INCIDENT SUMMARY
The KINCADE FIRE ignited on October 23, 2019, at 2127 hours PDT from an unknown cause. Fire investigators are currently reviewing information to determine the cause and will be under investigation until further notice.
Significant Event | Authorities have now ordered the largest mass evacuation in Sonoma Country history, stretching from the 101 to the Pacific Ocean. (Media)
The fire is located in steep terrain and in remote areas, where it was sparked on John Kincade Road and Burned Mountain Road, which is northeast of Geyersville, California.
CURRENT STATUS
- 25,455 acres burned
- 55% contained
- Extreme fire behavior with uphill runs, flanking and spotting
- Fire is wind-driven
- Fire weather is now critical
- More evacuations are in effect (see below details)
A RED FLAG WARNING was issued on Saturday evening and in effect as of 2000 hours PDT due to strong offshore winds and low humidity, a cause for critical fire weather conditions.
Significant Event | CA National Guard is deployed for major disaster assistance.
EVACUATION SHELTERS
- Santa Rosa Fairgrounds | 1350 Bennett Valley Rd, Santa Rosa, CA. (Also can accomodate large animals)
- Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Bldg | 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA.
- Sonoa Marin Farirgrounds | 175 Fairgrounds Road, Petaluma, CA.
- Petaluma Veterans Center | 1094 Petaluma Blvd, Petaluma, CA.
INCIDENT COOPERATORS
- CAL FIRE – Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (Unified Command)
- Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office (Unified Command)
- Geyersville Fire Protection
- CDCR
- CAL OES
- CA Highway Patrol
- CCC
- Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office
- BIA
- BLM
- CA National Guard
- American Red Cross
- World Central Kitchen
- NWS Bay Area
- SJSU Fire Weather Lab
- OR firefighters (en route)
Significant Event | PG&E to shutoff power for 1 Million of its Northern CAL customers, making it the largest shutdown in history. (Media)
RESOURCES & EQUIPMENT
- 2,830 personnel
- 68 hand crews
- 10 helicopters
- 251 engines
- 50 dozers
- 25 water tenders
- 17 air tankers
Significant Event | Fire is now spotting one mile ahead. (Media at 0205 hours)
EVACUATION UPDATES
Evacuation Warning issued for City of Santa Rosa. All areas starting East of western side of City, North of Guerneville Road, Steele Lane, Lewis Road, and Chanate Road, to Montecito Avenue to Montecito Boulevard to Calistoga Road, North to city limit. (Sonoma Sheriff at 0100 hours PDT)
Evacuation Orders for: Dry Creek Valley, Mark West/Larkfield area, Fulton, Forestville, Guerneville, Occidental, Jenner, Bodega Bay. Includes all areas west of Sebastopol north of Bodega Highway and South of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road. (Sonoma County Sheriff on 10/26/2019 at 1840 hours PDT)
EMS Services: Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa. All patients are being diverted to Kaiser in Santa Rosa and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. (Media on 10/26/2019 at 2040 hours PDT/ 10/27/2019 at 0207 hours)
Credit | NWS Los Angeles
Significant Event | Winds reported up to 90 mph (Media/Scanner Feeds)
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
PG&E has begun to shutoff power in most of Sonoma County. A prolonged outage may reduce our ability to warn you in the event of an emergency. This is an Evacuation Order, evacuate now. . Link —> socoemergency.org (Sonoma County Sheriff)
DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS
- 14 structures damaged
- 77 structures destroyed
- $7.5 Million cost-to-date
THROUGH THE EYES OF SOCIAL MEDIA
“It has gone from completely calm to intermittently howling in downtown Santa Rosa in a very short time.” (Twitter user at 0205 hours PDT)
“Concern about fire potentially jumping Hwy 128 near the Alexander Valley School. Now have spotting approx 1 mile ahead of the main fire.” (CA Fire Scanner at 0200 hours)
“Radar echoes once again showing up northeast of Healdsburg as strong winds reach the fire area(s).” (Weather Forecaster at 0200 hours)
“Fire crossed Pine Flat Rd T the 4 mile mark, headed down canyon toward Jim Town.” (Fire Reporter at 0201 hours PDT)
“Concern about Fitch Mountain. Soda Rock Lane. Concern with hitting 128 appear to be increasing.” (Media at 0201 hours)
“Any other trucks and resources are going to be heading to Alexander Valley Elementary School. It’s a small school, located across from the iconic Alexander Valley Vineyards, one of the most beloved family owned wineries in the region.” (Media)
“A massive mutual aid response has arrived (and continue to pour in).” (Media)
“Some serious stuff is about to go down on that mountain tonight. Crews getting into place. Strike teams set up. 150 trucks rallying in Healdsburg. National Guard is here.” (Media)
“ Increasing winds and drier air arriving now. GOES-17 1-minute Fire Temperature satellite imagery clearly shows the fire starting to burn hotter.” (NWS Bay Area) as of 0100 hours PDT
“A6WA reporting 80-90mph wind gusts from the north w/ activity increasing @ the heel of the fire (northern side). Not so much movement on the head yet but anticipating it in the next hour.” (CA Fire Scanner) reported at 0130 hours PDT
“Units reporting structural impact in the next ~30 mins in the 8000blk of Hwy 128 near Pine Flat Rd & the Alexander Valley Elementary School.” (CA Fire Scanner) reported at 0124 hours PDT
“Branch 1 reports the fire is exhibiting extreme-erratic fire behavior, strong winds pushing the fire, the fire pushed past all control lines & backfiring operations. “We are going to let it do what it wants for a little while” Firefighter safety now top priority.” (Media)
“Looks like 15 strike teams of engines (75 engines) already ordered from Oregon, responding in on Sunday. May not all end up there.” (CA Fire Scanner) reported 10/26/2019 @ 2210 hours PDT.
“The amount of mutual aid streaming up highway 101 towards Sonoma County towards the fire is something to behold.” (Media)
“If fire jumps the Russian River, it’s a whole new ballgame. This region is dominated by dense forests that haven’t burned in a long time + lots of small, isolated communities with tough ingress/egress (Guerneville, Monte Rio, Occidental, Cazadero, Annapolis, etc.). (Twitter user)
“With 60mph winds, “it doesn’t matter what equipment we have on. It has the potential to overwhelm us.” If you stay, responders will have to put THEMSELVES in danger to save you. DON’T DO THIS. Get out. It’s not just you, it’s also firefighters.” (Point Richmond CERT on 10/26/2019 at 1848 hours PDT)
“2.7 million people could lose power in Northern California as utility PG&E cuts service to prevent the spread of wildfires. 50,000 people have been ordered to flee.” (NY Times)
“Long lines at gas station in Sebastopol. Highway 101 southbound in Santa Rosa is crowded like rush hour traffic.” (Twitter user on 10/26/2019 after noon)
” As your evacuate try to do this: Scan or snap photos of your homeowners/renters insurance policy. Make sure you get the page that tells you who to contact & how. Send the images to the cloud to be safe.” (Twitter user on insurance)
“Air raid sirens in Sonoma County signaling mandatory evacuation order for Graton due to a wildfire.” (Media)
“I am so worried about the firefighters tonight. A guy I’ve literally known my whole life is out there. His own home is one of many in the evacuation zone.” (Twitter User)
“Authorities bracing for ‘dangerous’ spread, plead for residents to evacuate.” (Media)
“Fire at 3 mile marker on Pine Flat Road in Sonoma County, CA.” (Media at 0206 hours PDT)
“I cannot express the words of being in these fires again two years later.” (Twitter User)
HASHTAGS
#CAwildfires #FireSeason2019 #KincadeFire
(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – 10/27/2019 @ 0230 hours PDT
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