Sonoma County Sheriff's Office: Point Fire evacuations lifted

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office lifted all evacuations related to the 4-day-old Point Fire, announcing at 5 p.m. Wednesday that residents ordered to leave the area east and south from Lake Sonoma, where the wildfire started, could return home.

Residents returning home were, however, advised to exercise caution as the fire may have damaged the surrounding area or property not destroyed by the flames could be damaged by smoke or soaked by water used to extinguish flames.

Some structures may also have holes cut in their walls or roof by firefighters looking for heat and fire.

Residents should also be wary of soot and dirty water that could cause illness. Foods and drinks exposed to flames, smoke, soot or water should not be consumed.

About 328 residents were ordered to evacuate the area after the Point Fire broke out near Stewart Point-Skaggs Spring Road Sunday afternoon. About 399 other people were in an evacuation warning zone.

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore, whose district includes the fire area, said some residents were eager to return to the fire zone to open their homes, assess the damage, contact emergency companies. insurance, etc.

But there's also a benefit to people returning to the area, he said.

“We want people to come back because that means they will have more attention to the landscape,” in case hot spots erupt, Gore told The Press Democrat.

“The other thing is you have to be able to get back safely, but the people are not a liability there,” he said. “They're actually a big help, because then you have less need for police officers to man the lines and maintain access throughout the night, so they can do other tasks.

“And it’s obviously a shitty thing to take into account, but we know people are stealing, looting,” especially in an isolated rural area.

About 1,120 firefighters remained assigned to the Point Fire as of Wednesday evening.

These firefighters are “simply working to find and destroy any heat sources that are within the perimeter of the fire,” said Shane Lauderdale, Cal Fire operations chief for the Point Fire and the 16,000-acre fire. in Colusa County, during a meeting at 6 p.m. virtual community meeting.

“And they will continue to do so over the next few days, but at this point we are very confident that the fire will remain within its perimeter,” he said.

Gore noted that not all power was restored, although only several dozen addresses remained without power. Most of it is expected to be restored Wednesday evening and Thursday, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Back-to-school safety tips prepared by the county can be found here.