Update: "Huge Destruction. Homes Destroyed Will Be in Hundreds"

Update:

Photographer Al Francis reports seeing American Canyon Police and Napa County Sheriff’s Deputies patrolling the streets of Middletown.

Hardester’s Market and Hardware store survived the inferno. Power is out to the entire town, but PG&E hooked up generators to the market so it could open.

Thick smoke is hanging over the entire area, and winds remain calm.

CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant confirmed the earlier observations of Francis--the number of homes lost is in the hundreds. Exactly how many were in Middletown is still unknown.

Update:

Photographer Al Francis reports that it is raining in Middletown as of 11 a.m.

The fire operations center also reports light to moderate rain over much of the fire complex. Unfortunately, that also means that aerial firefighting operations have been suspended because of poor visibility.

Earlier:

A photographer working with Patch, Al Francis, has reached Middletown in Lake County, which was overrun by the Valley Fire on Saturday.

His first message from the scene read, “In Middletown. Huge destruction. Homes destroyed will be in hundreds.” The photos above are the first sent back by Francis.

• Also see:
• Valley Fire Now at 50,000 Acres; Hundreds of Homes Burned
• Exhaustion, Desperation at Calistoga Evacuation Center

--This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

--All photos Al Francis:

1. Row of destroyed houses
2. Playground at destroyed apartment complex
3. Apartment complex leveled by the fire
4. Middletown market open for business
5. Flames burning along Butts Canyon Road in Lake County near the Napa County line on Sunday
6. Valley Fire burning along Butts Canyon Road
7. Plastic fences along Butt’s Canyon Road