LNU Lightning Complex Fires: Sonoma County Latest

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Sonoma County officials held a virtual community briefing at 6 p.m. Thursday to provide updates on the county's response to the LNU Complex Fires and to take questions from the public.

Attendees included state Sen. Mike McGuire, state Assemblyman Jim Wood, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, Sonoma County Director of Emergency Management Chris Godley, Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick, CalFire Division Chief Ben Nicholls, Santa Rosa Fire Chief Tony Gossner and Cal Fire incident PIO Paul Lowenthal. The attendees provided a brief update, then answered presubmitted questions from the community.

Watch the full meeting here:

Sonoma County, Lake County LNU Lightning Complex Fires: Walbridge Fire, Meyers Fire, Round Fire & Aetna Fire

Thursday marked the fourth day crews have been battling the Hennessey, Walbridge and other fires in the five counties of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Yolo and Solano.

The major fires threatening Sonoma County are the Walbridge Fire that broke out west of Healdsburg and the Meyers Fire that broke out north of Jenner. The Walbridge Fire was 20,000 acres Thursday night, while the Meyers Fire was 3,000 acres.

The Hennessey Fire burning since Monday in Napa County has merged with several smaller fires — the Gamble, Green, Aetna, Markley, Spanish, Morgan and Round fires — and was 192,000 acres Thursday night.

According to Cal Fire, the LNU Lightning Complex fires reached a combined 215,000 acres Thursday night and were 0-percent contained. At least 480 homes and other structures have been destroyed, 125 have been damaged and at least 30,000 are threatened.

There have been four civilian fatalities in connection with the fires, Cal Fire reported Thursday.

Three deaths occurred in Napa County; the Napa County Sheriff-Coroner's Office said three people were discovered dead Wednesday southeast of Lake Berryessa in the 6900 block of state Highway 128. Their bodies were recovered Thursday and deputies were working to positively identify them, Sheriff's Office Spokesman Henry Wofford said.

The fourth death was a PG&E employee who died Wednesday while clearing lines and poles in the Gates Canyon area near Vacaville in Solano County.

In Sonoma County, at least 15,000 residents were under evacuation orders or warnings as of Wednesday; the number of evacuees is likely to have increased since then.

"It is going to take time, it is a very large fire and one of many in California, and honestly our resources are stretched very thin," Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones said during a late-morning news conference.

Jones urged residents to be prepared to evacuate, and acknowledged that in the last five years, many in the North Bay have been evacuated and lost homes, or know someone who has.

"We are here for you," Jones said during the briefing. "... When asked to do so, it is important that you do your part."

Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick reassured residents that law enforcement resources from throughout the Bay Area and beyond have come to the North Bay not only to assist with evacuations but to ensure safety of property once an area is evacuated.

"We know this is very stressful," Essick said. "... You can count on your law enforcement to be there for you."

He urged evacuees to try to remain calm and evacuate as quickly as possible without stopping to take photos, which the sheriff said can cause delays for other evacuees.

"We are concerned people are pulling over to take pictures; fight that urge to pull over and please continue to move through the area," Essick said.

Evacuation areas are dangerous, and the sheriff's office has already had to rescue a few people who've gone back in, he said.

"Once it is evacuated we do not want you to reenter," Essick said . "... Please stay out; it creates a secondary problem."

Watch the full 20-minute briefing from Cal Fire and sheriff's officials:

Latest LNU Lightning Complex evacuation orders and warnings:

Sonoma County is also updating its website with the latest evacuation information for the Walbridge, Meyers and other LNU Lightning Complex fires.

Evacuation Information Point: Santa Rosa Fairgrounds

Evacuees can find information about shelter sites at the centralized, staffed, Temporary Evacuation Point at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road in Santa Rosa.

The Temporary Evacuation Point is not a shelter. Staff there will direct evacuees to the appropriate shelter for their situation, including RV parking, hotels and motels and places to stay, with or without their small pets. Staff can also recommend other community resources that can be helpful during the evacuation.

To shelter livestock and other large animals, the Fairgrounds is offering stalls and other animal care options.

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• Lightning Complex Fires Spread To Vacaville, Solano County
• 2 Wildfires Burn In Sonoma County; Mandatory Evacuations Ordered
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