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LIVE UPDATES: Gusts expected to fuel Wine Country fires Published on October 11, 2017 at 12:28PM by By Jenna Lyons, Steve Rubenstein, Hamed Aleaziz, Peter Fimrite, and Jill Tucker Latest developments in the North Bay fires: 5 a.m. Warning for North Bay Hills: Dangerous gusty winds expected Wednesday afternoon prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties, setting up a tough day for firefighters battling multiple blazes in the region. The warning will go into effect at 5 p.m. and run until at least 5 p.m. on Thursday. The expected gusty winds and dry conditions will allow fires that started Sunday night and have been burning out of control ever since to spread quickly, said meteorologist Charles Bell of the weather service said Wednesday morning.

Fairfield residents worry Atlas Fire headed to their town Published on October 10, 2017 at 09:12PM by By Catherine Ho It looked like San Francisco fog but smelled like a campfire. By Tuesday, the air over the Rockville Corners area of Fairfield, where many residents evacuated Monday night, remained smoky from the Atlas Fire to the northwest in Napa County. It was so smoky that Austun Kessler, a nearby resident, took his dog, who is due to deliver puppies any day, to the vet because he was worried she was inhaling too much smoke. “I’m hoping the air’s better there,” he said.

Bay Area experiencing 'worst air-quality ever in many parts' Published on October 10, 2017 at 06:21PM by Amy Graff The worst conditions were recorded near the heart of the Wine Country wildfires in the North Bay, where air quality reached hazardous levels Monday and again Tuesday morning.

Battle on to halt march of Northern California fires that have killed 13, destroyed 2,000 structures Published on October 10, 2017 at 07:39PM by By Peter Fimrite Thousands of firefighters fought Tuesday to stop the aggressive march of wind-whipped wildfires that raged out of control in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties as the death toll rose to 15 and residents began to confront a devastated landscape that included at least 2,000 ruined homes and businesses, from restaurants to hotels to wineries. As fire crews focused on the southern ends of the blazes in an effort to keep them from sweeping into heavily populated areas such as the cities of Napa and Santa Rosa, the chaos triggered by the fires was underscored by a desperate effort to find missing people: As of Tuesday morning, 200 had been reported missing in Sonoma County alone, with 45 of those later found safe.

Three dead in Mendocino County wildfire Published on October 10, 2017 at 05:40PM by By Michael Cabanatuan REDWOOD VALLEY, Mendocino County — The number of people killed in a fire that destroyed part of this town north of Ukiah rose to three on Tuesday, as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze. All three died when the Redwood Complex Fire burned through Redwood Valley on Sunday night and Monday, said officials with the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The victims’ names have not been released. Officials had confirmed one death Monday, but said they feared the total would rise as they were able to search the town.

Smoke from fires makes air unhealthy around region Published on October 10, 2017 at 04:06PM by By Evan Sernoffsky Smoke from destructive wildfires burning in the North Bay has made the air hazardous near the burn areas and unhealthy all around the Bay Area, air quality monitors said Tuesday. People in the fire-affected regions of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties may be overwhelmed amid the disorder, but officials nevertheless said residents shouldn’t shrug off protecting their respiratory health. “If you have masks available, you should use them,” said Kristine Roselius, a spokeswoman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Better yet, she said, “If you can, stay indoors with all the windows and doors closed.

New fire in Annadel State Park forces evacuation Published on October 10, 2017 at 08:04AM by By Marissa Lang A new fire forced the evacuation of the Rincon Valley and Oakmont communities of Santa Rosa just before 11 p.m. on Monday. “The fire is moving extremely rapidly,” the alert from the Santa Rosa Police Department read. “Get out now. This is a life threatening event. Head to the west.” Within an hour, the entire neighborhood appeared desolate — many people quickly jumped into their cars and got out. City officials described the fire as a “new fire,” later saying it was part of the Tubbs Fire and had moved from Annadel State Park into the community zone. Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.

Wine Country fires: What we know, and what we don’t Published on October 10, 2017 at 03:11PM by By Kimberly Veklerov Fifteen wildfires in Northern California, many of them in the Wine Country, ravaged homes, businesses, vineyards and farmland Monday. Eleven people were confirmed dead and several others were severely burned. Major highways were shut down, and local officials requested help from around the region as Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency. Information from authorities and residents on the ground was developing throughout Monday. Officials said efforts were focused on saving people’s lives, so many details were not fully known.

Fountaingrove residents of Santa Rosa asked to boil water Published on October 10, 2017 at 12:44PM by By Jenna Lyons The series of North Bay wildfires that have ravaged Santa Rosa have prompted water quality concerns in a section of the city, officials said Tuesday. Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office announced shortly after midnight Tuesday that residents in the hard-hit Fountaingrove area of Santa Rosa should boil their water before drinking it. “Residents in this area with low or no water pressure must bring all water to a boil before consuming to ensure the water is safe to drink,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement. The fire in Santa Rosa, called the Tubbs Fire, had burned at least 27,000 acres by Tuesday morning, one of several wildfires in and around Northern California.

Barry Bonds among stars evacuated from 'crazy' fire scene Published on October 10, 2017 at 06:18AM by By Susan Slusser A who’s who of star athletes — Olympians, Hall of Famers — fled the Wine Country fires early Monday morning after attending Ronnie Lott’s celebrity fundraiser at Mayacama Golf Course in Santa Rosa. Former Giants slugger Barry Bonds wound up shuttling guests who did not have rides away from Mayacama when the villas at the course were evacuated. Royals pitching great Bret Saberhagen left his golf clubs in the parking lot in order to fit Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen and his wife into his rental car. And onetime Dodgers closer Eric Gagne raised the alarm at a second hotel that celebrities were sent to, helping pound on doors to make sure all occupants were out.

Mendocino town devastation: ‘There just wasn’t enough time’ Published on October 10, 2017 at 01:39AM by By Michael Cabanatuan and Carolyn Said REDWOOD VALLEY, Mendocino County — At least one person died as a wildfire burned through this small Mendocino County, and officials warned Monday of what they might discover as they pick through the charred landscape. Redwood Valley, a town of some 2,000 people about 8 miles north of Ukiah, had one confirmed fatality as a direct result of the Redwood Complex Fire. The blaze grew to an estimated 10,000 acres by Monday afternoon, said Patricia Austin, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Two people also suffered serious burn injuries, she said.

50-mph gusts whipped wildfires across Wine Country Published on October 09, 2017 at 11:15PM by Michelle Robertson Heavy sustained wind and gusts of up to 50 mph in valleys and 70 mph on mountaintops whipped through the North Bay Sunday night and early Monday morning, sending the flames of multiple wildfires blistering across Sonoma and Mendocino counties and heavy smoke pouring into Bay Area cities.

Wine Country fires: What we know, and what we don’t Published on October 10, 2017 at 12:34AM by By Kimberly Veklerov Fourteen wildfires in the North Bay and surrounding region ravaged mountainsides, homes, vineyards and farmland beginning Sunday night. Major highways were shut down, and local officials requested help from around the region as Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency. Information from authorities and residents on the ground was developing throughout Monday. Officials said efforts were focused on saving people’s lives, so many details were not fully known.

Fires cancel concerts, damages venues Published on October 09, 2017 at 06:56PM by Chronicle Staff Report The fires ravaging the North Bay have made an impact on the region’s arts and entertainment scene, with a handful of show cancellations already and more expected after the fires are contained. Here is an update on several arts venues. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse cancelled all its activities Monday, Oct. 9, after an empty grass field abutting the theater caught fire late last night, causing the block to lose power. Artistic director Craig A. Miller said he was called back to the theater at around 10:30 p.m., after he had already gone home from a dress rehearsal for “Steel Magnolias,” scheduled to open Friday, Oct. 13.

How you can help people affected by fires Published on October 09, 2017 at 05:37PM by Katie Dowd If you're looking to assist, we've broken down some ways you can help both right now and any time. 

What highways are open and closed Published on October 09, 2017 at 05:07PM by Annie Vainshtein, SFGATE This is a developing story. Updates will be posted throughout the day.

Cell service down in parts of North Bay Published on October 09, 2017 at 04:16PM by Katie Dowd Cell service is down in parts of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Humboldt counties due to massive wildfires burning in the areas.

Santa Rosa fire witness: Looks 'like Armageddon' Published on October 09, 2017 at 03:27PM by By Jill Tucker and Kurtis Alexander Two Santa Rosa mobile home parks, a furniture store and a gun store were among the structures consumed early Monday by wildfires that one witness said “look like Armageddon.” The fire than engulfed the Schmidt Firearms store at 808 Piner Road also created additional hazards for firefighters when ammunition inside the store began to explode with loud pops. It appeared that the store was destroyed, along with the Furniture 2000 store at 806 Piner Road and Coddington mobile home park at 801 Piner Road. Black smoke filled the sky, obstructing visibility and making breathing difficult. Hundreds of firefighters were on the scene.

Latest on North Bay fires: ‘A really rough night’ Published on October 09, 2017 at 03:12PM by By Peter Fimrite and Jill Tucker Latest developments in the North Bay fires: 7:57 a.m. Fire burning toward Solano County: Dave Shew, a staff chief with Cal Fire, called the Atlas Fire northeast of Napa “an incredibly fast-moving and dynamic fire” that is likely to burn into Solano County. “We had real severe winds last night when this started,” Shew said. “It burned very very fast. So, our No. 1 priority was life safety.” The fire burned to the Silverado Country Club and across Highway 128 and is now burning east of Napa toward the southeast, Shew said. “There are some neighborhoods that got hit pretty hard with structures lost,” he said.

Live tweets as fires burn across the North Bay Published on October 09, 2017 at 03:00PM by Katie Dowd As fires continue to burn in the North Bay, we'll have live Twitter coverage here throughout the day.