City of Sonoma: Latest fire update

Fire situation remains ‘dynamic’; heavy winds expected to shift north east|

Latest fire update from the City of Sonoma:

The City of Sonoma is working in support of local fire protection personnel from Sonoma Valley, Schellville, Kenwood and Glen Ellen, along with local law enforcement, who continue to battle six fires in Sonoma Valley as the response effort enters its third day.

Cal Fire is now overseeing the fire response in the Valley in cooperation with these and multiple other local agencies. Updates on the fires can be found at http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents. The multiple fires most closely affecting the Valley have been combined as the 'Southern LNU Complex'. As of late Tuesday afternoon, Cal Fire reports that 'these fires continue to burn in steep rugged terrain and heavy fuels. Currently winds are out of the southwest. Weather forecasts predict winds to shift and come from the north in the coming days. Firefighters are strengthening control lines in preparation for this shift.'

This remains an extremely dynamic fire situation, and conditions may change frequently. Sonoma Valley residents are asked to stay alerted to possible additional evacuations and to be prepared to leave quickly. To receive updates from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, subscribe to Nixle, which can be done by texting your zip code to 888777 from your mobile phone, or registering online at https://local.nixle.com/sonoma-county-sheriffs-office/.https://local.nixle.com/sonoma-county-sheriffs-office/.

Residents are advised not to return to mandatory evacuation areas. These restrictions are in place both to ensure safety of residents as well as to provide access for emergency personnel in critical areas. Life safety is the top priority.

The Sonoma Police Department and Sonoma County Sheriff's Department staff are being supplemented with mutual aid from other agencies, who are assisting with intel on fires, responding to incidents, providing traffic control around evacuation areas and providing security. Tonight, staff from Bay Area and state law enforcement agencies will be providing additional support in Sonoma Valley.

The City of Sonoma opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) early Monday morning to coordinate resources locally and regionally in cooperation with Sonoma County. The City and the Sonoma Valley School District are working closely together on evacuation centers. The center at Sonoma Valley High School is currently serving the general population. All Sonoma Valley public schools are closed this week.

The Sonoma Valley community has been extremely generous with donations and volunteering. For those who want to help, the following guidelines are provided:

• Volunteers are asked to register at the volunteer center that has been established at the Sonoma Community Center and is open from 9 am – 5 pm. This allows for assessment of skills and availability so that volunteer time can be utilized effectively.

• Donations from our generous community have been abundant. Currently, the evacuation centers are well supplied and storage capacity is very limited. As additional needs arise, specific information will be posted on the City's website and facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CityOfSonoma/. SVTV (channel 27) is also sharing updates.

Some power outages have been reported. For current information, visit https://www.pge.com/outagealerts/. Current road closure information is available at http://roadconditions.sonoma-county.org/ and additional county information at http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/.

Air quality is likely to stay poor and unhealthy for an extended period of time. 'If you have the opportunity to temporarily relocate to family and friends outside of the affected area, we encourage you to do so,' said City Manager Cathy Capriola. The firefighting effort will likely continue for a number of days.

'The extent of the fire damage will require a long-term, well-coordinated recovery effort,' said Capriola. 'We're so proud of how our community has come together through this unprecedented tragedy. The City of Sonoma is committed to supporting our recovery and the well-being of our community.'

Watch a Wednesday 12:30 p.m. update from the City below:

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