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California Wildfires Send Residents Running

by Michelle Quinn

   SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA --

   Throughout the San Francisco Bay Area smoke lay heavy on Tuesday, a
   visual reminder of the fast-moving wildfires stretching over nine
   counties in northern California.

   In Northern California's wine country and surrounding areas,
   firefighters fought as many as 15 fires and thousands of people were
   displaced from their homes. Beautiful wineries, many with their
   vineyards ready for the fall harvest, were incinerated. Whole
   neighborhoods were destroyed, many with only their brick chimneys left
   to mark where the homes had been.

   Authorities reported that 15 people had died and more than 100 were
   missing as fires caught people by surprise starting early Monday
   morning, helped by crackling dry conditions and gusty winds. President
   Donald Trump approved federal disaster funding for California.

   'It's devastating'

   On the second day of the wildfires, there was a respite from the wind.
   By Wednesday night, gusty winds were expected to return, likely making
   the job of fighting the fires more difficult.

   Kristopher Jay Banzon, a transmission lineman for Pacific Gas &
   Electric, said he had been awake for more than 24 hours working to
   return power to the region.

   "It's devastating," said Banzon, who is Filipino-Canadian, working in
   the U.S. on a TN visa, a NAFTA-created program. "It's a lot of damage."

   Thousands of residents fled to the more than 10 evacuation centers. At
   the Marin County Civic Center, children played in a shelter, which held
   about 350 people Tuesday afternoon. The center also sheltered 23 dogs,
   nine cats, a couple of bunnies and a couple of birds, according to Matt
   Willis, public health officer for Marin County.

   Shelter ready for more people

   With reports of the fire spreading to new regions, Willis said the
   shelter was ready to accept more people that evening.

   "We are watching like everyone else to see what unfolds," he said.

   Erick Muj, a landscaper who lives in Santa Rosa, brought his three
   children to the Marin shelter 64 kilometers (40 miles) away from his
   home.

   At 3 a.m. Monday, his neighbor knocked on his door yelling "Fire." Muj
   grabbed his family and ran out. While his home is believed to be safe,
   he has heard that his clients have lost their homes.

   "I'm pretty sorry for them," said Muj, who is from Guatemala. "Even
   though I lost part of my job, I'm worried about them. They lost
   everything they had."

   Looking for fresh air

   Early Monday morning, Bob Coughenour, an evacuee, also left his home in
   Kenwood, Sonoma County. He stayed with friends but was looking Tuesday
   for a place to hang out during the day to get out of the smoke a
   library, the mall, an evacuation center, anywhere. He was carrying a
   mask for his wife, who was having trouble breathing as the smoke
   followed them. He picked up a few snacks at the Marin shelter.

   "The fires are still not under control, they are all around where we
   live," he said. "They are not letting people back into our
   neighborhood. It's not good."

   A neighbor did manage to sneak back into the neighborhood despite a
   curfew imposed by authorities.

   "He was evading the police," he said. "We're glad he did. He saw our
   house and said everything is OK."