• New research from Stanford University has determined that wildfire smoke is the most detrimental consequence of climate change on Americans' health. Forty thousand Americans are killed by wildfire smoke per year, and the number is projected at 70,000 per year by 2050. [KQED]
• Santa Rosa police arrested Felix Carreon, 50, and Robert McConlogue, 46, both from Sebastopol, in connection with the fatal shooting of Mollie Schefer, 47, at her home in Santa Rosa September 9. One of Shefer’s dogs was also killed, and a second dog was suffering from a gunshot wound. [KRON4]

• A new addiction recovery facility called Wells Place will soon be opening in SF’s Marina District at the former Marina Inn location at Octavia and Lombard streets. Residents at the facility, which consists of double and single-occupancy rooms with a total of 60 beds, will be required to go to school or work while at the facility. [NBC Bay Area]

• The Cupertino Whole Foods, which was shut down in April due to multiple pest infestations, passed its inspection and is set to reopen its doors September 29. [KPIX]
• Three parks in the East Bay town of Antioch — Contra Loma Estates Park, Marchetti Park, and Jacobsen Park — are getting major upgrades, which were largely funded by a $2.95 million grant through Proposition 68. [Bay Area News Group]
• Juan Aguilar, 44, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on August 29 for the human trafficking, rape, and forcible oral copulation of a 15-year-old girl whom he kidnapped from Honduras and trafficked from his San Leandro home for two years. [Bay Area News Group]

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

• San Jose police are on the hunt for a large group of suspects who ran a car into Kim Hung jewelry store on Aborn Road Friday afternoon and grabbed a bunch of merchandise before running off. [KTVU]
• More details have been released regarding Friday night’s drive-by shooting in Fremont — one victim died at the scene and another at the hospital. [Bay Area News Group]
• The Redwood City Police Department are searching for missing teen, Bella Tapia, who was last seen around 8 pm Saturday on Chesterton Avenue in Redwood City wearing a black zip-up sweater, jean shorts, and brown Ugg slippers. [KRON4]
• Various social media accounts are saying Chicago’s entire fleet of salt trucks were deployed along major roadways early Saturday morning with the goal of hindering potential increased ICE enforcement. [Here’sWhyKevin]

• Los Angeles’s Southern California Edison is being sued by the federal government, which alleges the utility’s equipment is to blame for sparking recent wildfires — including the Eaton Fire — due to a lack of maintenance to its infrastructure. [KQED]

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

Napa County declared a local emergency for the Calistoga area Sunday, calling for additional funding to fight the Pickett Fire, which broke out Thursday and reached nearly 7,000 acres Sunday afternoon.

As SFist reported, the fire started just before 3 pm Thursday along Pickett Road outside the city limits of Calistoga, spreading to over 2,100 acres overnight. Cal Fire had deployed 435 firefighters and 75 engines to fight the fire on Friday, when temperatures reportedly hovered near 100 degrees. The blaze surpassed 3,000 acres and was at seven percent containment Friday afternoon.

As KPIX reports, the Bay Area Air District issued an Air Quality Advisory for Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties on Friday, which was extended through Monday, August 25. KPIX notes that the agency is urging residents in those counties to check fire.airnow.gov to stay protected from the smoke.

As Santa Rosa’s Press Democrat reports, ground crews and night-flying helicopters kept the fire within the established limits overnight on Friday.

Cal Fire sent 1,230 firefighters to fight the blaze Saturday morning. Temperatures were cooler on Saturday, but windy conditions posed challenges for firefighting aircrafts, which were temporarily grounded due to low visibility from the smoke, per the Press Democrat.

As the Guardian reports, Napa County officials issued evacuation orders to around 190 people — as well as evacuation warnings to 360 people — throughout the day Saturday. Additional evacuation orders were announced Saturday evening, including at the historic Aetna Springs Resort, per the Press Democrat. The Guardian writes that 500 structures in the Aetna Springs and Pope Valley regions were at risk of being hit by the blaze.

Cal Fire said that although the winds pushed the fire “aggressively east,” firefighters were able to keep the blaze contained at 11% as of 9:30 pm Saturday, per the Press Democrat.

As KPIX reports, 2,045 personnel were on the scene Sunday, along with “205 engines, 67 dozers, 23 water tenders, 53 crews and 10 helicopters.” Favorable weather conditions allowed crews to make more progress containing the fire and managing hotspots.

KPIX writes that while many evacuation orders remained in effect Sunday, some residents were allowed to return to their homes — with caution. A community resource center has been set up at 1307 Washington Street in Calistoga, equipped with A/C, charging stations, and light refreshments, per KPIX.

As the Guardian reports, the fire is traveling along the burn scar of the dried vegetation left behind by the 2020 Glass Fire. The Glass Fire, which was significantly larger than the Pickett Fire and caused widespread damage, was declared the worst fire in Napa history, as SFist reported.

As KRON4 reports, Ryan Alsop, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Napa County’s Emergency Services, signed an emergency proclamation Sunday asking for additional resources for fighting the fire.

“The safety of our residents is our top priority,” Alsop said in a statement Sunday, per KRON4. “This declaration is a proactive step to ensure we can mobilize every available resource to respond to the needs of our community, including coordinating with state and federal partners.”

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.  There have been no injuries or reported damages so far.

Top image: Cal Fire LNU/Twitter

Previously: Pickett Fire, Which Began Thursday In Calistoga, Grows to 2,133 Acres

• The Pickett Fire in Napa County, which has surpassed 3,000 acres, reached 7% containment Friday afternoon. The fire was reportedly more manageable on Friday than on Thursday afternoon when it was “very aggressive.” [SFGate]
• Blockchain gaming startup Ex Populus Inc., which registered the XAI trademark in May, is suing Elon Musk's AI company, xAI. Ex Populus says xAI has been trying to bully the company into giving up its rights to the trademark. [SF Business Times]
• Local community group Black Men United and the East Bay chapter of national nonprofit Live Free held a meeting Thursday night discussing how they’ll protect young people if the National Guard is deployed in Oakland. They’ve been hosting ongoing outreach events for at-risk youth, including a violence prevention youth summit and vigils honoring homicide victims. [KTVU]

• Students at a few Berkeley Unified School District schools have tested positive for COVID amid the current surge. [Berkeleyside]
• That fancy Cupertino Whole Foods that closed in April due to multiple pest infestations, including an "adult female roof rat in the deli" and “German cockroaches near the bakery,” is still closed as the building undergoes an extensive remodel. [Hoodline]

National:

• A new report by MIT revealed that only five percent of companies have succeeded at effectively integrating generative AI into their businesses. Additionally, the best AI tools on the market were only able to effectively complete 30% of every-day office tasks as of July — many of which performed much worse. [Futurism]
• On a related note, a bank in Australia reportedly fired — and then rehired — its workers after its chatbot failed to deliver the expected results. [Gizmodo]
• Social media posts have been spreading misinformation about the number of non-citizens living in the US — inflating the number by “tens of millions” — after the Trump administration announced its reviewing the valid visas of over 55 million people. [Associated Press]

Video of the Day:

• A look at Bay Area mascots throughout history. Agreed, Sourdough Sam seems kind of creepy.

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

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A post shared by San Francisco Giants (@sfgiants)

• Ruth Asawa was the ultimate PTA Mom who spearheaded the city-wide arts program for SFUSD students, which prevails today. [SF Standard]
• Two large protests took place in San Francisco on Saturday — one against cuts to public education, and another marking the 77th anniversary of the Nakba and calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel. [@PSLBayArea]

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A post shared by PSL Bay Area (@pslbayarea)

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• A 36-year-old motorcyclist was killed early Saturday morning in San Jose when a suspected drunk driver veered off U.S. 101 and crashed into him on the shoulder. [Mercury News]

Stay tuned for our next post detailing an off-duty SFPD officer who was arrested for a DUI just after graduating the police academy.

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist

PG&E has announced that they might shutoff power to five Bay Area counties on Monday and Tuesday in order to reduce fire risk, as a result of weather conditions forecasted to be both extremely hot and very windy, according to their website.

Contra Costa, Alameda, Sonoma, Solano, and Napa counties were the Bay Area counties among a larger list of 13 that are expected to see their electricity cut. This comes as an unseasonably warm heat wave is expected to blanket the Bay Area for the upcoming week, which leads to high fire risk when placed in conjunction with the large quantity of dry foliage currently present.

San Francisco is projected to hit as high as 90 degrees on Tuesday, with San Jose expected to reach 100 degrees, according to the latest weather reports. It is expected to be even warmer further inland, where the power shutoffs are said to be occurring.

"Once severe weather has passed and it is safe to do so, PG&E will work quickly and nimbly to patrol and inspect lines and restore power for customers as soon as possible," a press release from the company reads.

In that same press release, there is a list of specific buildings in each county will function as Community Resource Centers, which will offer a host of amenities to residents in need of a safe place to reside as the heatwave and power outages unfold.

"To accommodate the heat, CRCs will receive additional ice for customers. Additionally, each center offers  ADA-accessible restrooms, device charging, Wi-Fi, blankets, air conditioning, bottled water and snacks," PG&E states.

Here is the full list of CRCs in the Bay Area:

• Castro Valley (Alameda County), Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Ave., Oct. 1, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Livermore (Alameda County), Costco Wholesale Livermore, 2800 Independence Dr., Sept. 30 4 p.m.- 10 p.m.
• Calistoga (Napa County), Calistoga Community Center, 1307 Washington Street, Sept. 30 4 p.m.- 10 p.m.
• Sonoma (Sonoma County), Hanna Boys Center, 1700-17100 Arnold Dr., Sept. 30 4 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Image: Oakland Substation C via Wikimedia

You may recall Mendocino County’s 2021 Hopkins Fire, which destroyed more than 250 acres and nearly 30 homes, and now a 23-year-old man is on trial for the second time for allegedly starting it, after his first trial was declared a mistrial.

One of the most discouraging aspects of California wildfire season is that some of these incredibly destructive fires are started on purpose, and by arsonists. The currently raging Park Fire in Butte, Tehama, Plumas, and Shasta counties, a fire which is now geographically larger than the City of Los Angeles, is believed to have been caused by man pushing a burning car into a ravine.

And three years ago, Mendocino County’s Hopkins Fire torched 257 acres and burned nearly 30 homes, and authorities believe that fire too was intentionally set by a man named Devin Lamar Johnson.

It took a year-and-half for Johnson’s arson trial to begin, because of concerns about his mental competency. The trial was moved from Mendocino County to Marin County, and the jury deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial. Undaunted, Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster just started another new trial in Marin County, according to the Ukiah Daily Journal, with the now-23-year-old Johnson now facing arson charges again.

The prosecution is basing part of its case on photographs from Ukiah freelance photographer Peter Armstrong, whose specialty is wildfire photos. Armstrong has photos allegedly placing ​​Johnson near the source of the fire in the small Mendocino County town of Calpella not long after the blaze started.

No one was injured in the eighth-day Hopkins Fire, but dozens of homes were lost. “Nothing can replace what I lost that day,” homeowner Steve Schwartz told the Ukiah Daily Journal after the initial mistrial. “I lost 50 years of my life because I had stuff from when I was born and it will never be replaced.”

Per the Journal, the suspect Johnon was already on felony probation for attempted robbery when he was arrested on arson charges for the Hopkins Fire. He faces three charges of arson, an aggravated arson charge for burning multiple structures, and additional charges of  arson of an inhabited structure, and arson during a state of emergency.

Related: Chico Man Arrested For Allegedly Sparking Massive Wildfire By Pushing Burning Car Into Ravine [SFist]

Image via PG&E

There were evacuations Friday in Bay Point and Concord, as the Point Fire in Contra Costa County grew to more than 470 acres, but was 40% contained as of Saturday.

This is already a terrible weekend for California wildfires, as the Park Fire in Butte and Tehama counties has now burnt up more than 348,000 acres, making it the seventh-largest wildfire in California history. That wildfire is currently 0% contained, so the Park Fire news may get worse as the weekend progresses.

But now we have the bad news that there’s a raging fire in Contra Costa County too, as NBC Bay Area reports that the newer Point Fire has burned at least 470 acres, and prompted evacuation warnings and orders in Concord and Bay Point.

The Point Fire was first reported at about 3:20 pm Friday afternoon, according to SFGate, at Evora and Nichols roads north of Highway 4 in Bay Point. The fast-moving fire grew to more than 200 acres by 6 pm, and evacuation orders were issued in Bay Point, while Concord got evacuation warnings.

Cal Fire reported at 7:36 am Saturday that at least 471 acres have burned and the fire was 40% contained. At that point, all evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings.

The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office gave the all-clear on all evacuation notices later Saturday morning. There are no reported injuries thus far with the Point Fire, and its cause still unknown and under investigation.

This fire is not to be confused with last month's Point Fire in Sonoma County, which eventually burned more than 1,200 acres.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Related: Park Fire Grows to 180,000 Acres, 134 Structures Confirmed Destroyed [SFist]

Image: @shadowspank1 via Twitter

California fire officials are considering implementing a sweeping ban on bushes, brush, or any combustible materials within five feet of homes in areas considered high risk for wildfires.

Wildfire season started especially early in 2024, and for more than a year now, insurance companies have started refusing to provide coverage to homes or structures in high-risk wildfire areas. State fire officials are hoping to minimize this risk, and as the Chronicle reports, they’re now working on strict new wildfire prevention regulations that would ban bushes, woody plants, pine needles, or anything flammable from being within five feet of homes in wildfire-prone areas.

The rules are being formulated by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, acting on the requirements of a 2020 law called Senate Bill 3074. And this rule was already supposed to have taken effect, but that board is still working on a draft that’s expected to be completed by the end of the year.

A similar law is already in effect in South Lake Tahoe, where the 2021 Caldor Fire destroyed more than 1,000 structures. This Thursday, that city will start enforcing an ordinance that bans having any combustible materials like bushes, flowers, pine needles, hot tubs, sheds, or wood piles within the five-foot danger zone from homes.

“I ripped up all my flowers,” South Lake Tahoe Fire Marshal Kim George tells the Chronicle. “I’d worked so hard years ago to plant them, but I don’t want to be hypocritical.”

The five-foot zone is considered a critical area where embers from wildfires either die out, or spread to the adjacent structure. Fire prevention groups came up with the five-foot guideline when studying why wildfires burned certain homes, but others were spared.

“Even a small fire can burn across mulch or burn along the fence,” former firefighter and current senior director for wildfire at the Insurance Institute Steve Hawks said to the Chronicle. “It’s really that zone [closest to homes] that can take even the smallest of fires and allow it to get to the house.”

The new regulations still only exist in draft form, and there is no timeframe for when they will be approved, or when enforcement will begin. There may be a phase-in plan, where enforcement will only apply to new homes at first, and then existing homes later.  The rules are expected to only apply in areas that CalFire has designated as Fire Hazard Severity Zones.

Related: Royal Fire Near Lake Tahoe, Possibly Caused By Escaped Campfire, Burns 170 Acres [SFist]

Image: Wide shot of a residential road on a sunny day, with a small house, green and autumnal trees and shrubs, a low hillside, and mountains in the background, on Sousa Drive in Walnut Creek, California, November 22, 2022. Photo courtesy Sftm. (Photo by Gado/Getty Images)

Image: Joe Kukura, SFist

A couple featured on KTVU Wednesday frantically trying to get back to their home in Lahaina did make it home, only to find the place in charred ruins, and that their two dogs and a cat perished inside the house.

As the death toll from the Hawaiian wildfires has tragically climbed to 36 victims, we’re getting a sense of the sheer destruction on the island of Maui. A CNN report notes that thousands have been evacuated, with their homes utterly destroyed.

“My colleagues, friends, family – we’re all homeless,” Dustin Kaleiopu, resident of the small town of Lahaina, told CNN. “We’re hoping that the death toll does not rise too much higher.”

Two other residents of Lahaina were featured in a Wednesday KTVU report seen above. Kimo Kirkman and Steff Baku-Kirkman were cutting their trip to the Bay Area short, and were seen at Oakland airport frantically trying to get home, to see if they still had a home. But a follow-up report on KTVU found their worst fears were confirmed: The Kirkmans’s home was completely destroyed and they lost everything. Their two dogs also perished in the fire, as tracking devices confirmed dogs were unable to get out of the house.

"We just hope and pray the smoke inhalation got them and they just went to sleep, they didn't suffer," Steff Baku-Kirkman told KTVU. "It was just numbing to the heart and to the mind. But I know people who have lost more. We have two cars, two suitcases and our lives."

The couple's two children were both away from the house when the fire came through.

There’s a GoFundMe campaign for the Kirkmans which describes the thorough damage to their home and property. “Their sole possessions are the 2 suitcases they traveled back with and 2 automobiles that [were] miraculously unscathed.” The GoFundMe has photos of the two dogs as well as a cat whose lives were lost in the fire. (The Kirkmans had been visiting the Bay Area because they had planned to move to Castro Valley, though obviously, their lives are now up in the air.)

If you’re concerned about the safety of a loved one on Maui or any of the other fire-affected islands, you can call the Red Cross at 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), select Option 4, and follow the voice prompts for "Hawaii Wildfires."

Related: Hawaii Wildfires Have Killed 6, Burned More Than 1,000 Acres, Forcing Mass Evacuations [SFist]

Image: A pahoehoe flow causes the Wahaula Visitor Center in Hawaii to burn. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Apocalyptic scenes from Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, as the islands have suddenly been consumed in flames as hurricane-force winds spread brush fires, and people were driven to jump into the ocean to escape the overwhelming smoke and flames.

A state of disaster has been declared, and the Hawaii National Guard is evacuating as many people as they can, as massive wildfires in Hawaii have consumed more than 1,000 acres on Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, according to the Washington Post. A combination of dry conditions and hurricane-force winds from Hurricane Dora have led the fires to spread quickly. Downed and destroyed power lines have left a reported 15,0000 Hawaiians without power, and schools have been suddenly transformed into evacuation centers.

“It’s definitely one of the more challenging days for our island given that it’s multiple fires, multiple evacuations in the different district areas,” County of Maui spokesperson Mahina Martin told the Associated Press Tuesday night.

According to the Chronicle, flames have consumed more than 1,000 acres in the North Kohala, South Kohala, Kula and Lahaina areas. And in the historic city of Lahaina on the Maui Island, the Coast Guard says they had to rescue 12 people who were chased into the water because of the overwhelming blazes and smoke on land.

Also, on Wednesday, authorities confirmed there had been at least six deaths attributed to the fires. Update: By Thursday morning, the death toll had risen to at least 36.

Heavy traffic is obviously complicating evacuation efforts, as are the winds of up to 60 miles per hour.

KPIX reports winds were as strong as 80 miles per hour on inland Maui on Tuesday. And because of those winds, helicopters and planes have not been able to drop water from the sky. Nor have they been able to gauge the true number of fires, and those fires' size.

And there are Bay Area connections, as KTVU reports on Hawaiian visitors scrambling to get home from Bay Area airports, not even sure what may be left of their homes. "We live right off of Lahaina Luna, we have a house and our dogs are stuck in the house," traveler Steff Kirkman told KTVU, while stuck at the Oakland airport. "We don't know if our house is up. We don't know if our animals are alive or not so we're heading back now."

There is some hope conditions could improve soon. While winds are expected to be 50 miles per hour until 6 p.m. Wednesday night (which is 9 p.m. Pacific Time), weather officials expect wind gusts to weaken, and moisture levels to rise through Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

There have fortunately been no reported deaths thus far, though there’s certainly more hardship ahead for the islands. The AP reports that one West Maui firefighter has been hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and was in stable condition as of Tuesday.

Related: Wildfire Season Already? Four Fires This Weekend In Bay Area and Beyond Spur Concerns [SFist]

Image: Alan Dickar via @US_Stormwatch on Twitter

It’s that time of year again. Bad air quality season, that is.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) issued an air quality advisory for Wednesday afternoon and evening as the “Flat Fire” continues to blaze in southwestern Oregon amid the West Coast heat wave.

Smoke from the wildfire, which broke out in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon on Saturday, is forecast to drift south over the Bay Area by Wednesday afternoon.

BAAQMD warned residents to anticipate hazy conditions, and that those residing at higher elevations in the East Bay, North Bay, and Santa Clara Valley regions may also experience the smell of smoke.

In light of the situation, officials are urging individuals, especially those with health conditions, to take the usual necessary precautions, according to KRON4. Those who detect smoke in the air are strongly encouraged to remain indoors, if possible, with windows and doors securely closed. Additionally, setting air conditioners and car vent systems to recirculated air mode can help minimize exposure.

The agency stopped short of issuing a Spare the Air alert, however, because pollutant levels aren’t expected to exceed the national 24-hour health standard, it said.The Flat Fire is up to nearly 13,000 acres, with 0% containment, according to reports from the U.S. Forest Service.

Aerial view of the Flat Fire via Inciweb.

The Pika Fire, ignited by lightning strikes and blazing northwest of North Dome in Yosemite National Park, has intensified, growing to 650 acres as of Sunday morning, National Park Service officials said.

Despite the efforts of fire crews, the blaze remains uncontained, posing a significant challenge to firefighting operations, as the Chronicle reported. The fire, which first erupted on June 29, has spread rapidly since.

On Saturday, more than 40 firefighters worked on fighting the western flank of the fire along the Lehamite Creek trail, according to authorities. However, the battle against the flames was hampered by the emergence of potential spot fires across the fire line, slowing down firefighting progress.

Yosemite closed several trails last week, affecting short sections of the North Dome Trail and Lehamite Creek Trail, as a result.

Weather conditions have not been favorable, according to KTVU. A forecast for scorching heat and dryness has authorities bracing for more difficulties ahead. An excessive heat warning looms, as well, with extreme temperatures likely to persist through Wednesday across the park.

More fires have broken out in Southern California this week, as well. Three separate 200-plus acre wildfires broke out within hours of each other Friday in Riverside County, forcing evacuations, as KTVU reported. The biggest one, called the "Rabbit Fire," is at 7,600 acres, according to the most recently available information.

Feature image of the Pika Fire via Inciweb.

This weekend's Snell Fire in Napa County is now 100% contained after burning 103 acres, but despite this year’s rainy winter, a weekend of several NorCal fires has officials warning that precautions are still very much necessary.

We reported Saturday that the Snell Fire in Napa County had broken out Friday evening near Pope Valley, and that fire would go on to burn 103 acres. But there’s encouraging news on that front, as KPIX reports that as of 6 a.m. Monday morning, the Snell Fire is now 100% contained.

Cal Fire spokesperson Jason Clay had a very positive update for KTVU. "We’re really in kind of mop-up operations and that’s just our crews working to make sure we’re extinguishing hot spots, removing hazards from trees, and doing that type of work to get this thing shored up," he told the station.

But that same KTVU report details there were three other significant fires this weekend, at Lake Cunningham in San Jose (seen above), plus brush fires in Watsonville and Sonoma County’s Cloverdale. No structures were damaged, and there were no reported injuries from any of the above-named fires.

The good news is that there have been fewer fires this year than at this point last year, as Cal Fire’s Napa unit says they’ve battled 83 fires so far in 2023. The bad news is that’s still about the same number of fires they’ve usually recorded at this time of year. So despite any hopes we may have that this winter’s torrential downpours may limit this summer’s wildfires, 2023 may still end up being a “typical” wildfire year, and experts are still urging precautionary measures.

"Now is really a good time to start doing some of that work around your home, some of that defensible space,” Clay told KTVU. “Clearing brush and vegetation, giving yourself that safety buffer around your home, should a wildfire come your way."

Related: PG&E Not Only Caused the Massive Dixie Fire, a New Report Says It Also Was 'Excessively Delayed' In Responding to It [Joe]

Image: @SJFD via Twitter