Please say prayers for the people in Napa Sonoma counties. I live in Sonoma county. Lots of fires. K-mart applebees the whole strip mall burned down. Many, many homes have burned. Very scary here.

Oh, Goodness, Catsmom, will be praying!

I was watching it on our news. So sad and scary. Prayers and positive thoughts sent.

Ana

Prayers and thoughts for all involved.

I lived in Santa Rosa when I was younger, and I remember a terrible fire there when I was a child, where we were asked to evacuate. It was all very scary. I remember the devastation afterward; it was awful.

Between hurricanes and fires and whatever else, the USA seem to be getting it pretty bad at the moment

I send my best to you all

Keeping everyone there in our prayers CatsMom

My roommates friend is in the hospital major burns. took 5 fire fighters to get him in the ambulance. His place is on fire and his dog is still there. My roommate tried to get there but the roads are closed. Restaurants close to where I live have burned and a rest home has evaculated 2 hospitals Kaiser and sutter have been evacuated. yes very scary.my sisters house has ashes you have to dig through. very devastating.

I am so sorry. This is just horrific. Continued thoughts and prayers. It's a nightmare.

I also lived in Napa for 16 years, so both of these areas are dear to my heart.

Hugs, catsmom.

Prayers for safety for all.

How awful Catsmom. Prayers and much love for all affected.

Mary

That's terrible catsmom. Sending hugs and prayers to you and all out there affected.

Catsmom, this is terrible. Hope your roommate's friend will be okay, and that his dog got out!! Sorry about your sister's house as well!

Sending best thoughts to everyone affected, and hope people are getting out safely.

I saw it on the news too. Stay safe Catsmom. Keeping you all in my prayers.

Hugs and prayers out to you Catsmom and everyone involved in this horrible situation.

Prayers, Positive Thoughts, and Hugs on the way.

Somehow I missed watching any news yesterday (dentist stuff) but I'm so scared for everyone in these fires. Just as I dozed off I thought I saw a news piece on some homes burning in a neighborhood but fell asleep with the TV on and missed it all.

Prayers for everyone especially you and your sister and close friends and your neighborhood and the entire area! Praying for rain for the area to help the firefighters.

We are here in San Diego and always have horrible fires around this time. I call them 'the fires of October'. Just sitting and waiting for one to start and then it will be catastrophic. Happens almost every year. Rural areas are the hardest hit, but one year the fires got within a mile of my house due to some kids thinking it would be fun to set fire to the vacant lot near the High School. It was very scary for several hours.

Take care and stay SAFE!

I just learned tonight that my ex-husband's parents' property (where I lived for 3 years many years ago) in Glen Ellen (between Sonoma and Santa Rosa) lost both houses on the property this evening and that it has all burned to the ground. My former brother-in-law and his wife were in residence there. Otherwise, I'm at a loss for words...

Sorry to read all this....can't even imagine.... hope you can stay safe. MY thoughts and prayers are with you all!

Marian, so sorry to hear that. :( I've been watching it on TV and online and it's just unbelievable. Continued prayers and positive thoughts.

And now that I've talked to my ex-husband's family this morning, I found out that two more of his relatives had their homes burned to the ground; my son's cousin's house is gone in Glen Ellen, and my former sister-in-law's husband had his property wiped out too. He also had a winery that burned down. They all lived within about a 5-mile radius of one another. It's all way too much to process.

Two more homes of family members have fires approaching as I type this.

Marian .... That is SO awful !! I do hope none of the people were hurt ??

Truly devastating. And there are probably many more people suffering in the same way

Keeping the people impacted by this in our thoughts.

Marian, I'm so very sorry for your family's loss. We spent time in Sonoma and are familiar with the Glen Ellen area. What a terrible tragedy to happen to the people and that beautiful land.

Prayers for all those impacted by this disaster.
Do they know what started the fires?

No one has been hurt, thankfully. My son's uncle, one of those who lost their homes, is a volunteer firefighter and is out there firefighting right now.

Trail, it is indeed a beautiful area. It's surreal, all of it...because not only was that my family/home for several years, but I grew up in Santa Rosa and am watching that devastation too. One of the hardest-hit areas in Santa Rosa was where I graduated and the school next to mine by the name of Cardinal Newman, half of it burned down. I had classes with students from Cardinal Newman.

What I have read so far, Trippy, is that they think it's either downed power lines, arson, or both. If the latter is what it turns out to be, I can't think of a punishment that's bad enough. Well, actually I can, but it isn't repeatable on GameBoomers.

I am still waiting to hear news of my daughter's best friend in childhood, as to whether or not her parents' house off the Silverado area in Napa is still there. The fire apparently went right through their street, Mount George Avenue in Napa, and some houses were burned and others were not. Her father treated me in the emergency room when I lived in Napa.

It's like watching a very large chunk of my life go up in flames. Very difficult to see and to comprehend.

So horrible and frightening, Marian. i am so sorry. I can't imagine losing not only my home, but thinking that more of my family also lost theirs.

This is so scary. My prayers go out to everyone.

So sorry Marian for all your friend's and relative's losses. I can't imagine how awful and devastating it is for everyone.

Aww Marian, I'm so sorry for the losses suffered. How awful. Like everyone else, I just can't imagine. Prayers and much love to all.

Mary

That is awful Marian. I cannot imagine what this must be like for the residents there. More prayers being sent! I sincerely hope this is not the work of an arsonist!!

Thank you, everyone. I appreciate all of the kind words.

Marian, I also feel terrible for your family, Big Hugs on the way.

prayers and much love to all .

I'm so sorry to hear of your and your family's loss, Marian.
These fires are really terrible.

Thank you, everyone. It sounds like the winds are going to be picking up in that area again over the weekend, which is bad news for any possibility of starting to contain them.

Thought I'd chime in with some good news, finally. I don't live in the direct path of the fires, so we were never in any danger, but were on the periphery, where we choked on the smoke and heard the ceaseless roar of passing fire engines for days. Things have quieted down considerably.

Most of the fires are contained now, some by as much as 80%. The dreadful air quality that necessitated the wearing of serious environmental masks has drastically improved, and we aren't coughing as much. We got a spot of rain yesterday! Gave the fire fighters a much needed boost.

We get daily bulletins now instead of hourly, the evacuation orders have ceased and some areas, like the town of Calistoga, have allowed residents to come back. Others still are awaiting clearance of dangerously burned trees and downed power poles and lines before they will be allowed access. Some of the regional aid fire fighting teams have gone home, and mopping up continues with local teams. The worst, it seems, is over.

Still, the toll is horrendous. Almost 30% of the Sonoma Valley was burned to the ground! This includes something like 6000 structures, many people lost their lives and others were badly burned during their escape. Livestock and pets were burned as well. Fire fighters said the fire came through one area as a "flashover," and literally burned animals where they stood. They found charred black statues they recognized as sheep, goats and others. Impossible to contemplate something that horrific. Property damage estimates are over one Billion dollars at this point.

What saves everyone from totally being devastated by grief is the continuing recitation of stories of heroic actions, courage in the face of the unimaginable, survival stories against impossible odds, and people as well as businesses opening their doors, their hearts and their pocketbooks to those who have been hurt most. People are at their best under these extreme circumstances.

Speaking of heroics, there is a Gofundme page here. It's really heartwarming to see how his community has responded.

This is my ex brother-in-law's son, making him my son's cousin. I was living on one of the properties that got burned to the ground when I was married, and my husband and his brother (Jesse's father) were living there as well. I was there the day that Jesse was born, and his house that burned down was there as well.

Glad you are ok Reenie.

My son was in Santa Rosa at one of the wildlife rescue camps and people camps that were evacuated with a friend helping out on Monday. It was definitely eye opening for them.

Marian, bless your sons cousin. So much goodness comes to light in situations like these.

Ana

Thanks for the updates Reenie and Marian. Glad to hear there is some light showing through the darkness.

My Friend Marilyn was killed in her mobile home. She was a very hard sleeper, and they found her inside of her bed frame. Please say prayers for her that the smoke got to her before the flames. I feel so sad :(

Sorry to read this catsmom, very sad indeed!!

I am so very sorry, catsmom. Praying that she didn't suffer.

Aw catsmom. That is terrible. I also pray she didn't suffer. So sorry!

Catsmom so sorry to hear about your friend Marilyn.

Oh, my goodness, catsmom. That is so very sad. I send my sincere condolences

I'm very sorry catsmom, prayers on the way.

After reading about all the devastation, I'm speechless. I'm sending my prayers to all that are involved in the fires. I have a sister and daughter living in California but they are far away from the fires. But I still keep a close eye on the news.

Midgie

Catsmom, I am so deeply sorry to hear this news.

Oh, Catsmom, I am so very sorry.

So so sorry that you lost a friend in such a terrible way. Prayers for everyone affected by the fires.

Thanks everyone, I am still in shock over it. She was just so nice,. :(

Awww Catsmom, how very sad I'm so sorry. Hugs