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Introduction
Question: Does the following describe wildfires in Northern California that happened in the fall of 1964 or 2017?
You decide. There were multiple, large fires burning across large areas in the Redwood Empire region, often overwhelming firefighting resources. Many homes and businesses were destroyed. Hot, dry off-shore winds pushed the fires into Santa Rosa, among other communities, including Calistoga and Rincon Valley. The Tubbs Mansion was destroyed. A large hospital full of patients was threatened by the flames, but saved. At the same time, a huge fire was raging in Santa Barbara County, destroying homes in the community of Montecito. California Governor Brown made a visit during the fires. 1964 or 2017?
Answer: 1964. The description in the previous paragraph fits both years, except for 1) the “…At the same time…” description of the fire in Santa Barbara County. While that was true in 1964 with the Coyote Fire, the Thomas Fire of 2017 in Santa Barbara County started about two months after the fires in Northern California. Also, 2), the Tubbs Mansion was destroyed in 1964, while the Tubbs Fire of 2017 was named after Tubbs Lane, which was named to honor Alfred Tubbs, the owner of a winery in that area in 1882. How about California Governor Brown? True in both years, but in 1964 it was Governor Edmund G. Brown Sr., the father of Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr.
By the third week of September of 1964, the Northern California fire season was roaring into high gear, with ninety- four forest fires burning, both in the Redwood Empire, and in the mountain areas of Solano County. An atmospheric high-pressure system was well established over Oregon, spinning clockwise, and throwing warm and dry north-east winds throughout much of California. Wind gusts reached seventy mph, and combined with high temperatures, low humidity, and very dry vegetation to spread the fires across forests, ranches, wildlands, and residential areas.
Question: Does the following describe wildfires in Northern California that happened in the fall of 1964 or 2017?
You decide. There were multiple, large fires burning across large areas in the Redwood Empire region, often overwhelming firefighting resources. Many homes and businesses were destroyed. Hot, dry off-shore winds pushed the fires into Santa Rosa, among other communities, including Calistoga and Rincon Valley. The Tubbs Mansion was destroyed. A large hospital full of patients was threatened by the flames, but saved. At the same time, a huge fire was raging in Santa Barbara County, destroying homes in the community of Montecito. California Governor Brown made a visit during the fires. 1964 or 2017?
Answer: 1964. The description in the previous paragraph fits both years, except for 1) the “…At the same time…” description of the fire in Santa Barbara County. While that was true in 1964 with the Coyote Fire, the Thomas Fire of 2017 in Santa Barbara County started about two months after the fires in Northern California. Also, 2), the Tubbs Mansion was destroyed in 1964, while the Tubbs Fire of 2017 was named after Tubbs Lane, which was named to honor Alfred Tubbs, the owner of a winery in that area in 1882. How about California Governor Brown? True in both years, but in 1964 it was Governor Edmund G. Brown Sr., the father of Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr.
By the third week of September of 1964, the Northern California fire season was roaring into high gear, with ninety- four forest fires burning, both in the Redwood Empire, and in the mountain areas of Solano County. An atmospheric high-pressure system was well established over Oregon, spinning clockwise, and throwing warm and dry north-east winds throughout much of California. Wind gusts reached seventy mph, and combined with high temperatures, low humidity, and very dry vegetation to spread the fires across forests, ranches, wildlands, and residential areas.
Saving the Hospital
by Tom Forster
I've been researching this fire off and on for several years, and especially since the recent Tubbs Fire. After accumulating a great deal of information, I have struggled with how to tell the story of the overall incident. I have settled on a small start to the much larger story, one with a link to the Marin County fire service. Sonoma County hospitals were threatened in both 1964 and in 2017. One was actually evacuated in 2017 in Santa Rosa but not burned, and one was saved in 1964 while patients and staff sheltered in place. In both cases the fire threatened destruction. This is the story of the 1964 save.
The 53,000 acre Hanly Fire of that year is commonly mis-spelled as Hanley. The name of the fire came from a roadside tavern and restaurant named Hanly's, located along Highway 29, about three-quarters of the way up Mt. St. Helena.
It was a popular spot for travelers, founded by the parents of Herbert "Bud" Hanly, who served as Calistoga's Mayor in 1964. Veteran Bud Hanly had served on the Battleship U.S.S. Maryland in World War II, and was in partnership with his parents as owner/operators of a Smoke Shop in Calistoga at the time of the fire.
While the 1964 fire did not start at the tavern, it was the closest known reference point, so it would go on to serve as the name of the massive incident. Geographically larger than the Tubbs Fire in 2017, the Hanly Fire caused far less structural damage, and no lives were lost, in part due to the area being only lightly developed in 1964. Fifty-three years later, the Tubbs Fire followed a similar footprint, and while somewhat smaller at 36,807 acres, 22 people were killed, and 5,100 structures destroyed, including roughly 2,800 within the City limits of Santa Rosa.
The Tubbs Fire was the most destructive wildfire in California history in terms of property damage, with property losses and firefighting costs initially estimated at well over a billion dollars. The Tubbs Fire started near Tubbs Lane, named after Alfred Tubbs, the owner of a winery in that area in 1882. Ironically, the original Tubbs mansion had burned down in the Hanly Fire in 1964.
The Hanly Fire began on September 19, 1964, when a deer hunter tossed a cigarette butt into some grass, and, given the severe conditions, sparked a fire that roared to life. By the end of the second day, the fire on the mountain was declared mostly contained. Sadly, late that night strong winds kicked back up, driving the flames down the mountain and around the town of Calistoga on two sides. Several homes on the outskirts of the community burned, and then more. More than half of Calistoga’s 2,500 residents were evacuated to shelters. Eighty structures in Calistoga were eventually destroyed. The Hanley Fire eventually burned 53,000 acres and 84 homes, 24 summer cabins and over 100 farm buildings.
By mid-day on September 21, an ember ignited a spot fire on the ridge west of Highway 128 in Sonoma County, between Calistoga and Kellogg. From there, the fire raced into Knights Valley and turned southward into Franz Valley, moving towards more populated areas and structures, including the Sonoma County Hospital. Let's 'zoom in' on this story, one in which mutual aid from Marin County helped save the complex while roughly 300 patients and staff sheltered in place.
by Tom Forster
I've been researching this fire off and on for several years, and especially since the recent Tubbs Fire. After accumulating a great deal of information, I have struggled with how to tell the story of the overall incident. I have settled on a small start to the much larger story, one with a link to the Marin County fire service. Sonoma County hospitals were threatened in both 1964 and in 2017. One was actually evacuated in 2017 in Santa Rosa but not burned, and one was saved in 1964 while patients and staff sheltered in place. In both cases the fire threatened destruction. This is the story of the 1964 save.
The 53,000 acre Hanly Fire of that year is commonly mis-spelled as Hanley. The name of the fire came from a roadside tavern and restaurant named Hanly's, located along Highway 29, about three-quarters of the way up Mt. St. Helena.
It was a popular spot for travelers, founded by the parents of Herbert "Bud" Hanly, who served as Calistoga's Mayor in 1964. Veteran Bud Hanly had served on the Battleship U.S.S. Maryland in World War II, and was in partnership with his parents as owner/operators of a Smoke Shop in Calistoga at the time of the fire.
While the 1964 fire did not start at the tavern, it was the closest known reference point, so it would go on to serve as the name of the massive incident. Geographically larger than the Tubbs Fire in 2017, the Hanly Fire caused far less structural damage, and no lives were lost, in part due to the area being only lightly developed in 1964. Fifty-three years later, the Tubbs Fire followed a similar footprint, and while somewhat smaller at 36,807 acres, 22 people were killed, and 5,100 structures destroyed, including roughly 2,800 within the City limits of Santa Rosa.
The Tubbs Fire was the most destructive wildfire in California history in terms of property damage, with property losses and firefighting costs initially estimated at well over a billion dollars. The Tubbs Fire started near Tubbs Lane, named after Alfred Tubbs, the owner of a winery in that area in 1882. Ironically, the original Tubbs mansion had burned down in the Hanly Fire in 1964.
The Hanly Fire began on September 19, 1964, when a deer hunter tossed a cigarette butt into some grass, and, given the severe conditions, sparked a fire that roared to life. By the end of the second day, the fire on the mountain was declared mostly contained. Sadly, late that night strong winds kicked back up, driving the flames down the mountain and around the town of Calistoga on two sides. Several homes on the outskirts of the community burned, and then more. More than half of Calistoga’s 2,500 residents were evacuated to shelters. Eighty structures in Calistoga were eventually destroyed. The Hanley Fire eventually burned 53,000 acres and 84 homes, 24 summer cabins and over 100 farm buildings.
By mid-day on September 21, an ember ignited a spot fire on the ridge west of Highway 128 in Sonoma County, between Calistoga and Kellogg. From there, the fire raced into Knights Valley and turned southward into Franz Valley, moving towards more populated areas and structures, including the Sonoma County Hospital. Let's 'zoom in' on this story, one in which mutual aid from Marin County helped save the complex while roughly 300 patients and staff sheltered in place.