I couldn't breathe last night.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (206422)
Walnut Creek, California
October 9, 2017 6:14pm CST
I woke up at 3:30 AM this morning and couldn't breathe. My house smelled like a huge wood fire was burning nearby. I actually considered getting a wet rag to put over my face.
Somehow, I managed to get back to sleep, as I heard no fire engines, and the smoke wasn't getting any worse.
This morning, I wondered if it was a dream, and if I'd somehow buried my face in my pillow, and had a dream that matched my sensations of being unable to breathe. I saw no smoke to the East.
I Googled "fire Bay Area" and discovered that there are several huge wildfires burning in Napa and Sonoma, about 25 miles to the North of me. The wind had been a stiff Northerly early in the morning, with gusts up to above 70 mph (105 kph). That meant that the whole Bay Area was shrouded in smoke.
As of this afternoon, 1500 homes and businesses have been destroyed in the Santa Rosa CA area, and one death has been confirmed. Governor Brown has declared a state of emergency.
Had you heard about this one?
26 people like this
25 responses
@celticeagle (159451)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Oct 17
I just saw this on the news. So sorry to hear of this. We have fires here every year. This year, thank goodness, they were so bad but the ones surrounding us made for a lot of smoke. My throat was scratchy and my eyes burned for many days. It is awful to live through. Maybe you should get some face masks to wear at night.
6 people like this
@celticeagle (159451)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Oct 17
@TheHorse ......It looks awful on the news. So many homes destroyed.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
9 Oct 17
I stepped outside last night around 4am and could even smell the smoke all the way down here. I did wonder how it might be affecting you and my other friends in the East Bay.
I read a little bit ago that 57,000 acres have been destroyed by the fires and 22,000 people had been evacuated from their homes.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (206422)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Oct 17
@spiderdust I'll take another look tomorrow morning. Maybe it's time to move back to the Midwest.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
10 Oct 17
@TheHorse Apparently Anaheim is on fire too, although the Northern California fire is worse.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Oct 17
My friends were at a wedding this weekend in Sonoma . . . they marked themselves safe on FB - this one is called the Tubbs fire? But she had some close up pics of the fire - they were THERE, staying at some house. But they found a road to get out - and know they're back in LA. All these fires . . . the recent La Tuna Canyon one is relatively near us . . . fire season is definitely here!!
5 people like this
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@Marilynda1225 (79961)
• United States
9 Oct 17
I hadn't heard of the fires but it must have been very bad for the smoke smell to wake you up.
5 people like this
@NJChicaa (116123)
• United States
10 Oct 17
@TheHorse I do too! I know that most parts of the country have their own unique weather hazards, but I couldn't deal with a "fire season" or tornadoes. Living under sea level wouldn't do it for me either. Here in the Northeast we just get nor'easters and snow. No big deal.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
10 Oct 17
Yes, the terrible fires and the destruction are all over the news. Terrible! 
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36505)
• Toccoa, Georgia
10 Oct 17
I have read about this in the news. I am praying it will calm down and stop. I pray it wont get nearer to you and your house!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
10 Oct 17
I saw it on the news last night and was so scared for you @TheHorse .
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (206422)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 17
@nanette64 I heard the wind is going to pick up tonight and no rain is in the forecast. This is not good.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
11 Oct 17
@TheHorse Yeah, because you never know what direction the wind is going to change to.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
10 Oct 17
Yes this is terrible! Hopefully it`ll rain and help put the fires out.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43419)
• Denver, Colorado
10 Oct 17
My girlfriend told me about Santa Rosa. Used to go there all the time when I was a kid.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (206422)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Oct 17
I wonder how they'll get this one under control. I CAN say that the winds were knocking stuff down in my house last night but they're not tonight. I hope that means the fire(s) won't spread as fast tonight as they did last night.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43419)
• Denver, Colorado
10 Oct 17
@TheHorse - I hope they can get it contained soon. We had two deadly wildfires within the last five years here. Not fun.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
10 Oct 17
I did see something about fires over there but they did not mention where so I am supposing that it must be these ones.
Hope that they can put them out on time also and everyone and everything else is safe.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
4 Apr 18
@TheHorse
So sorry about those that lost their lives and those that lost their Houses.
Fires are traumatic events too.
@FourWalls (62436)
• United States
12 Oct 17
I've been watching KRON's coverage online all evening for the past three days. I pray you stay safe!!!!
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18953)
• United States
10 Oct 17
I haven't heard about it. I wouldn't have been able to sleep like that.
1 person likes this
