San Mateo Co Strikes Camp Fire, Uses New Cal Fire Structure List

PARADISE, CA -- As Silicon Valley and Peninsula strike teams put in long hours on the frontlines of the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California history, Cal Fire workers are compiling a list on the city's website Sunday night with addresses marked as either destroyed or damaged by the Camp Fire.

The list posted to the town of Paradise website is fluid as the Cal Fire damage inspectors make their way through the obliterated town that appeared like a blow torch enveloped it starting Thursday at 6:29 a.m. at Pulga and Camp Creek roads adjacent to the rugged Feather River Canyon.

With 6,453 homes and 260 commercial buildings deemed destroyed over 119,000 acres as of Monday, homeowners and renters may track a list confirming the status of the building, Cal Fire spokeswoman Mary Eldridge said. The list https://app.box.com will grow as the wind-whipped fire that has claimed 42 lives increases and displaced more than 1,300 with more than 100 people unaccounted for. It's currently 30 percent contained.

Deputy Chief Don Long with the Menlo Fire Protection District is leading a Northern San Mateo County Strike Team consisting of 20 personnel and five engines with firefighters from Foster City, the Central County cities of Burlingame, Hillborough and Millbrae, San Mateo, San Bruno and South San Francisco. Currently, 4,555 firefighters with 571 engines, 91 hand crews and 88 bulldozers are battling the blaze heading toward Oroville. More than 15,000 more structures are threatened.

This weekend, the firefighting force was extinguishing a heavily damaged elderly care facility located off Bushman and Clark roads in Paradise as shown here. The heightened concern with Paradise has a heavy senior population.

Long, a veteran of many California Wildland Fire deployments, describes the scene as devastating.

It's an all hands on deck approach, according to Cal OES. Firefighters have been chipping in wherever then can to save humans, property and animals.

Battalion Chief Tim Louis with the Central San Mateo County Fire command even picked up a stray cat -- his new assistant while documenting destroyed buildings.

The district is prepared to send out more firefighters and equipment as it becomes necessary as well as the specialized drone team to get more aerial views like it did for the large infernos that blasted Redding and Santa Rosa.

"Sadly, we're getting very good at conducting and providing important aerial imagery and enhanced big picture situational awareness used by first responders," Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said. Earlier, the fire chief noted how the region's topography is a death trap -- a notion Cal Fire's Brice Bennett confirmed on his way to the Southern California fires after working the front lines of the Butte County blaze.

Bennett told Patch when his team first arrived they were forced to stand in gravel because they had problems getting in with downed power lines and other obstacle that pose as extreme hazards.

Schapelhouman just sent a medic to assist in the efforts.

The Santa Clara County Fire strike team has also been working the front line of the blaze that exploded overnight Thursday to 70,000 acres. The canyon is filled fuel-rich madrone and manzanita.

Evacuations remain in place for residents in Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley. (See the full list of evacuation orders and warnings below. Click here for an online, interactive map of the evacuation zone.)

The California Office of Emergency Services has put in place a State Operations Center in Mather, California, where Eldridge is working in a hotbed of activity coordinating with local and federal emergency response officials.

Full containment is estimated to occur Nov. 30.

Evacuation orders were made for Paradise, Magalia, Concow, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley:

• Powellton Zone
• Lovelock Zone
• Humbug Zone
• Stirling Zone
• North Coutelenc Zone
• North Fir Haven Zone
• Nimshew Zone
• Carnegie/Colter Zone
• South Fir Haven Zone
• South Coutelenc Zone
• North Pines Zone
• South Pines Zone
• Old Magalia Zone
• Lower Pentz Zone
• Morgan Ridge Zone
• Lower Clark Zone
• Butte Creek Road
• Centerville Road
• Concow
• Pulga
• Yankee Hill
• Morgan Ridge
• Skyway from lower Paradise to the Chico city limits
• Highway 32 at Nopel south all the way to Chico city limits
• Highway 70 from Pulga to West Branch
• Feather River Bridge
• Shippee Road from Highway 149 to Highway 99
• Cherokee Road to Highway 70 to Lake Oroville south to Table Mountain Boulevard
• Eastbound Highway 162/Oro Quincy Highway at Forbestown Road east to Mountain House Road/4 Mile Ridge Road, including the communities of Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Mountain House and Bloomer Hill

The following roads have been closed:

• SR-70 at Pentz
• SR-70 at Wheelock
• SR-70 at SR-191
• Durham Pentz East from 99
• Neal Road East from 99
• Skyway at Honey Run at Paradise
• SR-149 SB off to SR-70 EB
• SR-70 NB off to SR-70 EB
• SR-70 at Cherokee
• SR-32 at Yosemite EB
• Cherokee at Water Service Dirt Road
• East 20th at Dawncrest Drive
• Skyway at Humboldt
• Skyway at DeSable
• Humboldt at Bruce
• SR-162 (Oro Quincy) at Forbestown Road
• Oro Quncy Highway at Upper Bald Rock Road
• SR-162 (Oro Quncy) at Stephens Ridge Road (lower end)
• SR-32 at Headwaters Road SR-32 at Schott Road
• SR-32 at Garland
• SR-70 at Deadwood
• Doe Mill Road at Butte Creek Forks Recreation Area

Assistance is growing

The Butte County Office of Education has established a relief fund to help schools impacted by the Camp Fire.
The North Valley Community Foundation has established the Northern California Fire Relief Fund to help community organizations serving those affected by the fire.
Donations can be dropped off at the Oroville Municipal Auditorium at 1200 Myers St. in Oroville.
Items requested include:

• Visa giftcards
• Warm clothes (new clothes only)
• Shoes (sizes 10-11 for men and 8-9 for women, preferably new)
• Paper products (toilet paper, forks, spoons, paper plates, paper towels)
• Women's undergarments

See also

• 42 Dead In Camp Fire: The Deadliest In California History
• Camp Fire Survivor Says 'Paradise May Just Be Memory'
• Officers Lose Homes In Camp Fire While Helping Evacuees
• Fund Started To Help Firefighter Who Lost Home
• Camp Fire: List Of Properties Destroyed In Paradise Released
• How To Help Victims Of California Wildfires
• Bay Area Firefighters Respond To Deadly, Destructive Camp Fire
• Smoke Delays Flights At SFO
• Wildfire Smoke Extends Winter Spare The Air Alert Through Friday

--Images courtesy of Menlo Park Fire Protection District