Sonoma County Sheriff's Office: Point Fire evacuations lifted

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has lifted all evacuations related to the 4-day-old Point Fire, announcing at 5 pm Wednesday that residents ordered to leave the area east and south of Lake Sonoma, where the wildfire started, can go home.

Residents returning home were advised to exercise caution, though, as the fire may have done damage to the surrounding area or property not ruined by flames may be damaged by smoke or soggy from water used to douse flames.

Some structures also may have holes cut in their walls or roofs by firefighters seeking out heat and fire.

Residents also need to beware of soot and dirty water that could cause illness. Food and drink exposed to flames, smoke, soot or water should not be consumed.

About 328 residents were ordered to evacuate the area after the Point Fire ignited near Stewart Point-Skaggs Spring Road on Sunday afternoon. Another 399 or so were in an evacuation warning area.

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore, whose district includes the area of ​​the blaze, said some residents were eager to get back into the fire zone to open up their homes, evaluate damage, contact insurance companies and the like.

But there's also a benefit to having people back in the area, he said.

“We want people to get back because that means more eyes on the landscape,” in case hot spots flare up, Gore told The Press Democrat.

“The other thing is it's got to be safe for you to go back, but people aren't a liability back there,” he said. “They're actually a help, because then you have less need for police officers to hold lines and hold access all night, so they can go do other work.

“And, obviously it's a crappy thing to have to consider, but people have been known to steal, to loot,” particularly in a remote, rural area.

Gore noted that not all power has been restored, though only several dozen addresses remained without power. Most was expected to be restored Wednesday night and Thursday, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Safety tips for reentry prepared by the county can be found here.