10-12, 2:50pm PST:
I can only speak to Sonoma:
Sunday night, the winds were 50 mph and above and a fire started near Calistoga. The winds drove it toward Santa Rosa and it was funneled into Rincon Valley. The fire moved 16 Miles in 15 minutes. Funneled into to Rincon Valley it gained speed and came down the mountain, jumped US 101 and destroyed over 1,000 homes in a matter of minutes.
Several other fires started in the mountains between Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, most likely by tree branches downing live power lines. They have spread rapidly throughout those mountains.
As of date and time above, there are mandatory evacuations for large areas of Sonoma Valley, and voluntary evacuations for most of it.
The winds have calmed but many of the disparate fires have joined making fighting them significantly harder.
Personally, our winery is safe but without power, our warehouse is safe with power but my house is in harm’s way and without power since Sunday night. Fortunately, Diane has been in NC this whole time visiting family and friends. I am living in Tiburon now and returning daily to Sonoma to check on house and friends.
Sonoma and the surrounding area is full of smoke and ash is falling like snow. Virtually everything is closed and most folks have left.
There are a large number of firefighters doing what they can but this will take weeks to resolve.
Over 2,000 structures burned to the ground. At last count, 25 dead but that number is expected to rise as many more are missing.
And Napa Valley has, from what I’m told, a similar tale of woe.
Wine country is a war zone.
Best, jim
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Jim Cowan