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Sonoma County Walbridge Fire
Visit socoemergency.org for a live map of the evacuation area. Read live updated text evacuations HERE. Text your zipcode 888-777 to enroll in Nixel alerts.
More than 20,000 people are under evacuation warnings or orders in Sonoma County as the Walbridge Fire continues to burn north of Guerneville and west of Healdsburg. The Myers Fire has also prompted evacuations north of Jenner.
As of Friday morning, the Walbridge Fire is 21,125 and uncontained. The Meyers fire is 3,000 acres and uncontained.
According to a Cal Fire spokesperson, four aircrafts have been assigned to the fire. Among the aircrafts assigned is a Global Supertanker, which can hold over 19,000 gallons of water. More help and resources are expected today. Track flights over the fire area using Flight Radar.
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will meet at 1 p.m. this afternoon to consider declaring a local emergency.
The City of Healdsburg was placed under an evacuation warning Wednesday night. According to Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, the decision was made by Cal Fire Chief Ben Nicholls and Healdsburg Fire Chief Jason Boaz to inform residents to pack a go-bag.
According to Supervisors James Gore, the County is being proactive with evacuations, "Out of an abundance of caution, learning from our 2017 fires, we get evacuations in and get people out of the way so that firefighters can do the work that they need to do."
(Image: Sonoma Water fire cam on the top of Mt. Jackson, north of Rio Nido, facing northwest. Courtesy of Sonoma Water.)
The Walbridge Fire is now the top priority fire for the CalFire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit, according to Chief Ben Nicholls. Nicholls told the public during an update Wednesday, “We are the top priority fire, but that still puts us at about 10 bulldozers and roughly 40 fire engines for a 14,000, pushing 15,000 acre fire that would normally be a much larger resource augmentation.”
The fire is in a densely wooded area that has not burned in decades, leaving greater concern that spot fires could start ahead of the fire from ember casts. Supervisor Lynda Hopkins wrote in a facebook update that, "We are dealing with densely forested areas that can burn for weeks; we are dealing with the sort of fire that can fling embercast far even in lighter winds; and the sort of landscape that can facilitate fires smoldering, unobserved, in a downed tree or the roots of a tree stump for days before igniting into a larger blaze."
According to Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, winds are expected to remain at around 10-15 MPH with gusts of up to 20 MPH. Winds are currently blowing the fire southeast.
Evacuations are in place for the following areas:
Mandatory Evacuation Orders
All areas south of the Russian River
East and North of Hwy. 116 (Pocket Canyon)
West of Martinelli Rd
Zone D (1-5): East of the Sonoma Coast from Fort Ross Road to the Russian River, north and east of the Russian River, to south of Sweetwater Springs Road. and south of Fort Ross Rd.
Zone 2E: South of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road, west of West Dry Creek Road and Westside Road, north of Sweetwater Springs Road and McCray Ridge Road, east of the east Austin Creek (the actual creek).
Zone 1B3: East of Sewell Road and King Ridge Road, North of Old Cazadero Road and Austin Creek (the actual creek) and east of Austin Creek through the recreation area. West of Austin Creek and Wal Bridge Ridge. South of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road.
If you are in the above areas please calmly and quickly evacuate. 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.
Evacuation Warnings
If you are in any of the following areas, please be prepared to evacuate should a mandatory order be issued.
Zone 4D1 and 4D2 East and North of Green Valley Road South and West of Hwy 116
Zone 4C1: North of Guerneville Road East of Covey Road and Hwy 116 West of Laguna Rd South of River Road
Zone 1C2: West of South Fork Gualala River, north of Fort Ross Road, south of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road.
Zone 2K1: All areas North and East of Westside Road, south of Hwy. 101 and west of the Russian River.
Zone 1F1: All areas east of Bohemian Hwy. North of Graton Road and Harrison Grade Road West of Harrison Grade Road, Green Valley Road, and Hwy. 116 South of the Russian River.
Zone 1F2: All areas south of the Russian River. East and North of Hwy. 116 (Pocket Canyon). West of Martinelli Road.
Zone 4A1: All areas East of the Russian River. North of River Road. West of Trenton Healdsburg Rd. and Eastside Road South of the area between the western dead end of Windsor River Road and the Russian River.
The City of Healdsburg issued an evacuation warning for Healdsburg city limits.
Zone 1C1: All areas east of the Sonoma coast to the south fork of the Gualala River. South of Kruse Ranch Road and Howser Bridge Road to Fort Ross Road.
Zone 1E3: All areas south of the Russian River. West of Bohemian Hwy. North and East of Coleman Valley Road and Willow Creek Road.
Zone 1E1: All areas south and west of Willow Creek Road North of Coleman Valley Rd. and Wright Hill Road East of the California Coastal National Monument (BLM property).
Zone 4B1: (Northern Forestville) All areas south of River Road from Martinelli Road to the intersection of River Rd at Trenton Rd. West of Covey Road North of Front Street. / Hwy. 116 East of Martinelli Road.
Zone 2K2: East of the Russian River to the Windsor Town limits. North of where Windsor River Road dead ends extending west to the Russian River.
Zone 1F1: All areas east of Bohemian Hwy. North of Graton Road and Harrison Grade Road West of Harrison Grade Road, Green Valley Road, and Hwy. 116 South of the Russian River.
Zone 1F2: All areas south of the Russian River. East and North of Hwy. 116 (Pocket Canyon). West of Martinelli Road.
Zone 4A1: All areas East of the Russian River. North of River Road. West of Trenton Healdsburg Rd. and Eastside Road South of the area between the western dead end of Windsor River Road and the Russian River.
Zone 2K1: All areas North and East of Westside Road, south of Hwy. 101 and west of the Russian River.
Zone 1C2: West of South Fork Gualala River, north of Fort Ross Road, south of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road.
