Thousands Flee Sonoma County Wildfires

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Tens of thousands of North Bay residents were forced to flee the Lightning Complex fires Wednesday as the blazes continued to rage, injuring four civilians and destroying 105 homes and other structures, while leaving another 70 structures damaged.

More mandatory evacuations were issued throughout the day, from north to western Sonoma County, from Lake County to Napa County, and from Yolo to Solano counties as the Lightning Complex fires spread to 124,100 acres. The fires were 0-percent contained Wednesday night and threatening 25,000 homes and businesses, according to Cal Fire.

In Sonoma County, the Walbridge Fire west of Healdsburg grew to 14,000 acres Wednesday, while the Myers Fire north of Jenner was 2,500 acres.

At 2:26 a.m. Wednesday, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office issued a mandatory evacuation order for the area west of West Dry Creek Road and south of Lake Sonoma.

"If you are in the above areas please calmly and quickly evacuate," the sheriff's office said. "Check with your neighbors to ensure they have been made aware of the order. First Responders are currently working on going door to door to assist."

In a news conference late Wednesday morning, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection operation chief Chris Waters said a red flag warning has been issued in the area of the Walbridge and Myers fires. There, fire officials are working to prepare for further evacuations.

Waters said crews' focus on Wednesday is safely evacuating residents who could be in danger, defending homes and other structures threatened by the flames and controlling the perimeter of the fire to slow its spread.

More than 15,000 Sonoma County residents were under evacuation orders or warnings as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Chris Godley, the county's director of emergency management.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is sending updates about evacuation orders and warnings through Nixle. The information is also posted at Socoemergency.org. Sonoma County residents can look up their evacuation zone ahead of time, as the information sent via Nixle is accompanied by maps of evacuation zones.

Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick said it was imperative that residents heed orders from officials and be prepared to evacuate when told to do so.

Deputies from all five counties affected by the complex of fires — Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Lake and Yolo — will be using high-low sirens to alert communities of evacuation orders, Essick said.

“When your area is under evacuation, you will hear deputies with the high-low siren,” he said. “The siren is unique; it means it’s time to go. High-low means it’s time to go.”

Residents are also encouraged to leave roadways open for first responders and evacuees; Sonoma County closed Sunset Beach, Forestville river access and Guerneville River Park.

"Day-use visitors are discouraged from traveling to river or coastal parks at this time. Leave roads open for first responders & those evacuating," county officials said in a tweet.

Neither Sonoma County nor any cities had set up formal evacuation shelters or centers as of Wednesday afternoon. A county employee said parking lots in Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Sebastopol were staffed with city employees helping direct people during evacuations.

In Healdsburg, city workers are available to assist evacuees at Westside Park (2400 West Shore Road) and Veterans Memorial Beach (13839 Old Redwood Highway).

In Santa Rosa, workers have set up at the fairgrounds (2005 Linwood Avenue), A Place To Play park (2375 W 3rd Street) and Schopflin Field (4351 Old Redwood Highway).

One parking lot in Sebastopol is also available for evacuees needing assistance or direction. The parking lot is located at Ragle Ranch (500 Ragle Road).

A public information officer for the LNU Lightning Complex fire response said over 10,000 lightning strikes in recent days led to 367 new fires, which crews have worked to extinguish over three days.

Officials said California is also working to overcome a lack of resources with a request for 375 out-of-state fire engines and on-the-ground crews to assist the estimated 6,900 firefighters who worked to extinguish the fires on Wednesday.

The LNU Lighting Complex fire spokesperson said nearly all private on-demand firefighting aircraft in the western United States have been assigned to a California wildfire.

"The size and complexity at which these incidents are burning is challenging all aspects of emergency response," the spokesperson said. "It is critical that the community heeds the warnings of law enforcement and remains prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice."

Below are Lightning Complex Fires evacuation orders and warnings as of 7 p.m. Wednesday:

#LNULightningComplex - Incident 7 p.m. update #CALFIRE#CALFIRELNU pic.twitter.com/xu4EZLZYCt
— CAL FIRE LNU (@CALFIRELNU) August 20, 2020

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Lightning Complex Fires Spread To Vacaville, Solano County
• 50 Homes Destroyed In Lightning Complex Fires: Napa County Latest
• 2 Wildfires Burn In Sonoma County; Mandatory Evacuations Ordered
• Napa County Lightning Complex Fires Latest: More Evacuations
• Wildfire Burns 800 Acres, Prompts Evacuation Warning In Marin

Patch will update this post throughout the day Wednesday as more information is gathered; please refresh the page for the latest.

Patch staffer Payton Potter contributed to this report.