Since 2017 wildfires have created a crisis of epic proportions for Napa County. Just last year the Hennessey/LNU and Glass Fires cost Napa County $3.7 billion in losses. As Winston Churchill said, âNever let a good crisis go to waste,â yet that is exactly whatâs happening.
Weâre just five months away from the beginning of the next fire season and nothing has been accomplished to mitigate these wildfires except talk. There is no leadership anywhere on the horizon. Not the Governor, not CalFire, not the Board of Supervisors.
Before the fires:The condition of our forests was and is one of benign neglect. Since 1904 when the Forest Service started suppressing wildfires our forests have become clogged with too many trees and brush, which then weakens our forests from too much competition and makes them more susceptible to fire, disease and drought.
Sonoma County and the Bay Area are under a Flash Flood Watch from Tuesday, January 26 at 4pm through Thursday, January 28 at 4pm. An atmospheric river will drench the area with rain and gusty winds, with the coastal areas expected to see the most rain. Those living in and near the burn scar areas from the recent Walbridge and Glass Fires should remain on alert and be ready to evacuate should the need arise.
If you are not already signed up for Nixle alerts, you can do so by texting your zip code to 888777. For instance, the KSRO radio station is located in the 95405 zip code, so we would text 95405 to the number 888777.