...
I admit I haven't been through there in a couple years, but it seems UTTERLY fantastical to me that the Valley Fire has not eaten up all that mixed scrub forest and palatial estates area south of the fire perimeter and north of 128. It seems to have stopped right in the middle of heavily [dry] wooded areas.
I know the initial winds were blowing it southeast, but those have let up or eased up, and, yes, it's cooler and it rained a bit yesterday, but that area it has stopped in the middle of is heavy to the glare-at-it-and-it-explodes type trees.
Yet, that apparently undefended southern perimeter hasn't budged much since Monday.
This doesn't make any sense to me... nor does that itty bit that seems to be flipping the bird at Pope Valley. The maps haven't budged but a micrometer more into Napa County since Monday either.
It doesn't make any sense... unless, as I said yesterday, the air support [2 airtankers and 18 helicopters] is concentrated on that line, keeping the conflagration away from the people with money.
...
If you think I'm kidding, go to Google Maps and enter "Calistoga, CA". Pull out a click or two so you can see Hwy 128 heading northwest from Calistoga. Zoom back down, scroll five miles northeast from Calistoga, and turn right at Kellogg on Ida Clayton Road. Just keep inching you way up that road from there, zoomed in good, but remembering to zoom back out a bit every so often to reorient yourself. Just keep going on that road until there's no more of it.
Some of the really wealthy people you never get to hear about, let alone meet, have property there.
always and any time....
