An emotional woman clutched her wedding ring after finding it in the ruins of her burned out home that was destroyed in a raging California wildfire.
Mary Caughey and her family were among thousands who were forced to evacuate their homes before their homes were completely consumed by the out-of-control fire.
All that remains in many neighborhoods are the smoldering ashes and eye-stinging smoke.
Newly homeless residents of California’s wine country took stock of their shattered lives Tuesday, a day after wildfires killed at least 15 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes and businesses.
Caughey and her family returned to their community where they found their Kenwood home had been completely leveled by the fire.
But as Caughey was searching through salvageable items in the rubble, she somehow managed to find her wedding ring.
A photographer captured the moment Caughey clutched her ring in her hands as tears fell from her eyes.
Officials said the California wildfire outbreaks are among the deadliest in the state’s history. Authorities said the death toll may go up as first responders reach more areas struck by the out-of-control blazes.
Mary Caughey (center in blue) reacts with her son Harrison (left) after finding her wedding ring in debris at her home destroyed by fires in Kenwood, California on Tuesday
Caughey and her family were among thousands who were forced to evacuate their homes before their homes were completely consumed by the out-of-control fire. Firefighters douse hot spots in the Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa on Tuesday
All that remains in many neighborhoods are the smoldering ashes and eye-stinging smoke. Newly homeless residents of California’s wine country took stock of their shattered lives Tuesday, a day after wildfires killed at least 15 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes and businesses
Hundreds more firefighters joined the battle against the blazes, which were still completely uncontained. Authorities also began to identify the dead, including a 100-year-old man and his 98-year-old wife who died in their burning home. Pictured is the burned remains of a car sits in the driveway of a home in Napa
Hundreds more firefighters joined the battle against the blazes, which were still completely uncontained.
Authorities also began to identify the dead, including a 100-year-old man and his 98-year-old wife who died in their burning home.
A thick, smoky haze cloaked much of Napa and Sonoma counties, where neighborhoods hit by the fires were completely leveled.
In the Santa Rosa suburb known as Coffey Park, house after house was gone with only brick chimneys still standing.
The flames burned so hot that windows and tire rims melted off cars, leaving many parked vehicles sitting on their steel axles. The only recognizable remnants at many homes were charred washing machines and dryers.
Officials hoped cooler weather and lighter winds would help crews get a handle on 17 separate fires, which are among the deadliest in California history.
‘The weather has been working in our favor, but it doesn’t mean it will stay that way,’ said Brad Alexander, a spokesman of the governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
The extra firefighters came from throughout California and Nevada. Extra law enforcement officers will help with evacuations and guard against looting, Alexander said.
At least 100 people have been injured and at least 183 are still missing in Sonoma County alone, authorities said.
This combination of photos shows the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa, California. The bottom image taken Monday shows the damage after a wildfire swept through the area. The top undated image provided by Google Earth shows the area before the fire
Chuck Rippey looks over a cup found in the burned out remains of his parent’s home at the Silverado Resort
Leslie Garnica searches for belongings in the ashes of her home that was destroyed by fire in the Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa
Todd Caughey hugs his daughter Ella as they visit the site of their home destroyed by fires in Kenwood
The fires that started Sunday night moved so quickly that thousands of people were forced to flee with only a few minutes of warning, and some did not get out in time. Among the victims were Charles and Sara Rippey, who were married for 75 years and lived at the Silverado Resort in Napa.
‘The only thing worse would have been if one survived without the other,’ their granddaughter, Ruby Gibney told Oakland television station KTVU.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said he spoke with Gov. Jerry Brown to ‘let him know that the federal government will stand with the people of California. And we will be there for you in this time of terrible tragedy and need.’
More than 400 miles away from the wine-making region, flames imperiled parts of Southern California, too. Thousands of people were displaced by a wildfire that destroyed or damaged 24 structures, including homes. Hot, dry Santa Ana winds swept fire along brushy outskirts of Orange County suburbs and equestrian properties southeast of Los Angeles. More than a dozen schools were closed.
The blaze, which disrupted major commuter routes, spread over nearly a dozen square miles in less than 24 hours as a squadron of helicopters and airplanes bombarded it with water and retardant, and an army of firefighters grew to 1,100 by Tuesday morning.
Jim Stites watches part of his neighborhood burn in Fountaingrove on Monday
Homeowner Martha Marquez looks over her burned home in Santa Rosa
Rhonda Readen (left) hugs her crying partner, Tim Shirley after they arrived to find their residence in the Fountaingrove area of Santa Rosa totally destroyed on Tuesday
At the northern end of the state, residents who gathered at emergency shelters and grocery stores said they were shocked by the speed and ferocity of the flames. They recalled all the possessions that were lost.
‘All that good stuff, I’m never going to see it again,’ said Jeff Okrepkie, who fled his neighborhood in Santa Rosa knowing it was probably the last time he would see his home of the past five years standing.
His worst fears were confirmed Monday, when a friend sent him a photo of what was left: a smoldering heap of burnt metal and debris.
Some of the largest blazes burning over a 200-mile region were in Napa and Sonoma counties, home to dozens of wineries that attract tourists from around the world. They sent smoke as far south as San Francisco, about 60 miles away.
Sonoma County established a hotline to help families looking for missing loved ones. It’s possible that many or most of the people reported missing are safe but simply cannot be reached because of the widespread loss of cellphone service and other communications.
Much of the damage was in Santa Rosa, a far larger and more developed city than usually finds itself at the mercy of a wildfire. The city is home to 175,000 people, including both the wine-country wealthy and the working class.
Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Noah Lowry, who now runs an outdoor sporting goods store in Santa Rosa, was forced to flee with his wife, two daughters and a son just over two weeks old.
‘I can’t shake hearing people scream in terror as the flames barreled down on us,’ Lowry said.
Luke Baier (left) and his wife Gina Baier look through the remains of their home in the Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa
The flames forced authorities to focus primarily on getting people out safely, even if it meant abandoning structures to the fire. Remains of automobiles were seen in the Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa
Darrel Spain walks through the remains of his house destroyed from fires as he and his husband look for their missing cat in Kenwood
Mark Papale walks along the street of his house which was destroyed from fires as he looks for his missing cat in Kenwood
Lowry’s family and others evacuating with them tried to take US 101 to evacuate but found it blocked by flames, and had to take country roads to get to the family friends who took them in.
Driving around the area remained difficult Tuesday with many road closures and intense traffic on roads that remained open.
Highway 12, which winds through the heart of wine country, was rendered unusable by the flames.
The flames forced authorities to focus primarily on getting people out safely, even if it meant abandoning structures to the fire.
October has generally been the most destructive time of year for California wildfires. But it was unusual for many fires to take off at the same time.
Other than the windy conditions that helped drive them all, there was no known connection between the blazes, and no cause has been released for any of them.