Oh joy. Another California wildfire

Map of the Fire area

Nov. 8. 1030 PST

Camp Fire This is a nasty one. Now approaching 10,000 acres. Reports of injuries and structure lost. Patients ere evacuated fro the hospitals but some employee are trapped inside. They are being told to shelter in place in the basement because rescuers can't get to them. Evacuation roads are gridlocked and there are unconfirmed reports of people abandoning their cars & running to safety. Smoke so dense it was reported as "blackout." Fire efforts are being concentrated on evacuation routes. Due to strong winds, air tanker use is very limited. Current humidities are 20% or less.

In terms of travel, this is not a widely visited area at this time of year. Anyone heading north on highway 99 through Chico can expect heavy traffic due to evacuees and emergency equipment. Smoke is already noticeable 100 miles away to the south & west, and air quality is deteriorating. May get to the SF area later today.

Nov. 8. noon PST

News is not good. It's ominous when the sheriff says they are trying to "save as many lives as possible."

Over 30,000 evacuees. A number of injuries, including a firefighter. One possible fatality. Many structures burned. Fire is moving so fast that police were pulling people out of cars on a gridlocked evacuation road, and herding them into concrete buildings to shelter in place while fire crew protect them. Twitter is full of pleas to help someone's elderly or disabled relatives who can't get out. I saw an interview with a man who was near tears because he has no idea where his wife & kids are.

Nov. 8 3:20 PM PST

Camp Fire Close to 20,000 acres--has been curing 80 acres a minute. Most of Northern California is now under an air quality health advisory due to smoke. Parts of Lake Oroville Recreation Area closed. Highway 99 has been closed on & off except for evacuees. Reports like this keep coming in:
• Firefighters are protecting approximately 150 people who took shelter in a commercial building.
• Fire at the Feather River Hospital, firefighters are losing pressure in the hydrants, all available water tenders to the hospital now.
• People are abandoning their vehicles on Wagstaff and Skyway to flee on foot. Firefighters are evacuating as many as possible.

Social media is full of missing person reports and "I need to be rescued."

Hill Fire and Woolsey Fire both in Ventura County (north of LA). Highway 101 is closed. Hill Fire is burning toward the Pacific Coast Highway between Camarillo & Newbury Park. Mandatory evacuations.

I've got a friend who grew up in Paradise, CA and she's getting reports that so much is already gone from the Camp Fire- her old high school, her father's house, the fire burned everything possible in the cemetery where her mother is buried....

Nov. 8 7:15 PM PST

Hill Fie and Woolsey Fire. Map of Fire locations. Highway 101 IS CLOSED FROM THE JCT OF SR 23 /IN THOUSAND OAKS/ TO PLEASANT VALLEY RD /IN CAMARILLO/ (VENTURA CO) - DUE TO A WILDFIRE - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. This is the main route north between LA and Santa Barbara. Alternatives might get be highway 118 through Similar Valley or Highway 1 on the coast. Both, however, could be affected by the fires.

Camp Fire is still a horror. Much of the town of Paradise has burned or may burn. The hospital is gone, but everyone was safely evacuated. Emergency personnel are still concentrating on rescue rather than putting out the fire. There are trapped and missing people. This is a retirement area and many of the missing are elderly and/ or disabled.

Some tankers were able to fly. Winds may die down tonight but humidity has been less than 10%.

There may be more closures of highway 99. The route from Highway 70 to 99 is sometimes used as a scenic route to & from Mt. Lassen. It shouldn’t even be thought of right now.

Some fatalities being reported here in Australia on our media, nutrax.

The town of Paradise seems really knocked around ... my goodness.

Saw reports on the news yesterday about the fire in Newbury Park and the 101 being shut down but had not heard about the Camp Fire. So very sorry for all who are impacted directly or indirectly and hope things improve soon. Thanks for the updates Nutrax.