|
As I write this, our community is closely watching the ongoing Woodside Fire incident. Since the incident started yesterday — like so many of you — I've been following developments minute by minute, checking in with north coast residents and neighbors, thinking about everyone who has been impacted, and helping however I can. Wildfires are a terrible reality and harsh consequence of climate change, but they also remind us of something extraordinary: when our communities are tested, people show up for one another.
I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the hundreds of local firefighters working around the clock to protect lives and property, to CAL FIRE, and to the many mutual aid crews who have traveled from neighboring jurisdictions to assist. Thank you as well to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, the California Highway Patrol, California State Parks, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Department of Health, and Department of Emergency Management. These agencies are coordinating an enormous response under difficult conditions, and we are deeply grateful for their courage and commitment to keeping our communities safe. I’m also proud of the Fifth District Team; we’ve been in constant communication with Emergency Management and other county departments ensuring that the County rises up to meet community needs in real time.
While many of us are not under evacuation orders, nearly all of us are feeling the effects of this incident through extremely poor air quality. Please take the smoke seriously, limit your time outdoors when possible, and take steps to protect yourself and your family. Below, you'll find information about the Clean Air Center we are opening to provide a safe place to get relief from the smoke.
Because conditions can change quickly, I encourage everyone to rely on verified, real-time information rather than social media. The best single source for situational awareness is Watch Duty, which provides current information about the incident, including fire activity, evacuation orders and warnings, road closures, air quality, and power outages. If you haven't already, please download the app or visit the incident page. Enable notifications to receive updates as conditions evolve. Above all, if you are under an evacuation order or warning, please follow the directions of emergency officials promptly and safely.
We'll continue working closely with our emergency response partners and will share important community updates as they become available. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves, check on your neighbors—especially seniors and those who may need extra assistance—and extend a little extra patience and kindness to one another. That's what West County does best.
| 
