Napa County Wildfires: 4 Fatalities Confirmed; Nearly 1,900 Firefighters Assigned To Atlas, Partrick Fires

NAPA COUNTY and SOLANO COUNTY, CA — Sadly, two additional fatalities have been confirmed in the Atlas Fire in Napa County. The remains of two men have been recovered from a residence in the 2300 block of Atlas Peak Road, Napa County Sheriff John Robertson said in a news release late Friday. The residence belonged to Dr. George Chaney, 89, and Edward Stone, 79, Robertson said.

"A positive identification has been made of Dr. Chaney and the second victim is believed to be Mr. Stone," Robertson said.

According to the sheriff, the remains of the two victims were located and recovered by members of a Napa County Sheriff-Coroner forensic search team who were conducting searches on Atlas Peak Road based on information from the county's emergency operations center.

"The coroner forensic search team and Napa County Search and Rescue teams are continuing to search residences for missing persons who may be victims of the Napa County fires," Robertson said.

The two fatalities bring the number of deaths related to the Atlas Fire in Napa County to four. Charles and Sara Rippey, 100 and 98 years old, respectively, were identified earlier this week as victims.

In neighboring Sonoma County, 18 deaths have been confirmed in relation to the Tubbs Fire. Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano said search-and-rescue operations were taking place Friday in the burn areas. Friday, more than 250 people remained missing in the Sonoma County fire area, Giordano said.

With nearly 1,900 firefighters assigned to the two Southern LNU Complex fires burning in Napa and Solano counties, containment improved overnight, Cal Fire officials reported. Heading into Friday, the Atlas Fire was 48,228 acres and 27 percent contained and the Partrick Fire was 12,379 acres and 18 percent contained.

"Firefighters continue to increase perimeter control lines and engage in structure defense," Cal Fire officials said in a Friday morning incident update.

Firefighters and other resources are coming in from across the nation and from as far away as Australia and Canada to help guard against further damages from the destructive and deadly series of wildfires that have burnt more than 150,000 acres across the North San Francisco Bay area since Sunday.

Watch: California Crews Using 'Back Burning' To Contain The Fires

In Napa and Solano counties, where 60,607 acres have been charred, crews are working to spare some 5,000 homes, businesses and other structures still threatened by the two fires, which have already destroyed at least 235 structures and damaged at least 31 others.

Crews are also keeping in mind the high winds forecasted to begin Friday afternoon. The winds coupled with low humidity have prompted weather officials to implement another red flag warning for the area Friday afternoon through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

While some mandatory evacuations were lifted Thursday, many parts of Napa County and portions of western Solano County remain under mandatory evacuation orders. Yet thousands of others have been advised to prepare to evacuate.

The Napa County Sheriff's Office Friday morning issued an evacuation advisory for the areas west of state Highway 29 between Oakville Grade and Rutherford Road in Napa County.

The sheriff's office is advising residents to be prepared to evacuate should a Mandatory Evacuation Order be issued. As of this Friday morning, the advisory was not a mandatory evacuation.

The area where the mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted include: the area around Silverado Country Club, Monticello Park, and The Avenues, in addition to the area west of Silverado Trail between Harman Avenue and state Highway 128.

Several roads in the area, however, remain closed. Closed roads include the intersection of Atlas Peak Road and Westgate Drive and the intersection of Monticello Road and Vichy Avenue.

Lisa Ledson, who lives in the Napa area, said her home is under advisory evacuation. Ledson decided to go to a shelter at Napa Valley College to see if they needed help or supplies rather than staying at home.

"My family has lived in Kenwood since the mid-1800s, so my entire childhood is burned to a crisp right now," she said. "It's hard."

Ledson was fine, she said, until she drove past Annadel State Park. It's a place she went often growing up, now largely consumed in the 7,555-acre Adobe Fire.

"It's weird," Ledson said. "Like someone almost taking an eraser and erasing your history."

Ledson said she is worried about her friends in the Atlas Peak area who stayed behind to try to protect their properties when the Atlas Fire burned through the area.

"Can you imagine?" Ledson said. "The area looked like it'd been torched, so you just assume they're dead."

According to Cal Fire, mandatory Southern LNU Complex evacuations remained in effect Friday:

NAPA COUNTY

Circle Oaks
Buhman Road
Wild Horse Valley Road
SR 128 to Moskowite
Berryessa Highlands

SOLANO COUNTY:

Upper and Lower Green Valley

Napa County residents with evacuation and fire-related questions can call the Napa County public information line at 707-253-4501. Fire information such as a map showing areas where evacuation orders and advisories are in place and where evacuation shelters for residents and their animals are set up can be found on the county's website.

Atlas Fire-related information for Solano County residents is posted at Solanocounty.com.

For those wishing to volunteer or donate to Napa County fire victims, county officials say:

"The Napa Valley Community Organizations Active in Disaster (Napa Valley COAD) is an umbrella
organization to coordinate all sectors of the community in disaster: nonprofit and faith-based
organizations, government agencies and the private sector. Working in tandem with the Napa Valley
Community Foundation and CVNL Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership, the COAD is currently
assessing the most urgent needs and will inform the community and public as they evolve. Until further
notice, monetary donations are the most crucial need. Tax-deductible donations in any amount can be
made to the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund at Napavalleycf.org/fire-donation-page. We
are kindly asking that people refrain from donations of goods/items at this time. And please, SAFETY
FIRST - DO NOT SELF DEPLOY to the area to bring donations or volunteer. Thank you for your ongoing
support and interest in helping these severely impacted communities."

Patch will update this post throughout the day as more fire-related information for Napa and Solano counties is gathered; please update the page for the latest.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo: Firefighter David Allhiser carries a water hose to put out a fire Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, near Calistoga, Calif. Officials say progress is being made in some of the largest wildfires burning in Northern California but that the death toll is almost sure to surge. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)