‘My World Was Burning’: The North Bay Fires and What Went Wrong

meek.jpg

Jason Meek sifts through the remains of his home in Sonoma County. Photo by Lisa Pickoff-White/KQED

By Sukey Lewis, Marisa Lagos and Lisa Pickoff-White, KQED News Fix/The California Report

Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann wasn’t scheduled to work until Monday morning, but he decided to head in Sunday, Oct. 8, just in case.

He knew that conditions in Napa’s wine country, known for its Mediterranean climate and valleys of vineyards, were ripe for a fire: There was a high wind advisory, it was an unusually warm day, and there was plenty of dried-out brush and grass that late in the year.

Read the complete story at KQED News Fix/The California Report.

Don't miss out on our newest articles, episodes and events!
Sign up for our newsletter