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posted by takyon on Tuesday October 10 2017, @08:02PM   Printer-friendly
Live updates: 15 dead from fires in Wine Country, Northern California

The death toll from Northern California's wildfires now stands at 15, officials say, with a total of nine confirmed fatalities in Sonoma County. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said on its Twitter page that the number of dead had increased from seven to nine. Three others are dead in Mendocino County, two more in Napa and one in Yuba, officials say. In Sonoma County, more than 200 people have been reported missing, and 45 of those have since been located, officials said.

The fires have burned 115,000 acres statewide and destroyed at least 2,000 homes and businesses, Cal Fire Ken Pimlott said Tuesday. More than 4,000 emergency workers have been deployed to help battle the fires, including a massive effort at McClellan Air Park, where a record 45 missions were flown Monday that dumped 266,000 acres of retardant on the blazes.

Vice President Mike Pence visited the state's emergency operations center at Mather Air Park Tuesday and announced that President Trump had approved the state's request for federal assistance in the counties of Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sonoma, and Yuba.

Also at CNN, The Washington Post, KQED, LA Times, and NPR.

2017 Statewide Fire Map.

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @01:09AM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @01:09AM (#580197)

    Wood framed buildings can do well in earthquakes. When they have a soft storey [iitk.ac.in] (usually with a garage on the ground floor) they don't do well. Post-and-beam wooden construction doesn't do well.

    Gas lines broken in an earthquake can result in fire.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @01:36AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @01:36AM (#580209)

    The biggest danger is from water heaters and, for a long, long time, folks have known what to do about that. [google.com]

    Some folks even install a earthquake gas shutoff valve. [google.com]
    (A ball gets jarred from its perch and falls into the orifice at the intake.) [google.com]

    ...and you seem to be saying that there's nothing -inside- a non-wood frame house that's flammable.
    (Cabinetry, furniture, carpets)

    -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 2) by captain normal on Wednesday October 11 2017, @06:34AM (1 child)

      by captain normal (2205) on Wednesday October 11 2017, @06:34AM (#580319)

      EQ shutoff valves have been required for at least the last 12~15 years in many California cities and counties. Many are so sensitive that they go off when a garbage truck goes by. I have direct experience with one going off every week by being bumped by the landscape crew every week. Until I figured out what was causing my lack of hot water (on demand) and heat in winter.

      --
      When life isn't going right, go left.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @09:08PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 11 2017, @09:08PM (#580795)

        Yeah. I imagine those can be a pain in the butt.
        (My place is grandfathered in.)

        Many are so sensitive

        I have direct experience with one [...] causing my lack of hot water

        Makes me wonder if some folks kludge up an alarm with a thermocouple poked into the pilot of their water heaters to give them a warning.

        I recently made a comment about a morning in my youth when my (electric) water heater tripped its circuit breaker and gave me a morning surprise.

        -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]