Skies today in san jose. The skies werent as orange there, but you can still see the thick of smoke around the city. Even at 12 30 this afternoon. Tom vacar is live in beauty county with the latest on the north complex fear that has for thuses of people to evacuate. We begin, though, with Cristina Rendon for a closer look at todays weird weather. Cristina in. Reporter well, julie, weird is right. Its still raining ash here in my backyard. The Patio Furniture is still covered in ash. It was the difference, he, this morning of that or an sky. It felt like night in the middle of the day. My wife said its yellow. Would say its more orange. Reporter wednesday felt like we woke up on a different planet, mars perhaps, or a world filled with falling ash . It looks like nighttime. Its insane. Reporter angela was a bit disoriented when her alarm went off. I woke up this morning and it was a really eerie feeling. I felt like did i mess up . Is it nighttime . Whats going on. Its disorienting. Feels kind of like armageddon. Reporter this is courtesy of the california wildfires. You can barely see the sun is just a Little Orange orb up there. Reporter their daily walks its disappointing, but it didnt hold us back. Some people find it just unhealthy to be here, but they choose not to. However, we are the healthy ones or maybe the stupid ones. [ laughter ] reporter the orange back drop make something appreciate the ordinarily blue skies. We are in end times. Looks like were in the apocalypse, like if you were in a zombie an pock a himself or the world was endings. Thats what it looks like right now. We have compiled pictures on our website at ktvu. Com, as well as on our social media pages. Julie . Some great photos, and a strange an pock a limittic is a good way to describe it. Bill, im 62, grew up in the bay area. I have never in my life seen anything like this. I woke up this morning, and it was dark out, and i checked my ipad, and it said 9 00. Thought theres in way its 9 00. So i checked my iphone. It said 9 00, and i thought theres still no way its 9 00, and i then oh, my god, did i sleep through the entire day and miss the 5 00 and the 6 00 news, and now im late for the 10 00 news . So i ran out into the living room and flipped on the tv, and i turned it to channel 2, because i know we have a 9 00 newscast, and there was gasia, and i thought holy cow, its 9 00 in the morning, but it looks like its 2 00 in the morning. Well, its funny you bring that up, frank. I was going to tell that story, but not same story. I got out of bed at 10 30 today, because i thought it was 7 30. It was bizarre. S that it was that kind of day most of my job as a meteorologist has been in its in this market for 35, 40 years doing weather in this area, university of california berkeley. So i started a long time ago. Most my job is to say listen, this is not normal. This is something ive never seen before. This is something not many people have ever seen before. What were seeing today, what weve seen today, is the first time really any of us have seeing some like this. I was up in patriots last year for that fire. Today is the closest imagery i have seen to Mount Saint Helens and the eruption. So this is a big deal. Ill show you this as we chat a little bit here. You see it in the upper atmosphere, the winds are bringing that smoke in on a northerly projectry. So the smoke is my. Thats why youre not spelling it as much. That smoke starts to fall out of the atmosphere, and thats why youre seeing ash on the ground. The smoke is going to continue to be a problem for the next day or so as it settles out of the upper atmosphere. Its really like a giant sunset, frank. When the sunsets and it goes down, exhibit yourself out at ocean beach looking towards the west. As it gets down low, its cutting through large layers, chunks of atmosphere, as opposed to when its high in the sky. Well, this is the like a giant sunset, except if the middle of the day, the atmosphere is so thick with smoke, that the atmosphere, the particulate matter is taking the rays of the sun and refracting them, that means bending them, into the orange and red spectrum. Its a sunset, basically, row guys, but just with a ton of smoke overhead in the middle of the day. So it is a big deal. Last thing, frank, i read a lot of history, and in history, they talk a lot about weather, california history in particular. California weather, when you read history books, even back in the 1700s, they talk about situationing like this. Fires then, they didnt put them out. So in the summer, they talk about smoke and the sun being blot out, and i think, yeah, i wonder if this is what they were talking about. The indians and the first native americans talk a lot about environments. His is the kind of thing that they were describing describing, and this and what were see with these many fires. I have friends up in oroville and patriots, theyre evacuating. No the town of paradise, but up towards skyway, theyre moving people out of there. Theyre scared. A lot of ptsd out there. This really freaks people out, so we have to be sensitive to that as well. Bill, what im curious about is why today. These fears have been burning now for several weeks. Why is it that all of a sudden today it looked like night when it was day . Okay. The smoke was coming in overhead. The winds were blowing out of the north. Thats where the red flag warning came into effect. The winds were Higher Elevation. Last night the winds were onshore at the surface, but above us. So that north wind is transporting all of that smoke from lets say the bear fire. Its coming from butte county all the way towards us, and then the wind dies, and now it stops, and now it falls down. Im sorry i didnt answer that right off the bat, frank, thats exactly what happened. No, but thats a great answer and that explains it. I have so many contacting me today saying what in the heck is going on in the bay area . Bill, well talk to you later in the newscast. Thank you. Dozens of wildfires are burning off along the west coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration posted this timelapse today that shows the view from their satellite of the fires burning in oregon and Northern California. You know see just how much smoke those fires are putting out. The bear fire burning out of control in butte county has now forced thousands of people to evacuate. That fair fire is part of the north complex fire which has burned nearly 200,000 acres since yesterday. You can see it is burning in the Plumas National forest and growing closer to the towns of paradise and oroville. Tom evacuation joins us Lake Oroville with the latest on the firefighter there. Tom, how is it going . Well, its still a very active fire. Last hour we showed how the towering smoke was coming out of the top of that mountain. Now you can see it has moved down the side of the mountain. From time to time, you will actually see large flick obvious light, which are, of course, flames burning up trees and stuff like that, but its creating so much smoke, and with these particular least conditions, its hard to see. My guess is when we come back to 6 00, we will probably see some more flames. The thing thats important with this fire, which started on october im sorry, started on august the 17th, and relentless, and now september winds could make it far, far worse. Majestic highway 162 that circles scenic Lake Oroville is not quite so majestic since pierce winds whipped up the bear fire overnight, threatening oroville proper, forcing mandatory evacuations in many nearby villages and hamlets. At one point, the fire was incinerating 2,000 acres an hour through steep pine for es, which went up like roman candles. It was so fast, it sounded like a jet flame, and it was fire 360 degrees around me. I had to go into a sheet metal shop on this property, and everything burnt to the ground, except for the shop. Reporter here is an object lessons in why fires so dangerous. When the wind calls down, the flames calm down, but when those winds come back up, theres plenty left to burn. Now that the winds are picking up a lot more fire activity, as you can see in the background. We hear a lot of popping, trees exploding and a lot of crashing, trees falling to the ground. Winds pick upped up creating faster moving flame walls that killed lots of trees. A major problem remains hot spots throughout the region that only need a stiff wind to become a raging fire again. His is the kind of fire we can expect now through early november, as diablo, and santa ana winds drive through the golden state, leaving back char and destruction behind. Its during september, october, and early november when california has seen its biggest, most destructive and deadliest fires historically year after year after year. Now for the next few days, weather forecasts up here, and the canyons, those light winds often turn into harsh winds, but probably not enough to really blow this thing up. However, having said that, the problem is it will still sit there and smolder, giving firefighters a chance to get some of the hot spot some better lines around this fire, but if any big winds come up, then were right back into the circus again, because the winds will throw embers everywhere, and thats what theyre afraid of. Those are just some incredible pictures of the flames. One of those shots, there was a home with a car right next to it, just up in flames, like an inferno. There are mandatory evacuation orders. Do you get a sense that people are heeding those warnings, and orders, and getting out of the way . Well, ive been up here for several fires, and for the potential dam problem, and theyre very independent folks up here. Yeah, a lot of people leave because they have good sense. A lot of people are really tough up here, and they dont want to leave, and its kind of hard to force them, especially when theyre hiding out and stuff like that. So we did see beyond where youre not suppose today go, we saw some civilians that were stick big their properties, but most of the people have left. However in every case ive ever covered these big fires, a lot of people stay behind, because they want to try to defend their properties, because in many cases, its the biggest investment they have. Well, we hope everyone stays safe. Tom, thank you. The town of paradise, which was ravaged by the campfire back in 2018, essentially destroyed by that fire, is in the sights of the north complex fire. Evacuation warnings in effect for parts of paradise in butte county. Our crew got this footage today in paradise. You know see the quiet streets and the gutwrenching sight of homes under construction there. The deadly campfire killed 85 people, and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes. Here in the bay area, contain system up on the three largest fires currently burning in the region. The lnu lightning complex fire burning in napa, yolo, sonoma, and lake counties has charred more than 363,000 acres, and tonight is 98 contained. The scu lightning complex fire in contra costa, alameda, santa clara, stanislaus, and sunday walker counties has burned more than 396,000 acres. And the czu lightning complex fire in santa cruz and san mateo counties has tore through more than 86,000 acres and right now it is 83 contained. Well have more on the fire danger and the smoky skies tonight. Coming up at 5 30, well hear from the experts about the Health Effects of the poor air quality weve seen for more than three weeks now. Plus, pg e is working to restore power in the north bay after this years first round of Public Safety power shutoffs. An update on their progress after the break. And Governor Newsom takes action to help Small Businesses. The bill he sign ed today to keep businesses afloat through the pandemic. So are we. Prudential helps 25 Million People with their financial needs. With over 90 years of investment experience, our thousands of Financial Professionals can help. Go to prudential. Com or talk to an advisor. Your shoulder seems to be healing nicely. Well, dr. Farrell, it feels really good. Thats good. And. Im sorry. Baby, dont touch that. I dont want you to play with that. singing twinkle, twinkle little star. How i wonder what you are. still singing up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Im so glad that your shoulder is feeling better. But, how are you doing . Im hanging in there. Schedule a video visit with your doctor. And get quality care with no copay. 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It was all part of an effort to deep is equipment from sparking a wildfire during the dry windy conditions. Christien kafton jones us with the latest numbers in napa and sonoma counties. Christien . Yeah, julie, more than 100,000 Northern California power customers had their power shut off in that latest psps. 23,000 of them right here in the bay area. Ive been in contact with pg e throughout the day. They say that 97 of Sonoma County residents have had their power restored. 41 of Sonoma County residents have had their power restored. They hope to have 100 restored sometime tonight barring any discoveries of any damage to those power lines before they reenergize them. With dark skies around the bay area. Parts of sonoma and napa counties had to get by without lights and power, because of the latest Public Safety power shutdown from pg e, the utility saying the shutdown was necessary because fire conditions so were dangerous. We dont want to shut off the power, but the conditions that were forecasted were so extreme that we felt like we had to shut off the power for safety. Pg e saying its taking Lessons Learned last year and trying to make the Power Outages shorter in duration and smaller in scope, sayings have been out inspecting lines by truck and on foot. The all clear coming the wednesday afternoon, and pg e saying that has helped accelerate line inspection and restore power. So now we have gotten the to go ahead start flying our health comes in inspect those lines in the Higher Elevation areas in he rough terrain areas we cant necessarily inspect with people on the ground. The psps shutdown impacting customers ability to run lights, and air conditioners for the heat and to clear the air. In santa rosa, one grill said that the Power Outages forked them to use generators to keep the refrigerators running, trying to keep their doors open in the midst of a pandemic. Its a hassle, back and forth all the time. First with covid19, and then we got the shutoffs. Were just trying to do our best to keep up with everything. Pg e saying it understands how inconvenient the shutoffs are, by saying it is essential, and had to make a decision between shutting down power, or run the risk of energized lines starting another wildfire. Weve learned a lot from our mistakes from last year. This year, think youll notice that they are shorter, smaller, and smarter. The utility is continues its work to inspect those lines, tries to restore as much power as it can to customer as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, pg e said at this time there are no planned psps shutdowns in the immediate future. Christien kafton, ktvu no objection news. All right, christien, thank you. Were back on smoke watch. We all experienced it today. I want to mention again, that smoke comes in on that. Basic lay lot of this in this smoke is from the bear fire, so the smoke comes in, and normally with that wind blowing, it keeps coming down the coast, and here the winds shut off, and then this dies down, just went away, right . All right. Huh. Oh, here it is. All right. All right. Theres a microphone. Wow. That was an effort. [ laughter ] [ laughter ] okay. Thats what happens when you do weather out of the garage. Were back. Sorry, jules. The smoke dies out, and now whats happening is that smoke it just kind of comes out of the atmosphere, and thats what were seeing now. You can see where the main fires are involved. Thats up around the paradise area. All of that smoke coming down. Its going to be a nasty set up tomorrow. Were looking at winds in the fire zones right now more southwesterly. That indicates that were not seeing as much of a direction, wind direction coming our way. So julie, bisquely what i just said, smoke was right over us. Bad air quality, and now were getting different wind direction and an opportunity for this smoke to kind of keep on moving more towards the east now. Yeah, we were all talking about it. So strange out there today, and bill, way to make it work in the garage. We can hear you now, and it was good in the second part. Thanks. Well see you in a little bit. A black lives matter sign that was vandalizeddous odd a church in fremont over the weekend has now been removed. It was part of an art installation at niles church which honors black people who have been killed in incidents racial violence. The church said someone spray painted over the word black, and then above it spray painted the word all twice. The church has placed a note where the sign was displayed, explaining what happened. Fremont police are investigating. Did President Trump purposely downplay the coronavirus back in february . Up next tonight, new tapes released today set social media ablaze. How the president is defending them. And coming up on ktvu news at 6 00, Oakland Police announce arrests in multiple homicide cases as officers recover a cach