Fires in Napa and Sonoma (Santa Rosa, Berkeley: car insurance, month to, contractors)

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by GSR13

Oh, and there's this gem as well:

If you think this is natural, I've got some property in Atlantis to sell ya.

Well, I have personally seen trees burning from the inside out during several wild fires close to my home. No lightening strikes involved.

They looked somewhat similar to your photo, although I'm pretty sure that the photo you posted has been doctored in photo shop -- what alternate reality site did you download it from?

And, in a fire that destroyed nearly 300 homes in my area, many trees were left standing right next to houses that burned down. One of my friends found family photos in the bottom of the ruble of her burned out house that were just a little singed. Nothing else in her home was recognizable. Another friend had a pumpkin sitting on her walkway that made it through the fire that destroyed her home without even a burn mark. By the way, that fire was also started by power lines blown down in high winds.

Wild fires don't always work according to human logic (or in the case of some of these posts, humans thinking illogically). Wild fires have their own logic.

So, cut the conspiracy B.S. It doesn't help the thousands who have had their lives destroyed, including my elderly relatives who lost their home last week.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Well, I have personally seen trees burning from the inside out during several wild fires close to my home. No lightening strikes involved.

They looked somewhat similar to your photo, although I'm pretty sure that the photo you posted has been doctored in photo shop -- what alternate reality site did you download it from?

And, in a fire that destroyed nearly 300 homes in my area, many trees were left standing right next to houses that burned down. One of my friends found family photos in the bottom of the ruble of her burned out house that were just a little singed. Nothing else in her home was recognizable. Another friend had a pumpkin sitting on her walkway that made it through the fire that destroyed her home without even a burn mark. By the way, that fire was also started by power lines blown down in high winds.

Wild fires don't always work according to human logic (or in the case of some of these posts, humans thinking illogically). Wild fires have their own logic.

So, cut the conspiracy B.S. It doesn't help the thousands who have had their lives destroyed, including my elderly relatives who lost their home last week.

Sad but true. Fires have burned for centuries in the forests before man, a normal event and clears the brush and fertilizes the ground and .... the trees do just fine.

Sorry to hear about your relatives, hope they are being taken well care of.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Well, I have personally seen trees burning from the inside out during several wild fires close to my home. No lightening strikes involved.

They looked somewhat similar to your photo, although I'm pretty sure that the photo you posted has been doctored in photo shop -- what alternate reality site did you download it from?

And, in a fire that destroyed nearly 300 homes in my area, many trees were left standing right next to houses that burned down. One of my friends found family photos in the bottom of the ruble of her burned out house that were just a little singed. Nothing else in her home was recognizable. Another friend had a pumpkin sitting on her walkway that made it through the fire that destroyed her home without even a burn mark. By the way, that fire was also started by power lines blown down in high winds.

Wild fires don't always work according to human logic (or in the case of some of these posts, humans thinking illogically). Wild fires have their own logic.

So, cut the conspiracy B.S. It doesn't help the thousands who have had their lives destroyed, including my elderly relatives who lost their home last week.

I think the photo of the burning tree was legit, there is even a video of it on the KTLA website
Man Searching for Escape Routes Amid NorCal Fires Records Tree Burning From the Inside Out | KTLA

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

Thank you RosieSD. Amazingly she has taken care of all of this already, I should never underestimate how strong she is.

She has all the renovation receipts and grabbed them on the way out. I've asked people to collect pics they have in case they are needed, and started a gofundme to help out with any expenses in the interim. They have a place to stay for a few months. We were going to buy a 5th wheel in a few years, but I let them know we can buy it sooner if they need it.

I'll add that on my list to them is to get a PO Box for mail, and do a change of address, and to call doctors if they didn't grab any medications.

They are certainly not the only ones affected so I am hoping the "things to do" will assist others.

Luckily their insurance company has been very helpful so far, also they just changed insurance so the renovations are included (they did a LOT).

I hate that I am thousands of miles away, but there is not much I could do anyway.

Mikala, I'm sorry for your sister's loss, and happy though, that she and her loved ones are safe. My thoughts qnd prayers are with her and for all those that have suffered the loss of their loved ones, and property in these fires.

I don't know if insurance companies provide their covered homeowners with emergency funds to cover necessary expenses right after a loss like hers (for incidental everyday expenses, rental deposits if the home is unlivable, or destroyed as your sisters' was, emergency temporary repairs to the property if that applies), but IMO it's worth asking if the insurance company does not offer the information.

Our home was virtually destroyed in Hurricane Andrew in Miami in 1992, ours along with about 125,000 houses and other buildings with more or less degrees of destruction. Our homeowner's insurance at the time was with State Farm, as were most of the other insured homes in that location. Since so many of these homes were unihabitable, the insurance company gave each insured party $5000 as an advance from their claims, for those emergency expenses. The insured folks had to go to an agent (they set up trailers for this purpose) with copies of their policies (no power and computers were down in this area) as proof of their insurance and were given a check for the amount on the spot.

That emergency money was very helpful. And I'm hoping the insurance companies might still provide it to their policyholders in situations such as your sister faces.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Sad but true. Fires have burned for centuries in the forests before man, a normal event and clears the brush and fertilizes the ground and .... the trees do just fine.

Sorry to hear about your relatives, hope they are being taken well care of.

Yes, these folks looking for a conspiracy need to take a look at photos from other major wildfires that destroyed neighborhoods, such as the massive 2003 and 2007 fires in San Diego County. They'll see it looked pretty much like Santa Rosa in parts of SD County after those fires (well, we had more palm trees...). But there are plenty of other photos from other big wildfires available showing the same thing, both here in California and other parts of the U.S. and world.

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Yes, these folks looking for a conspiracy need to take a look at photos from other major wildfires that destroyed neighborhoods, such as the 2003 and 2007 fires in San Diego County. Looked pretty much like Santa Rosa in parts of SD County after those fires (well, we had more palm trees...)

I agree & also wild fires can spread underground, along root systems, so that could also travel up inside a tree. People who probably have never set foot inside our great state, can stop spouting nonsense about things they know nothing of.

[Mikala43]

My sister is situated. Insurance gave them 3 places to look at, the chose on, the insurance company went through a list of furniture and she picked what they needed, it will be delivered soon, they also provide a kitchen package (plates, forks, etc.). It is Liberty Insurance, and I cannot speak about them highly enough.

Everyone I know in that area knows at least one family that has lost their home.

Amidst all the tragedy there have been some wonderful stories. Kinda restores one's faith in humanity.

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

My sister is situated. Insurance gave them 3 places to look at, the chose on, the insurance company went through a list of furniture and she picked what they needed, it will be delivered soon, they also provide a kitchen package (plates, forks, etc.). It is Liberty Insurance, and I cannot speak about them highly enough.

Everyone I know in that area knows at least one family that has lost their home.

Amidst all the tragedy there have been some wonderful stories. Kinda restores one's faith in humanity.

This is good to know, I am glad she has somewhere to live for now.

[Mikala43]

I think I read yesterday that there were 11K firemen in NorCal fighting the fires - it's unbelievable, many of them had lost homes too.

Many of them working 80 hour shifts, and just dropping where they could to have naps.

Praying they get the rain predicted.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

My sister is situated. Insurance gave them 3 places to look at, the chose on, the insurance company went through a list of furniture and she picked what they needed, it will be delivered soon, they also provide a kitchen package (plates, forks, etc.). It is Liberty Insurance, and I cannot speak about them highly enough.

Everyone I know in that area knows at least one family that has lost their home.

Amidst all the tragedy there have been some wonderful stories. Kinda restores one's faith in humanity.

It's so nice to hear this update, Mikala. I'm glad that your sister's family is getting situated.

Our relatives are still down in Southern California staying with family. As I said, they are in their late 80s, and one is battling a life threatening illness, so they are mulling over their options. It is possible that they will not rebuild, but take a smaller settlement and just sell their land. But, it is still early in the process, and they're still in shock, so they may feel differently as things go forward.