I’ve been completely distracted by this today. I grew up in the area and know a ton of people impacted by this. Every few years we’d have wildfires in the hills and the valleys between Napa/Sonoma, but nothing like this.
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I feel like this information is important to share even aside from the article itself:
"Helping and getting help
The Red Cross is organizing relief efforts in the North Bay. Evacuees trying to connect with family and friends should check the organization’s Safe and Well website: redcross.org/safeandwell
Community volunteers who want to help in relief efforts can sign up with the Red Cross at http://tinyurl.com/RedCrossVolOctober2017.
Donations to help those affected by California wildfires and other disasters can be made at redcross.org. People can also call (800) 733-2767 or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
People needing information about a missing person in Sonoma County can call the county Fire and Emergency Services Department at (707) 565-3856.
For tips on how to prepare for a wildfire, go to http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/wildfire."
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@matt it’s so devastating! I feel terrible for all those affected. It’s a truly beautiful area and just as wild fire season is ending too.
A friend of mine lives right in the area and evacuated… last I heard her house seemed to be okay though, thankfully.
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There is also a fire down in Orange County, just a few miles from me. The Gov declared a state of emergency down there and they issued a air quality warning for my area. It was so bad we couldn’t let my dog lay out on the balcony (which she loves).
This is what the sky looked like late-afternoon today by my place!
(I didn’t take this photo, but it a actual photo from today).
Thankfully, I only live a couple blocks from the water… 
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I’ve been fucking done with these past few weeks before they even get started. Literally watching the world burn is not awesome. Right now all I can do is send out as much love and hugs as I can humanly stuff into one little forum reply. Everyone who has someone you’re worried about, for this fire and all the other fucking disasters out there, please keep us updated when you can.
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It’s nothing compared to this, but western Washington had really bad air quality from rampant wildfires earlier this year, and it blazed through some more rural communities in Central and Eastern Washington. Oregon and British Columbia too. This has been a terrible season for wildfires :<
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Just heard the death toll has risen to 15 in No Cal. 
So Cal still isn’t under control either… 
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wildfire season this bad before…there are always some every year, but not this many, this intense…
My friend’s house is okay… so far. I think she’s just about out of the woods so to speak, but she’s been busying herself trying to help local neighborhoods coordinate aid. Her name is Karen Price, and she’s an amazing person. Shared with permission:
Quite a few of you amazing folks from outside the area have been asking about ways to help. Donations of items are pouring in, faster than volunteers can process them. But the real work will start next week when people try to resume some kind of normal life without a home to go to. There are several agencies who’ve set up funds to help with that transition.
For donations for Santa Rosa and Sonoma County, going to those affected by the Tubbs, Nuns and Pocket fires, here are the three I’m recommending the most right now:
Redwood Credit Union (my bank) is always first on the scene to help out local communities after these kinds of events and they give away 100% of what they raise: https://www.redwoodcu.org/northbayfirerelief
Redwood Empire Food Bank is supplying food to shelters around the area, as well as to folks who need it, and will continue to do so in the coming months as people struggle to get back on their feet: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx…
The Community Foundation Sonoma County has set up a fund to help, and while I’m not as familiar with their work, I have heard nothing but positives about them: http://www.sonomacf.org/sonoma-county-resilience-fund/
I can post her efforts into this thread. Every so often she posts information or a link related to the fires and related aid.
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Just came across this…
Donations to Redwood Credit Union and the Redwood Empire Food Bank will give you the best return on your donation. Both organizations serve the entire region and will be distributing funds and food to people in these smaller, marginalized communities.
PS You can probably update the title at this point. 
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Got a call from my daughter at 2am that her power went out, that she was evacuated, and she was yelling on the phone as the fire came over the mountain. She said it sounded like the ocean crashing on the beach. She slept in a Safeway parking lot, then stayed different places for a week and was finally allowed to go home. I’ve never been so scared in all my life. I am obviously late to this conversation, but after a week of my kid and sister both exhibiting massive PTSD during the last two weeks, it’s been a blur. I loved what you wrote Matt, re you were preoccupied and just deal with it. I’ve never seen nor heard of a fire like this. I had two coworkers and two family members all in different locations, and felt so helpless up here in Oregon. I sincerely hope all the WTFJHT folks’ families and loved ones are safe and as the sign said, The love is thicker than the smoke.
Now if Trump would just spontaneously combust, along with most of his administrative leaders like Scott Pruitt, things would be much better.
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Hey! Glad your daughter was okay!
Funny you mention the “deal with it” thing. I had more than a handful of people tell me it was rude and insulting to tell them to just deal with it…
All I could really say was you’re welcome for your free newsletter. idk. I have zero fucks left to give when dealing with people that self-centered.
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Zero fucks? I will be using that moving forward often! Thanks for one more thing you’ve generously added to my life. Is your family ok? And their homes?
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I know people there are so tired right now.
I keep waiting for a swarm of locusts! I’m out at the coast in Oregon and at times the air quality was so bad I had to wear a mask inside my house, then I looked on my weather app and it looked like BC, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Cali were all just on fire. That was before the Sonoma fires, and with the hurricanes and earthquakes, just seems pretty insane lately, like time to do the remaining bucket list items.
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