As of Oct. 12, at least 24 people are dead as more than 22 wildfires swept over northern parts of California, starting this past Sunday, Oct. 8. Around 20,000 people were forced to evacuate from their homes, many of them having no place to return to.
Several shelters in unaffected areas opened to offer safety, but those in the fire’s path had to be evacuated not long after opening their doors because they then were under threat of the fires.
More than 180,000 acres of land had been overtaken by flames, consuming hundreds of homes, many businesses, shelters, medical centers and more. At least 3,500 structures have been destroyed.
Many people were unprepared for the fire, some having to run to escape, staying low to the ground for the most breathable air.
There are currently over 450 missing people who are unaccounted for in Sonoma county.
California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties in Northern California.
Napa County and Sonoma County were the most devastating of the counties affected. The fires began while the area was dry and as the wind had picked up. These winds are called Diablo Winds. Twenty thousand acres of land were destroyed in just 12 hours, this being some of the fastest spreading wildfire seen by Californians today. One of the fires, the Tubbs fire, destroyed almost 600 structures ranking it the 12th most destructive fire in California history.
At least 8,000 firefighters and support personnel are battling the fires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. They have had men and woman on duty since they began, but in some areas had an extremely difficult time getting the fast spreading fires extinguished.
The federal government has become involved in the relief efforts as well.
“…President Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for the state of California to assist in the response to wildfires that are impacting across the state,” Vice President Mike Pence said in an address to those at California’s emergency management headquarters.
“I’m pleased to report that legislation that will be considered in the House of Representatives next week already includes $576 million for wildfire suppression to support the people of California… California will be seeing monetary help soon.”
Pence also mentioned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been deployed and has started damage control efforts.
“This declaration will allow FEMA to identify, mobilize and provide additional equipment and resources to assist with the emergency,” Pence said. “This includes debris removal, emergency protective measures, search and rescue operations.”
Many wineries have been affected, some completely destroyed, including Signorello Estate. The wine industry has been hit hard. In Napa and Sonoma there are more than 600 wineries and this area has more than 100,000 acres worth of vineyard land. A large majority of Californian economic activity is from the wine industry, which accounts for about $55 billion a year. These fires are sure to have some effect.
Safari West, a wildlife preserve in Santa Rosa, had to flee quickly after the fires started and had left the preserve unable to move the animals too. When they returned to the preserve the next day they found the fire had went around the preserve and left no damage to the property.
The United States as a whole has been impacted in many ways and have unified and stayed focused, as California begins to try to rebuild what the fires have destroyed.
Kelsey Fitzpatrick
Reporter