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Smoke from the fire is felt inside the house, the evacuation bag is packed and the garden is covered with soot. After months of virus quarantine, Northern California residents now must also deal with the severe fires that are raging. – It’s like waging a war on two fronts, says Sofia Englund, a Swedish editor and resident of the city of Santa Rosa, to TT.
Publisher Sofia Englund, photographed at Armstrong Woods in Guerneville, Northern California, the area where the Great Walbridge Fire is now raging.
On the one hand, anxiety and insecurity. On the other hand, a strong commitment to evacuees and firefighters who work long shifts. This is how Sofia Englund, editor of Sonoma Magazine and The Press Democrat, describes the atmosphere in Santa Rosa right now. The city is located north of San Francisco, in the middle of the Sonoma wine country, and just over 30 miles from the great Walbridge fire.
– But it also burns east of us in Napa and northwest. It’s been unusually hot for some time and nearly 600 fires, many of them smaller, have been caused by lightning, he says.
Englund says that she and her husband Joshua Dylan Mellars, who is a film director and producer, worry every night about what could happen overnight: If new fires break out, will we have to evacuate and where we are safe are questions. with which they fight. .
Santa Rosa residents are now being urged to stay indoors. Those who go out must wear special respiratory protection called N95, which many have acquired during the virus pandemic or in previous fires.
– We have one of the worst air qualities in the world and I haven’t been out for more than a few minutes in the last week. It feels like we’re under siege, says Englund.
She and her husband have been working from home for several months due to the corona pandemic and the fires.
But even from inside the house, they can smell smoke, despite the newly purchased air purifier. They have seen ashes fall from the sky and have noticed the changes of light.
– The smoke is grayish and when the sun shines through it you see an orange sun that shines in an unpleasant way.
Isolation means that you don’t talk to your neighbors and colleagues in person as much as you would otherwise. But he still speaks to many of them to express anxiety and insecurity. This is so even though the region is used to emergency preparedness, previous fires have been unpredictable and have spread rapidly.
– Thousands of people in Sonoma have already been forced to leave. But many are reluctant to go to evacuation centers due to the coronavirus. And many are still traumatized after the big fires of 2017 and 2019, he says.
TT: How do you see the actions of the authorities?
– Direct response is good, they have virtual press conferences, email and text messages, and cooperate with government agencies to get reinforcement here.
But the longer-term work, the one aimed at curbing climate change and working with infrastructure, is more daunting, according to Englund. Several previous fires have been caused by trees falling on power lines that have not been buried. And neglected forest areas mean fires can spread more easily.
A contributing factor to increasing stress among area residents is that the “regular” fire season doesn’t really start until October, which means more fires may be imminent. And Sonoma and Napa have already experienced huge setbacks due to the virus pandemic.
– The vineyards, the restaurants, the businesses here – almost all activities depend on tourism. Unemployment has risen a lot, Englund says.
– But in the midst of all this worry, I also see enormous strength and cohesion. People help each other, cook, and open their homes to evacuees and firefighters.
TT: Are there many who connect the situation with the presidential elections this fall?
– The feeling of insecurity is reinforced by the fact that there is no real leadership at the federal level and no direct social safety nets as in Sweden. Large companies receive financial support, but not ordinary workers or small companies.
California
California is the most populous state in the United States with almost 40 million inhabitants. Her nickname is The Golden State.
The state covers an area of 411,000 square kilometers, which is slightly less than Sweden. California is home to several national parks in the US and the major cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The capital is called Sacramento.
California is often referred to as the world’s fifth-largest economy, with giant companies like Apple and Google having their headquarters, as well as many movie companies. There is also a large agricultural production, oil resources and several prestigious universities.
The state belonged to Mexico 1822-48. During the 20th century, the population doubled and today it is multi-ethnic. An estimated 39 percent are so-called Spanish-speaking Latinos, 15 percent are of Asian descent, and 6.5 percent are black.
Republican Ronald Reagan was governor of California before becoming president.
Sources: Nationalencyklopedin, Californiafacts.facts.co, Census.gov and more
