Fog Blog U.S. Log: California Fires Update:

CALIFORNIA KINCADE FIRE ENCROACHING ON HOMES CAUSING EVACUATIONS AND BLACKOUTS!....State officials announced this morning that the Kincade fire, fueled by dry conditions and winds reaching 90 miles per hour (145 km/h), now covers over 120 sq miles (311 sq km) and threatens nearby towns. The flames extend from the Pacific coastline to northeast Sonoma County, an outer part of the San Francisco Bay Area. (This reporter, based in Oakland, can feel the wind rattling his home, and the lights are flickering.)The fires started near a town called Geyserville at around 9:30pm on Oct. 23 before growing rapidly overnight, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). While the fire’s cause is unknown, electric utility PG&E said it became aware of a downed transmission line near its origin about 10 minutes earlier.