SAN FRANCISCO—On Sunday, October 27, San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a proclamation declaring a local emergency to provide mutual aid to those forced to evacuate as a result of the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County. The blaze which started on October 23 near John Kincade Road and Burned Mountain Road, northeast of Geyserville. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
As of Monday, October 28, an evacuation warning was issued for parts of Lake County for Zone 31 which includes: the area of Highway 29 from Butts Canyon Road South to the County Line. All of Butts Canyon Road in Lake County between Highway 29 & Napa County Line. Highway 175 between Highway 29 Middleton North to McKinley Drive. This includes Middletown proper, Twin Pine Casino, Middletown Rancheria, Dry Creek area, all roads off of Highway 175 between Middletown and McKinley Dive, and Butts Canyon Road including all side streets.
The fire has burned more than 30,000 acres to date, leading to the evacuation of close to 200,000 people and threatening hundreds of structures. Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency on October 25. Close to 3,000 local, state and federal personnel, including first responders, assisting with battling the Kincade Fire.
According to a press release from the Mayor’s office, San Francisco will open a temporary disaster shelter to assist those who have been displaced. The shelter will be located at Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (St. Mary’s Cathedral) at 1111 Gough Street and opened at 8:00 a.m. on October 28. The temporary shelter is scheduled through Friday to support the statewide shelter system as necessary.
“San Francisco stands with our neighbors to the north and is ready to help in every way we can,” said Mayor Breed. “Our City departments are working in unison to provide shelter and care to those who have been displaced, while first responders continue to fight the fire in Sonoma County.”
The Human Services Agency is collaborating with the American Red Cross to provide shelter for 200 people at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The shelter will be open to serve adults, families, and pets. The Department of Public Health will have a team on site to assess the medical and mental health needs of the evacuees. San Francisco is planning to open additional locations to shelter evacuees and the shelter will not impact city services.
The proclamation allows the Mayor to deploy resources to respond to emergencies. It must be ratified by the Board of Supervisors within seven days. Food, clothing and household items are not being accepted at this time. For more details, visit https://socoemergency.org/home/recover/how-to-help/.
For media inquiries to the San Francisco Emergency Operation Center call 415-558-2712.
