Fires in Napa/Sonoma Counties and elsewhere

[Rhiannon]

Hi everyone,

I don't post here often, although I often stop by to check the threads and look for new recipe ideas.  However, the past couple of weeks have been out of the ordinary.  Two Sundays ago, I was driving home after playing bingo.  The sky was clear and blue until I approached the small town of Sonoma.  At that point I could see what I might have taken for evening fog crawling over the ridge except I knew it wasn't fog.  It was smoke from a fire.  This fire turns out to have been started in a salvage yard in American Canyon, a small community south of Napa.  I told my family about the fire when I got home and commented that at least it was very still, no wind. 

That night, the wind picked up and went wild.  It was whipping and moaning, and blowing every which way.  They do not know (or have not yet publicly stated) how the first of the fires started in the night, but a fire broke out in the Atlas Peak area of Napa (near the Silverado County Club).  Another fire started in the north side of Santa Rosa, a city about 40 miles to the west of Napa.  A further fire started by Calistoga.  I think there were a total of at least 6 separate fires in all before we were through.  I personally know people who were lucky to escape with the clothes on their backs, who have lost everything.   My home in town was never in serious danger, but we did pack go bags just in case.

However, the home I grew up in from age 4, where I lived the first year of my son's life, and which was in our family for nearly 50 years, burned to the ground.  The owners were among those lucky to get out in the nick of time. 

Add to that that I just learned that a friend recently passed away from complications related to pneumonia.  She was my neighbor for over 10 years, and a good friend, but sadly after moving to Napa, I felt so tired and stressed from commuting, helping care for famiy members, etc., I didn't make time to get together once in awhile for lunches.  So I'm struggling with that loss.  At my age, I don't tend to make friends easily, mainly because I'm not out and about like I was when younger.  Each loss of a friend really hurts.

On the good news side, I recently had my blood checked and all my numbers were good. 

[skb]

We've been hearing about these fires in the news. Our hearts go out to people who have lost something or someone in the fire. Just a couple of days ago we were talking about it ;

https://www.diabetic.pub/forum/index.php/topic,519.msg11063.html#msg11063

[rocky]

We thank God that you are safe and pray for those who have suffered. Hope the fires are controlled soon.

[walkerwally1]

I live a lot further South so was not affected but I followed the news closely.  Such devastation and we still don't know the total in lives lost and damages.  As of the last report I saw it is at over 7,000 buildings destroyed, most of them homes.
Glad you are OK but sorry for your loss.