As violent winds began whipping across a severely parched Northern California on Sunday, PG&E cut off power to tens of thousands of customers and fire crews bore down, aiming to prevent another wind-whipped inferno like those that devastated several communities in recent years.
In anticipation of Diablo winds that could bring the “most critical” fire conditions of the season, the utility company had warned earlier this week that it would turn off power to some 500,000 customers in an effort to limit the threat of fires sparked by power lines. By Sunday, the plan had been scaled back to about 360,000 customers across 36 counties and 17 tribal communities, sparing some 100,000 homes and businesses in Northern California, including areas of San Ramon to Dublin to Santa Rosa.
PG&E incident commander Mark Quinlan called the planned power shut off the utility’s “last resort option” and said that the company tried to make it “as small as possible” based on the most up-to-date weather forecasts. Quinlan said the utility would begin inspecting power lines and equipment and restoring service as the wind passed.
CLICK HERE if you’re having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device.
With winds howling in the hills and debris and dust blowing through the air, homes and businesses in the Bay Area began losing power at about 8 p.m. Sunday. Around that same time, fires crews in East Contra Costa encountered their first flames of the night — a fire involving multiple piles of horse stable shavings in the community of Byron. Although the high winds were causing embers to spread from pile to pile, crews quickly knocked down the small spot fires before they were able to spread.
Citing hazardous winds and extremely low humidity levels, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning lasting through 5 p.m. Tuesday in the North Bay mountains and East Bay hills and through 11 a.m. Monday in the coastal regions and Santa Cruz Mountains.
Commonly referred to as Diablo winds, the strong offshore gales were expected to be at their strongest overnight. As of 9 p.m. Sunday, gusts had already reached peaks of 80 mph atop Mount Saint Helena, 69 mph in the Healdsburg hills and 60 mph on Mount Diablo, according to the National Weather Service.
Another cup of coffee, another update:
Mt St Helena observed an 80 mph gust on top of a 70 mph wind.#CAwx pic.twitter.com/hnZGEVzaTt— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 26, 2020
“The big concern is the area that is going to be affected will be a lot more widespread than previous events,” said Meteorologist Gerry Diaz, who noted that the anticipated conditions bore a resemblance to those that led to the devastating Oakland hills conflagration in 1991.
The most dangerous wind event of the year comes as California has already set a state record for most acres burned in a year. As of Sunday, this year’s fires have consumed more than 4.1 million acres, destroyed at least 9,200 structures and killed 31 people. Four of the state’s five largest fires in recorded history have occurred this year, including the August Complex — the state’s first fire to burn more than 1 million acres.
By Sunday afternoon, crews in Shasta County were already working to contain four different fires that broke out earlier in the day and prompted several evacuation orders.
Berkeley and Contra Costa County officials urged residents in high-risk areas to relocate Sunday ahead of the dangerous conditions that were expected overnight. Popular parks in San Mateo and Sonoma counties announced closures through Monday due to the risk of wildfires.
Heeding the warnings from officials, a steady stream of evacuees checked into Doubletree Hotel in the Berkeley Marina on Sunday afternoon.
Cathy and Everett Moran had ignored many red-flag warnings in the past. But Sunday, the elderly couple decided to leave their Berkeley Hills home of 51 years to spend the night at the hotel.
“This one seemed serious,” said Everett Moran, one of more than a dozen evacuees who checked into the hotel after city officials encouraged them to leave and noted special offers to city residents fleeing the danger. Officials stressed that their message was not an evacuation order, but an effort to keep roads clear in hilly communities in the event of such a notice.
The couple had two small bags, with plans to stay two nights at the hotel. They packed books, puzzles and their hiking sticks — turning their evacuation into a “little getaway,” said Cathy Moran.
“There’s no use worrying,” she said. “We will be alarmed if a fire happens.”
Katie Peterson, another evacuee who left her home of two years with her 2-year-old and husband, said the situation Sunday afternoon felt less stressful than what might follow.
“This is a minor inconvenience,” said Peterson, a UC Davis English professor who lives near Grizzly Peak. “Our lives aren’t in upheaval yet. Let’s hope we don’t get to upheaval.”
The dangerous conditions — caused by a mix of low humidity, high winds and dry fire fuel — prompted CalFire officials early Sunday morning to keep all personnel who were already on duty working through at least Monday morning, according to spokesman Robert Foxworthy. Going into the evening hours, CalFire was staging personnel, equipment and reserve engines across Northern California in locations at the highest risk of fire activity.
“This wind event isn’t going to surprise anybody,” Foxworthy said. “Everyone is mentally prepared for what could happen.”
Forecast wind gusts from Sunday morning through Monday evening. Offshore winds (from the north and northeast) increase from north to south across the #BayArea today and peak overnight before gradually diminishing on Monday. Red Flag Warnings and Wind Advisories in effect. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/Ah7XLHEdHE
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 25, 2020
After a long and horrific fire season, Thomas Gallinatti, a retired Oakland firefighter who is a candidate for the San Ramon Valley Fire Board, said Sunday that he was confident most East Bay foothill residents were prepared for what was to come overnight.
“People should be dialed into what is happening,” he said Sunday morning.
Gallinatti, who lives in Alamo, said his biggest concern was residents blocking firefighters by parking on narrow streets.
Paul Adamson, who lives on a hill in Kensington, said he was aware of the evacuation recommendation in nearby Berkeley. But he had no plans to prepare to leave although the conditions had him on alert.
“When the winds get up I’m always concerned,” Adamson said.