons of water, able to put out a fire the size of 10 football fields lined up end to end, in fifteen seconds.

This is over TWICE the biggest US plane used for the job, and most planes used for wild fire fighting in the US are much, much smaller and drop chemicals, not water.

One cannot help but wonder why the US do not avail themselves of this superior technology. It couldn't be because these planes are made in Russia, could it ?
Cannot speak to the whys or why nots of the technology but they did say here that the firestorm and the visibility was so bad that they couldn't get the smaller planes in to drop retardant or water. Sounds like we could use a few of those Water Bombers right about now!

Best,
Jayne
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Old 10-11-2017, 12:18 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Hard to fathom the extent of the losses to fire in recent years. California has always had fires, but as the fires become larger, more frequent, and burn closer to populated areas, the losses become more personalized, and are more likely to touch people I/we know.

My heart goes out to all who are being effected.
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Old 10-11-2017, 01:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman View Post
No info yet that I've seen on why they started, but the relatively rare and powerful offshore winds (Diablo winds here, Santa Ana winds down south) happen in the fall, and are the reason they were so destructive. Hot, dry, and around 60mph, they spread small fires into firestorms. Our typical weather pattern is off the ocean, with much more moisture in the air and cooler temps.

http://www.businessinsider.com/santa...-winds-2017-10
The largest fire, the one that hit parts of Santa Rosa, is most likely linked to PG&E failure to properly trim trees around there power lines. This would not be the first time for this either.

I live and work in Sonoma. Hopefully it doesn’t get this far.

Update: Article about possible PG&E liability.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.mercu...try-fires/amp/
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Last edited by Norml; 10-11-2017 at 02:02 PM. Reason: Add link
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  #15  
Old 10-11-2017, 04:05 PM
Dirk Hofman Dirk Hofman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
I just found this thread. I live in the North Bay just south and west of the fires. It has been a couple of very stressful days with many displaced people and loss of many homes. Thanks for starting this thread, Dirk, as community is what will get us through this. As I mentioned in another thread, I have a forum member staying with me (lots of guitars strewn about the house!) and it really is all about friends neighbors helping each other as best we can.

One heartwarming story:
I was in a local hardware store buying respirator masks for some neighbors and friends as the air quality is very bad. There were about 16 people in line for the masks that had just been taken off of the delivery truck. 2 people there had completely lost their homes, another 3 had been evacuated and still did not know the status of their homes, one fellow's wife had just returned from Las Vegas where she had narrowly survived the shooting and now they were in danger of losing their home. When the masks arrived, it wasn't clear if there was enough to go around (they were in boxes of ten each). People gathered together and we made sure everyone had what they needed. One of the guys who lost his home, took fewer masks to make sure that a woman with an asthmatic child had several for her daughter. This is the community where I live and it was so heartwarming to see kindness and generosity in the midst of such loss and uncertainty.

Reminds me of the AGF - good people gathering over a common bond willing to help each other out.

Best,
Jayne
Really nice post. Good to hear some good stories coming out of all this.
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