Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through California wine country Monday killing at least 10 people, destroying 1,500 homes and businesses and sending thousands fleeing.
Fires raged unchecked down tree-lined streets and through upmarket neighborhoods, reducing a Hilton hotel to ash and turning the sky above Disneyland bright orange.
Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency as fourteen large fires burned over a 200-mile region north of San Francisco from Napa in the south to Redding in the north, fanned by 50mph winds.
At least 11 people are known to have died including a married couple, aged 100 and 99, who were unable to evacuate in time. A deaf-blind woman is also believed to be among the dead.
The smoke from an Anaheim Hills brush fire turned the sky into a pumpkin orange. It is seen above Disneyland’s California Adventure park
The smoke was coming from Canyon Fire 2 as it tore through 4,000 to 5,000 acres of land (Pictured, Disneyland’s California Adventure park)
Officials said between 3,000 and 4,000 residents have been affected by the fire in Anaheim Hills (Pictured, a ride at Disneyland’s California Adventure park)
The Hilton hotel in Santa Rosa was also reduced to ash as the wildfires swept through, fanned by 50mph winds
An aerial view shows the hotel was almost completely destroyed in the blaze, with only a few buildings to the rear surviving
The front of the hotel is consumed by flames after fast-moving fires tore through Santa Rosa, California
Fires burn in the hills to the east of Napa, some of the most valuable wine country anywhere in the world
An entire hillside near Napa is consumed by smoke and fire as devastating blazes broke out across California
The Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa was almost completely flattened by wildfires on Monday
Steps lead up to a destroyed home in Santa Rosa, California on Monday, October 9. Because of strong winds and hot, dry weather, it appears the flames will continue for some time
The ferocity of the flames forced authorities to focus primarily on getting people out safely, even if it meant abandoning structures to the fires
A chimney stands alone in a destroyed home in Santa Rosa on Monday, October 9. October has generally been the most destructive time of year for California wildfires.
Fire spews out of a gas pipe from a burnt out home in Santa Rosa, California, on Monday, October 9
A DC-10 aircraft drops flame retardant chemicals in order to try an contain the spread of the fire near the city of Orange
Charles and Sara Rippey died in their home north of Napa on Monday, granddaughter Ruby told KTVU.
The couple had recently celebrated 75 years of marriage and Charles, known as Peach, turned 100 not long ago.
‘The only thing worse would have been if one survived without the other,’ Ruby told the news station.
As he fled through the ember-strewn streets of his neighborhood in Santa Rosa, Jeff Okrepkie knew it was probably the last time he would see his home of the past five years standing.
His worst fears were confirmed Monday morning, when a friend sent him a photo of what was left: a smoldering heap of burnt metal and debris.
‘We live in the valley, where it’s concrete and strip malls and hotels and supermarkets,’ Okrepkie said. ‘The last thing you think is a forest fire is going to come and wipe us out.’
Also forced to evacuate were former San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry and his family. Lowry told The Associated Press that he; his wife Andrea; his two daughters Averlee Rose and Anniston; and his 2-week-old son had to leave their home in Santa Rosa in a matter of minutes as the flames approached.
Lowry says he ‘can’t shake hearing people scream in terror as the flames barreled down on us.’
He said he ran into a closed US 101 freeway because the flames had jumped it. But he and his family were able to get away in time and get to a friend’s house where they are staying now.
Lowry, who pitched for the Giants from 2003 to 2007, now co-owns Santa Rosa Ski & Sport – an outdoor sporting goods store in Santa Rosa.
Sara and Charles Rippey, aged 99 and 100, died at their home to the north of Napa after they were unable to escape before it was consumed by fire, granddaughter Ruby said
The couple had been married for 75 years, Ruby said, adding that the only thing worse ‘would have been only one of them had survived the fire’
Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry (back right) his wife Andrea (back left); his two daughters Averlee Rose (front right) and Anniston (front left); and his 2-week-old son had to leave their home in Santa Rosa in a matter of minutes as the flames approached
An aerial shot of the Journey’s End trailer park in Santa Rosa shows dozens of homes flattened by the fire, and propterties which escaped the fire by only a few feet
Cars, homes, and lives were left in tatters as searing wildfires burned through the trailer park
Tarmac cracked and trees were stripped to stumps by the flames that devastated this trailer park in Santa Rosa
Small fires could still be seen burning in Journey’s End trailer park, Santa Rosa, after the wildfires had dissipated
Tina Renee dons a gas mask as she inspects what little is left of a friend’s house in Santa Rosa
Kristine Pond struggles to hold back her emotions as she searches through the rubble of her family home in Santa Rosa
Michael Pond, left, looks through ashes as his wife Kristine, center, gets a hug from Zack Thurston, their daughter’s boyfriend, while they search the remains of their home destroyed by fires in Santa Rosa
What was once a decking area at the back of a home in Santa Rosa is now little more than twisted metal and ash
Residents of the Coffey Park neighborhood sift through a relatives home that was torched on Monday
Residents go through their destroyed home as a burnt out car sits in the driveway. A total of 50,000 have been left without power
Burned cars are seen near a structure that has been burned to the ground in Glen Ellen, California
A fireman sweeps the Fountaingrove neighborhood of Santa Rosa for any remaining pockets of fire
The remains of a home burns in Santa Rosa as people move among the ruins in the background, searching for anything undamaged by the fire
What little is left of a home in Anaheim Hills continues to burn on Monday afternoon
Photo shows a home destroyed in the wildfires that have consumed northern California’s Wine Country
Mandatory evacuations have been issued across four counties including Sonoma and Napa
The ferocity of the flames forced authorities to focus primarily on getting people out safely, even if it meant abandoning structures to the fire. The fire area covered more than 100 square miles (160 square kilometers) over eight counties.
Elsewhere in the state, a fire churning through canyons in hilly neighborhoods of Orange County burned multiple homes and forced residents of about 1,000 homes to evacuate.
Some of the largest blazes were in Napa and Sonoma counties, home to dozens of wineries that attract tourists from around the world. They sent smoke as far south as San Francisco, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) away. What caused the blazes was not known.
More than 300 firefighters have been working to control the raging wildfire, which have destroyed 57,000 acres total leaving 50,000 people without power.
Because of strong winds and hot, dry weather, it appears the flames will continue for some time.
Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann said, ‘As of right now, with these conditions, we can’t get in front of this fire and do anything about the forward progress.’
Fire continues to burn at Keysight Technologies Monday, October 9. The flames were burning ‘at explosive rates’ because of 50 mph winds, said Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Napa County firefighter James George hoses down a fire line approaching a home Monday, October 9. 10 people have died as result of the fires so far
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a home as they battle a wildfire in Anaheim Hills
Anaheim Hills was among the worst affected areas on Monday, with Santa Rosa also suffering heavy damage
Vicky Walker hugs Orange County Fire Authority firefighter Jose Garcia after he tried to save her home from burning down
A firefighter walks near a home on fire in Santa Rosa after the entire area was evacuated
A resident rushes to save his home in Glen Ellen as an out-of-control wildfire moves through the area
The remains of the Signorello Estate winery as seen through a window in Napa
Napa resident Louis Reavis views his burned classic Oldsmobile at his home
The remains of a car sit near the Fountaingrove Inn Hotel as it burns in Santa Rosa
Rudy Habibe, from Puerto Rico, and his service dog Maximus walk toward a burning building at the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel where he was a guest
Flames ride from the remains of a burned down commercial building in Santa Rosa, California
Images from Monday show fire still burning in Glen Ellen, California
California governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for three counties
Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said firefighters are concentrated on saving lives rather than battling the blaze.
Several people have been treated for burns and there is at least one fatality at this time.
Deputies were dispatched to help firefighters and California Highway Patrol officers with evacuations, going door to door to rush people to safety.
Santa Rosa, the largest city in the fire area with a population of about 175,000, was hit hard. The city lost a Kmart and other businesses and homes as the blaze shut down its schools and put a Hilton Hotel in ruins.
Firefighters worked to evacuate Kaiser Permanente Hospital and Sutter Hospital as well as senior centers in northwestern Santa Rosa over night.
Emergency lines were consumed with callers reporting smoke in the area, prompting officials to ask that the public ‘only use 911 if they see actual unattended flames, or are having another emergency.’
One woman said, ‘I drew my blinds and I just saw flames all up on the hill behind my house’.
In Santa Rosa, Ron Dodds told KTVU he was helping his uncle evacuate and said people were running red lights, and ‘there is chaos ensuing.’
‘It’s a scary time,’ Dodds added. ‘It looks like Armageddon.’
Map shows the ares in California that are experiencing active wildfires
A woman tweeted a photo of her on an airplane looking out the window to see the flames as she flew into San Francisco
Emergency lines were consumed with callers reporting smoke in the area, prompting officials to ask that the public ‘only use 911 if they see actual unattended flames, or are having another emergency’
A woman tweeted a photo of the flames in Napa saying that the area is ‘really hurting right now’
#GOES16 satellite now detecting 4 wildfires in the North Bay. 3 fires are near the Sonoma/Napa County line while the forth fire (called the “Atlas Fire”) burns to the NE of the City of Napa. Red Flag Warning remains in effect for strong and dry north winds. #cawx #atlasfire
– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 9, 2017
Photo shows flames at an auto salvage yard that destroyed two structures and 50 to 100 cars
Flames engulf a three-car garage at a home in Napa
Firefighters hose down a burning tree as powerful winds continue to spread the fire
Firefighters have been working to control 14 fires that broke out late Sunday night into early Monday morning
Two women hug as they watch houses burn in Santa Rosa, California
Image shows a hospital patient being evacuated in Santa Rosa as flames spread nearby
A number of roadways were blocked due to downed trees and fires were burning on both sides of Highways 12 and 101 as gusts reached up to 60 mph.
The Napa County Fire Department responded to flames at an auto salvage yard that destroyed two structures and reported 50 to 100 cars burning.
Businesses and structures such as the historic Fountaingrove Inn Hotel are completely burned down.
Community centers, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and other local centers have been opened as shelters to house evacuees.
A California firefighter said: ‘Our strategy right now is to get ahead of this fire and move people out of the way.’
A GoFundMe has been started to raise money for Napa and Sonoma Counties relief.
This come after a summer filled with wildfires in California. This year a total of 6,744 fires have burned 731,260 acres.
An American flag is the only thing to escape the flames as homes burn in Coffey Park on Monday
Coffey Park, an neighborhood on the outskirts of Santa Rosa, was almost completely destroyed during the fire
Windsor Fire Chief Jack Piccinini said that nearly every one of Sonoma County’s fire resources is being used, but it just isn’t enough
The Signorello Estate winery burns in the Napa wine region in California
This year a total of 6,744 fires have burned 731,260 acres in California
Jim Stites watches part of his neighborhood burn in Fountaingrove, California, on Monday night
The Historic Round Barn, in Santa Rosa, is destroyed by fire
A family home in Fountaingrove, California, is consumed by fire on Monday night
