latimes--2020-09-12--'This monster of fire' burns a devastating path through one family's Sierra empire

Brock Kant first heard of the Creek fire in an early morning text from his father .
Fire down by Camp Sierra near Big Creek , FYI .
Brock stepped outside of his cabin , looked up through the pines into the mountain blue sky and replied .
A fire had broken out the night before , 10 miles to the west and down a 2,000-foot grade near the small Sierra Nevada town of Big Creek .
Firefighters had responded with an aerial attack , limiting the fire ’ s spread through the dry , parched hills .
By that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had begun to explode .
Brock ’ s five-bedroom cabin on the north shore of Huntington Lake was nearly 100 years old .
He had lived there for four years with his girlfriend and their 2-year-old son , a cousin and roommate .
They weren ’ t concerned .
Every season brought new fires , and crews had always been able to manage them .
Then a neighbor came by shouting for everyone to get out .
Brock , 23 , looked again to the sky , and he and his cabin mates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pictures , kid toys , the PlayStation and two 65-inch televisions .
They didn ’ t expect to be gone for long .
Driving east toward the fork with Highway 168 , they slowed through the town of Lakeshore on the northeast corner of the lake .
His grandfather was talking to employees .
Brock stopped the truck and leaned out the window .
“ We ’ re going down , ” he said .
Stephen Sherry shook his head .
As the owner of Lakeshore Resort , he felt he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in the hands of local authorities , and this year he wasn ’ t able to get fire insurance for the complex .
He and about a dozen others weren ’ t going to have anything to do with an evacuation .
They had already begun dousing the place with water .
Large hoses snaked from the roadside hydrants , and a giant tractor , its wheels as tall as any man , was ready to start cutting a firebreak around the place .
“ We ’ re staying , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone who would try to order him out .
Sherry tried to persuade his grandson to stay .
But all that went through Brock ’ s mind was the image of the captain going down with the ship .
The Kant and the Sherry families are well-known around Huntington and Shaver lakes , lying east of Fresno and now burning at the heart of the massive Creek fire , which has blown through nearly 175,000 acres .
In the last 30 years , the families have built a small empire , based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and left a broad stamp among the communities of cabins and camps scattered throughout these rugged mountains .
Sherry ’ s daughter Gabrielle , 49 , tells the story of her dad , who for years manufactured electric wheelchairs out of a shop in Hermosa Beach .
The family lived in Palos Verdes and spent their Augusts at Huntington Lake .
“ It was the highlight of my life every summer before school started , ” she said .
In the late 1980s , they were driving by Lakeshore Resort , and Sherry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles , saw a sign : “ If you ’ re interested in this property , contact the Fresno Municipal Court.
” The resort , built in 1922 for workers on the neighboring dams , was run down but extensive .
Lying on 33 acres , it included a hotel , a restaurant and bar , a dance hall and 28 small cabins for visitors , and Sherry was able to pick it up for $ 75,000 at an auction on the Fresno courthouse steps .
Niles was 30 and fresh out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huntington Lake .
He got a job as a cook at the resort and fell in love with Gabrielle .
They married in 1998 .
Eager to make a name for himself , Niles built up a firewood company into the Huntington Lake Tree Service and provided employment for most of his family , including Brock and his sister Emily , a cousin and a few young men in the area .
The pine bark beetle , which was killing broad swaths of the forest in the Sierra , had started a boom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skill to drop trees nearly 200 feet tall .
Niles and Gabrielle bought their first home down by Auberry , a nearby town .
In 2015 — their business doing well — they bought a second house and five acres on Tollhouse Road , soon turning it into their dream home .
The next year they bought Brock the cabin , as well as Shaver Stables , where Gabrielle was able to share her love of horses and these mountains with visitors .
Now , all that they had created lay in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faster than anyone could have imagined .
“ I suspect I ’ ve lost absolutely everything I own , ” Niles said .
“ I hope for the best , but I ’ m not holding out much hope .
I don ’ t even know if my father-in-law is alive.
” Brock left his grandfather behind and raced down Highway 168 toward the family home on Tollhouse Road .
He wanted to drop off his gear , and with luck make another run back up to Huntington Lake .
A pyrocumulus cloud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was like nothing I had ever seen , ” he said .
“ There was no smoke in the air , just this massive cloud billowing into the sky.
” Gabrielle was gearing up for work at the stables that Saturday morning when she heard about the fire .
She called Niles , asking if they should evacuate the horses .
They had 18 in the corral and needed a plan .
But the Creek fire was 10 miles away , and Niles thought they ’ d be safe .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and yet the best season they ever had .
Stay-at-home orders meant a late opening , but they were soon filling their calendar with reservations .
Gabrielle took a small group of six riders out on the trail .
By early afternoon , though , she started to worry .
The highway out of Fresno was closed .
Cars from Huntington Lake were rushing by ; fire engines were streaming north , sirens blaring , lights flashing .
The wind was starting to blow , and the power went out .
Friends from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking lot at the stables .
They had been evacuated .
“ I think you need to get out of here , ” one of them told her .
Gabrielle started throwing all her tack — saddles and bridles — into a trailer and decided to split the herd .
Half would go to a friend ’ s ranch in Clovis , the rest to Auberry where Gabrielle ’ s parents lived .
It was better than turning them loose .
By that night , the Kant family had gathered at the home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t heard from Sherry up at Lakeshore .
The cell tower had burned down , Brock learned , so there would be no way to reach his grandfather .
Niles had wanted to drive to Huntington Lake to pick him up , but Gabrielle would have nothing of it .
Just an ember , she thought , and the resort would be gone .
“ We ’ re not trained firefighters , ” she told him .
“ We can ’ t fight this.
” She knew how stubborn her father was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is wrong to put your family through all this , she said .
In recent years , the resort had divided the family — management decisions , upkeep , costs , all the squabbles that take place in any family business — but it was also what kept them together and the reason they come into these mountains in the first place .
Brock tried to understand why his grandfather would want to stay behind and put himself at risk .
“ That ’ s his whole life up there , not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ He ’ s been there for so long , I think , in his mind he can ’ t leave.
” That night they got dinner from a pizza joint down the road .
They had earned themselves a breather , glad at the very least to have gotten some equipment out of Huntington and the horses off the mountain .
The home on Tollhouse Road was their brief sanctuary .
Gabrielle called it her little artisan house — for the man who shod her horses and made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birds , for the contractor who fit the tongue-and-groove so snugly no spider could ever get in , and another who finished the upstairs bathroom with river rock that reminded her of the local hot springs .
But the view was the centerpiece .
Mornings she and Niles would wake up to the sunrise over the Kings Canyon drainage and the 10,000-foot peaks of the Sierra , often covered with snow .
By Sunday morning , the Creek fire was pouring out in all directions .
It scaled the ridge into the Huntington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forests toward Shaver Lake , and it forced the California National Guard to coordinate a harrowing night rescue of more than 200 people stranded at a reservoir known as Mammoth Pool .
The Kant family woke to their own chaos at the home on Tollhouse Road .
The sky was an eerie orange .
It looked like dusk , Brock said .
Smoke was everywhere with ash falling from the sky .
They knew they needed to get out , and as they tried to make a plan , they kept checking their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Sherry or the status of Lakeshore Resort .
Niles ’ priority was to try to save as much equipment as possible .
He had to hold onto his business ; it would be the only way they could survive in the months ahead .
He knew how devastating these fires were .
Over the last four years , his tree business had expanded beyond Huntington and Shaver lakes .
He won contracts to remove hazardous trees in the aftermath of the massive Tubbs and Atlas fires that ripped through suburbs in Northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Camp fire that destroyed the town of Paradise the next year .
Gabrielle grabbed photo albums and pictures off the walls and made decisions that left her second-guessing as soon as she drove away , such as leaving behind the four-foot handsaw that Niles had given to her on their 15th wedding anniversary , painted with a scene from Huntington Lake .
But mostly she wanted to get everyone off the mountain .
She had lived through the last big evacuation , from the 1994 Big Creek fire .
It had spared Huntington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched the forests grow thicker with brush and more and more trees die from the bark beetle .
But her family wasn ’ t listening to her .
They were overwhelmed , she realized , caught up in the belief that a fire of this scale — one that could destroy all they had built — was just not possible .
“ I never would think that in one episode , it could all disappear , ” Niles said .
“ I can see it getting wiped out with different fires , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that grew as fast as it did — is unreal.
” And still there was no news from Sherry at Lakeshore .
After a day of ferrying personal belongings and business equipment to friends and family living on the outskirts of Fresno , the Kant family found itself divided and alone on Sunday night .
“ No one was seeing eye to eye , ” Brock said , leaving everyone to find their own separate places for the night .
Brock and his family stayed with a friend who had gotten news by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that Sherry and a few others had put together a flotilla — a pontoon boat and a powerboat — and taken it out to the middle of the lake .
Brock tried to understand this .
He was sure that the fire crews and law enforcement , working the north side of the lake , didn ’ t want them to be there .
Evacuations were meant to keep everyone safe , but his grandfather had other ideas .
Getting out on the lake meant he and the others would be left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they could to save the resort , and after that I believe they went to the lake for a safe place to be and not to be bothered , ” he said .
On Monday morning , Niles — who spent the night alone in the house on Tollhouse Road — got busy rescuing more of his equipment .
As he was getting in his truck to leave , he looked up and watched a helicopter and plane drop water on approaching flames .
The sky was dark , filled with ash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wished there was some way to take Old Orange , his first diesel truck , a ’ 96 Dodge 12-valve .
There just wasn ’ t enough time .
On his way down the mountain , he ran the math , calculating that with help from Brock , his cousin and two friends , he had saved at least $ 100,000 worth of equipment .
He told himself it was just stuff , but sometimes stuff matters .
This was their livelihood .
Meanwhile , Gabrielle was having to coordinate another evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in two trailers that typically accommodated six .
The memory brings tears to her eyes .
“ We were totally overwhelmed , ” she said .
“ And I had to keep moving .
I did all that I thought I could do .
But I can ’ t do enough.
” By Tuesday afternoon , Niles was driving across the Central Valley heading to Morro Bay .
He needed time to try to figure out a plan , a future for his family .
They depended on him .
“ It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ From what I heard , there is not much left of anything .
But all my family made it out .
Hopefully , my father-in-law did too.
” Gabrielle was staying with friends on the outskirts of Clovis .
They had a large trailer where she and her two dogs had set up .
“ I feel like my whole mountain is hurting , ” she said .
She monitored videos posted by the county supervisor who was at Shaver Lake , and she saw the roadside sign for the stable still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stable is OK , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t know about our house.
” There was no news from Lakeshore Resort , no way to know for sure if Sherry was safe .
Early Wednesday , she got a call from a neighbor who was working on front lines near Shaver Lake .
He had managed to get on Tollhouse Road to see the extent of the damage .
Their home was no more .
Gabrielle was in tears , driving along , on the road outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everything burned down , ” she said .
“ It all just burned down .
I ’ m in shock and awe that this monster of fire made it all the way down to my home .
I ’ m in a living hell , trying to figure this out.
” She hoped to find a little comfort in the company with the animals she worked so hard to save .
Brock with his family and friends had found a rental home hundreds of miles away in Clearlake , where the air might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have to be evacuated again .
He was certain that their cabin had been lost in the fire ’ s advance along the north shore of the lake .
He wished he had grabbed the two .22 rifles that Niles had given him .
But there was some good news .
Brock had heard from a cousin that Lakeshore Resort was still standing and his grandfather was no longer at Huntington Lake .
Niles confirmed the story : Stephen Sherry had been arrested on Wednesday by Fresno police , who drove him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back of their vehicle .

Brock Kant first heard of the Creek fire in an early morning text from his father.
Fire down by Camp Sierra near Big Creek, FYI.
Smokey?
Brock stepped outside of his cabin, looked up through the pines into the mountain blue sky and replied.
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Nothing yet.
The skies fill with smoke as the Creek fire approaches towns in Fresno County. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
A fire had broken out the night before, 10 miles to the west and down a 2,000-foot grade near the small Sierra Nevada town of Big Creek. Firefighters had responded with an aerial attack, limiting the fire’s spread through the dry, parched hills.
By that Saturday morning, though, the blaze had begun to explode.
Brock’s five-bedroom cabin on the north shore of Huntington Lake was nearly 100 years old. He had lived there for four years with his girlfriend and their 2-year-old son, a cousin and roommate.
They weren’t concerned. Every season brought new fires, and crews had always been able to manage them. Then a neighbor came by shouting for everyone to get out.
Firefighters battle the Creek fire along Huntington Lake Road as the blaze approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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“Emergency evacuation,” he repeated.
Column One A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times. More stories
Brock, 23, looked again to the sky, and he and his cabin mates started packing, grabbing food, clothes, pictures, kid toys, the PlayStation and two 65-inch televisions. They didn’t expect to be gone for long.
Driving east toward the fork with Highway 168, they slowed through the town of Lakeshore on the northeast corner of the lake. His grandfather was talking to employees. Brock stopped the truck and leaned out the window.
“We’re going down,” he said.
Stephen Sherry shook his head. As the owner of Lakeshore Resort, he felt he had too much to lose to leave the place in the hands of local authorities, and this year he wasn’t able to get fire insurance for the complex. He and about a dozen others weren’t going to have anything to do with an evacuation.
The family’s property along Tollhouse Road. The family also owns the Lakeshore Resort. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
They had already begun dousing the place with water. Large hoses snaked from the roadside hydrants, and a giant tractor, its wheels as tall as any man, was ready to start cutting a firebreak around the place.
“We’re staying,” said Sherry, 80, in defiance of anyone who would try to order him out.
Sherry tried to persuade his grandson to stay. But all that went through Brock’s mind was the image of the captain going down with the ship.
::
The Kant and the Sherry families are well-known around Huntington and Shaver lakes, lying east of Fresno and now burning at the heart of the massive Creek fire, which has blown through nearly 175,000 acres.
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In the last 30 years, the families have built a small empire, based on the resort and a tree-cutting business, and left a broad stamp among the communities of cabins and camps scattered throughout these rugged mountains.
Sherry’s daughter Gabrielle, 49, tells the story of her dad, who for years manufactured electric wheelchairs out of a shop in Hermosa Beach. The family lived in Palos Verdes and spent their Augusts at Huntington Lake.
“It was the highlight of my life every summer before school started,” she said.
Gabrielle Kant and Dusty, one of her horses at Shaver Stables. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
In the late 1980s, they were driving by Lakeshore Resort, and Sherry, who had sold his business in Los Angeles, saw a sign: “If you’re interested in this property, contact the Fresno Municipal Court.”
The resort, built in 1922 for workers on the neighboring dams, was run down but extensive. Lying on 33 acres, it included a hotel, a restaurant and bar, a dance hall and 28 small cabins for visitors, and Sherry was able to pick it up for $75,000 at an auction on the Fresno courthouse steps.
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Niles was 30 and fresh out of the Marines when he arrived at Huntington Lake. He got a job as a cook at the resort and fell in love with Gabrielle. They married in 1998.
Eager to make a name for himself, Niles built up a firewood company into the Huntington Lake Tree Service and provided employment for most of his family, including Brock and his sister Emily, a cousin and a few young men in the area.
The pine bark beetle, which was killing broad swaths of the forest in the Sierra, had started a boom for anyone with a chainsaw and the skill to drop trees nearly 200 feet tall.
Niles and Gabrielle Kant look at photographs in the cab of their truck. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Niles and Gabrielle bought their first home down by Auberry, a nearby town. In 2015 — their business doing well — they bought a second house and five acres on Tollhouse Road, soon turning it into their dream home. The next year they bought Brock the cabin, as well as Shaver Stables, where Gabrielle was able to share her love of horses and these mountains with visitors.
Now, all that they had created lay in the path of a wildfire that was growing faster than anyone could have imagined.
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“I suspect I’ve lost absolutely everything I own,” Niles said. “I hope for the best, but I’m not holding out much hope. I don’t even know if my father-in-law is alive.”
::
Brock left his grandfather behind and raced down Highway 168 toward the family home on Tollhouse Road. He wanted to drop off his gear, and with luck make another run back up to Huntington Lake. A pyrocumulus cloud was building up in the west.
“It was like nothing I had ever seen,” he said. “There was no smoke in the air, just this massive cloud billowing into the sky.”
Gabrielle was gearing up for work at the stables that Saturday morning when she heard about the fire. She called Niles, asking if they should evacuate the horses. They had 18 in the corral and needed a plan.
But the Creek fire was 10 miles away, and Niles thought they’d be safe.
Jarad Jennings rests on Zoe before preparing to transport some of the horses that Gabrielle Kant rescued from her business at Shaver Stables and evacuated to a friend’s place because of the Creek fire on Sept. 10 in Clovis, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
The pandemic had made the summer the strangest and yet the best season they ever had. Stay-at-home orders meant a late opening, but they were soon filling their calendar with reservations.
Gabrielle took a small group of six riders out on the trail.
By early afternoon, though, she started to worry. The highway out of Fresno was closed. Cars from Huntington Lake were rushing by; fire engines were streaming north, sirens blaring, lights flashing. The wind was starting to blow, and the power went out.
Friends from a local ski resort pulled into the parking lot at the stables. They had been evacuated.
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“I think you need to get out of here,” one of them told her.
Gabrielle started throwing all her tack — saddles and bridles — into a trailer and decided to split the herd.
Half would go to a friend’s ranch in Clovis, the rest to Auberry where Gabrielle’s parents lived.
It was better than turning them loose.
Jarad Jennings hugs his mother-in-law, Gabrielle Kant, as Gabrielle’s daughter Emily Jennings looks on. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
::
By that night, the Kant family had gathered at the home on Tollhouse Road. They still hadn’t heard from Sherry up at Lakeshore. The cell tower had burned down, Brock learned, so there would be no way to reach his grandfather.
Niles had wanted to drive to Huntington Lake to pick him up, but Gabrielle would have nothing of it. Just an ember, she thought, and the resort would be gone.
“We’re not trained firefighters,” she told him. “We can’t fight this.”
She knew how stubborn her father was, and she was angry. It is wrong to put your family through all this, she said.
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In recent years, the resort had divided the family — management decisions, upkeep, costs, all the squabbles that take place in any family business — but it was also what kept them together and the reason they come into these mountains in the first place.
Brock tried to understand why his grandfather would want to stay behind and put himself at risk.
The Creek fire jumps Highway 168 in Fresno County. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
“That’s his whole life up there, not even just Lakeshore but the entire area,” he said. “He’s been there for so long, I think, in his mind he can’t leave.”
That night they got dinner from a pizza joint down the road. They had earned themselves a breather, glad at the very least to have gotten some equipment out of Huntington and the horses off the mountain.
The home on Tollhouse Road was their brief sanctuary.
Gabrielle called it her little artisan house — for the man who shod her horses and made a wrought-iron handrail with oak leaves and birds, for the contractor who fit the tongue-and-groove so snugly no spider could ever get in, and another who finished the upstairs bathroom with river rock that reminded her of the local hot springs.
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But the view was the centerpiece. Mornings she and Niles would wake up to the sunrise over the Kings Canyon drainage and the 10,000-foot peaks of the Sierra, often covered with snow.
::
Crews battle the Creek fire as it approaches town. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
By Sunday morning, the Creek fire was pouring out in all directions. It scaled the ridge into the Huntington Lake basin. It chewed through the forests toward Shaver Lake, and it forced the California National Guard to coordinate a harrowing night rescue of more than 200 people stranded at a reservoir known as Mammoth Pool.
The Kant family woke to their own chaos at the home on Tollhouse Road.
The sky was an eerie orange. It looked like dusk, Brock said. Smoke was everywhere with ash falling from the sky.
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They knew they needed to get out, and as they tried to make a plan, they kept checking their phone for updates. Still no news about Sherry or the status of Lakeshore Resort.
Niles’ priority was to try to save as much equipment as possible. He had to hold onto his business; it would be the only way they could survive in the months ahead. He knew how devastating these fires were.
Over the last four years, his tree business had expanded beyond Huntington and Shaver lakes. He won contracts to remove hazardous trees in the aftermath of the massive Tubbs and Atlas fires that ripped through suburbs in Northern California in 2017, and of the Camp fire that destroyed the town of Paradise the next year.
Niles Kant shows Karin Farley a video of his home on his phone. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Left, the Shaver and Kant property. Right, Niles Kant sifts through family photographs. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Gabrielle grabbed photo albums and pictures off the walls and made decisions that left her second-guessing as soon as she drove away, such as leaving behind the four-foot handsaw that Niles had given to her on their 15th wedding anniversary, painted with a scene from Huntington Lake.
But mostly she wanted to get everyone off the mountain. She had lived through the last big evacuation, from the 1994 Big Creek fire. It had spared Huntington Lake, but since then she had watched the forests grow thicker with brush and more and more trees die from the bark beetle.
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But her family wasn’t listening to her. They were overwhelmed, she realized, caught up in the belief that a fire of this scale — one that could destroy all they had built — was just not possible.
“I never would think that in one episode, it could all disappear,” Niles said. “I can see it getting wiped out with different fires, but to lose it all in one — that grew as fast as it did — is unreal.”
And still there was no news from Sherry at Lakeshore.
Niles Kant greets Karin Farley as she tells him that she has the spare key for the truck behind him. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
::
After a day of ferrying personal belongings and business equipment to friends and family living on the outskirts of Fresno, the Kant family found itself divided and alone on Sunday night.
“No one was seeing eye to eye,” Brock said, leaving everyone to find their own separate places for the night.
Brock and his family stayed with a friend who had gotten news by satellite phone from Lakeshore.
The word was that Sherry and a few others had put together a flotilla — a pontoon boat and a powerboat — and taken it out to the middle of the lake.
Brock tried to understand this. He was sure that the fire crews and law enforcement, working the north side of the lake, didn’t want them to be there. Evacuations were meant to keep everyone safe, but his grandfather had other ideas. Getting out on the lake meant he and the others would be left alone.
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The Creek fire approaches the marina at Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
“I know they did what they could to save the resort, and after that I believe they went to the lake for a safe place to be and not to be bothered,” he said.
On Monday morning, Niles — who spent the night alone in the house on Tollhouse Road — got busy rescuing more of his equipment.
As he was getting in his truck to leave, he looked up and watched a helicopter and plane drop water on approaching flames. The sky was dark, filled with ash. He gave his property a look and wished there was some way to take Old Orange, his first diesel truck, a ’96 Dodge 12-valve. There just wasn’t enough time.
On his way down the mountain, he ran the math, calculating that with help from Brock, his cousin and two friends, he had saved at least $100,000 worth of equipment. He told himself it was just stuff, but sometimes stuff matters. This was their livelihood.
Meanwhile, Gabrielle was having to coordinate another evacuation of her horses, fitting nine animals in two trailers that typically accommodated six.
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The memory brings tears to her eyes.
“We were totally overwhelmed,” she said. “And I had to keep moving. I did all that I thought I could do. But I can’t do enough.”
::
Niles Kant, center, needed time to figure out a plan since his family depended on him. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
By Tuesday afternoon, Niles was driving across the Central Valley heading to Morro Bay. He needed time to try to figure out a plan, a future for his family. They depended on him.
“It is so sad,” he said. “From what I heard, there is not much left of anything. But all my family made it out. Hopefully, my father-in-law did too.”
Gabrielle was staying with friends on the outskirts of Clovis. They had a large trailer where she and her two dogs had set up.
“I feel like my whole mountain is hurting,” she said.
She monitored videos posted by the county supervisor who was at Shaver Lake, and she saw the roadside sign for the stable still intact.
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“I have hope that the stable is OK,” she said. “I don’t know about our house.”
There was no news from Lakeshore Resort, no way to know for sure if Sherry was safe.
Early Wednesday, she got a call from a neighbor who was working on front lines near Shaver Lake. He had managed to get on Tollhouse Road to see the extent of the damage.
Their home was no more.
The remains of the Kant family’s property along Tollhouse Road that was destroyed in the Creek fire is seen on Sept. 9. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
The Kant family was able to rescue several horses at Shaver Stables, but the home along Tollhouse Road was destroyed. (Ken Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Gabrielle was in tears, driving along, on the road outside of Clovis to feed her horses.
“Everything burned down,” she said. “It all just burned down. I’m in shock and awe that this monster of fire made it all the way down to my home. I’m in a living hell, trying to figure this out.”
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She hoped to find a little comfort in the company with the animals she worked so hard to save.
Brock with his family and friends had found a rental home hundreds of miles away in Clearlake, where the air might be clearer and where they wouldn’t have to be evacuated again.
Jarad and Emily Jennings watch as horses Apples and Ivy explore their winter home after being evacuated from Shaver Stables. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
He was certain that their cabin had been lost in the fire’s advance along the north shore of the lake. He wished he had grabbed the two .22 rifles that Niles had given him.
But there was some good news. Brock had heard from a cousin that Lakeshore Resort was still standing and his grandfather was no longer at Huntington Lake.
Stephen Sherry poses for a portrait after buying clothes and supplies at a Walmart in Clovis on Sept. 10. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Niles confirmed the story: Stephen Sherry had been arrested on Wednesday by Fresno police, who drove him down the mountain in handcuffs in the back of their vehicle.
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The family was relieved.


latimes--2020-09-12--Deputies in riot gear surround peaceful news conference related to Kizzee shooting

Julianna Lacoste had just shown television cameras a spot on the back of her neck where she said a Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputy had placed his knee during a protest in South Los Angeles this week .
Speaking at a news conference Friday in a public parking lot nearby , her voice trembled as she recalled feeling as if she was going to die from the pressure .
Suddenly , the attention of media and speakers turned elsewhere .
A group of deputies in riot gear who had been watching closely behind a line of yellow tape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prominent local activist Najee Ali had briefly crossed the tape , loudly asking the officers why two of their colleagues had stopped 29-year-old Dijon Kizzee on Aug. 31 for an alleged vehicle violation while he was riding his bicycle in a South L.A. neighborhood before pursuing and ultimately killing him .
Dozens of the news conference ’ s attendees swarmed to meet the deputies who had approached .
They kept to their side of the tape and filmed the officials .
“ It seemed to be a clear intimidation tactic , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resident who was arrested and injured during a protest this week .
“ They were making a move to get in our heads.
” The actions of the Sheriff ’ s Department also sparked alarm from county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and a member of the sheriff ’ s oversight agency .
The incident comes amid a series of confrontations between law enforcement and protesters outside the Sheriff ’ s South L.A. station on Imperial Highway over the last week that led to use of force by deputies and dozens of arrests .
Lt. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department , said the sheriff ’ s response team secured the parking lot of a business at the request of a manager .
He did not say which business made the request .
He said a minor altercation occurred while moving a wire barrier , and an investigation is underway .
Video of the event shows a sheriff ’ s official grabbing a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild who had been filming him .
Satterfield said he was “ unable to comment ” further , including on who ordered the display @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies , he said , were “ absolutely not ” meant to intimidate or silence criticism of the department .
Ridley-Thomas , whose district includes South L.A. , said he expected a briefing as soon as Tuesday from the county ’ s Office of Inspector General about what transpired Friday , and said he had no information about why riot gear was employed .
“ We can ’ t have the constitutional rights of those who raise their voices being denied and certainly will not stand idly by if they ’ re being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview .
Priscilla Ocen , a member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission , said that based on photos and video shared by a reporter , the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s response to the event was “ completely inappropriate.
” “ People were simply trying to express themselves and to hold the sheriff accountable , ” she said .
“ They shouldn ’ t be harassed or intimidated by law enforcement as they ’ re trying to do that , especially by the very law enforcement agency they ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been organized by the National Lawyers Guild in a lot by the South Los Angeles sheriff ’ s station to condemn the department ’ s use of force against protesters who have gathered nightly to demonstrate against Kizzee ’ s shooting .
Dozens have been arrested as protesters and deputies clashed over Labor Day weekend and into this week .
The Sheriff ’ s Department has said protesters initiated confrontations by throwing rocks and bottles at deputies .
But activists have said in interviews that the displays of force were unprovoked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple sides of the news conference , which was held in a parking lot behind an El Pollo Loco .
Several dozen people attended , including some who described being hit by projectiles or arrested by deputies without provocation .
Meanwhile , on the other side of the tape , deputies looked on .
“ I think it ’ s a problem when we ’ re holding a press conference and media is present that police feel a need to be in full body armor and surround us on three sides , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive board of the National Lawyers Guild of Los Angeles .
“ We were almost kettled in , we were almost surrounded the way these demonstrators typically are at these demonstrations.
” As speakers shared experiences of being injured by deputies at the protests , deputies slowly worked on arranging a wire barrier around the group .
When the event ended , they began pushing the barrier forward more assertively and corralled members of the media , representatives of the National Lawyers Guild and others toward an exit .
Multiple people said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disperse , and several deputies moving the wire would not answer when asked why people were being moved from a public place .
“ Following orders , ” one of them said .
Anderson-Barker said that the actions violated the right to free speech .
By about 1 p.m. , the deputies had nearly sealed off the section of the parking lot where the news conference had taken place with the wire barrier .
Alicia Brower , a 33-year-old photographer from Hollywood who had attended a protest this week , looked on as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do this , to paint their picture that we are animals and we are to be criminals and we are to be surrounded , ” she said .

L.A. County sheriff’s deputies in riot gear watch as activists hold a news conference Friday in the parking lot behind an El Pollo Loco in South L.A. The protesters shared stories about injuries they say were committed by deputies during recent rallies against the deputy shooting of Dijon Kizzee. A Sheriff’s Department spokesman says the response team was at Friday’s event at the request of a business.
Julianna Lacoste had just shown television cameras a spot on the back of her neck where she said a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy had placed his knee during a protest in South Los Angeles this week. Speaking at a news conference Friday in a public parking lot nearby, her voice trembled as she recalled feeling as if she was going to die from the pressure.
Suddenly, the attention of media and speakers turned elsewhere.
A group of deputies in riot gear who had been watching closely behind a line of yellow tape quickly advanced closer.
Moments before, prominent local activist Najee Ali had briefly crossed the tape, loudly asking the officers why two of their colleagues had stopped 29-year-old Dijon Kizzee on Aug. 31 for an alleged vehicle violation while he was riding his bicycle in a South L.A. neighborhood before pursuing and ultimately killing him.
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Dozens of the news conference’s attendees swarmed to meet the deputies who had approached. They kept to their side of the tape and filmed the officials.
“It seemed to be a clear intimidation tactic,” said Matthew Sanders, a 30-year-old North Hollywood resident who was arrested and injured during a protest this week. “They were making a move to get in our heads.”
The actions of the Sheriff’s Department also sparked alarm from county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and a member of the sheriff’s oversight agency.
The incident comes amid a series of confrontations between law enforcement and protesters outside the Sheriff’s South L.A. station on Imperial Highway over the last week that led to use of force by deputies and dozens of arrests.
Lt. John Satterfield, a spokesman for the department, said the sheriff’s response team secured the parking lot of a business at the request of a manager. He did not say which business made the request.
He said a minor altercation occurred while moving a wire barrier, and an investigation is underway. Video of the event shows a sheriff’s official grabbing a legal observer for the National Lawyers Guild who had been filming him. Satterfield said he was “unable to comment” further, including on who ordered the display of force.
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The actions of the deputies, he said, were “absolutely not” meant to intimidate or silence criticism of the department.
Ridley-Thomas, whose district includes South L.A., said he expected a briefing as soon as Tuesday from the county’s Office of Inspector General about what transpired Friday, and said he had no information about why riot gear was employed.
“We can’t have the constitutional rights of those who raise their voices being denied and certainly will not stand idly by if they’re being trampled,” Ridley-Thomas said in an interview.
Priscilla Ocen, a member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, said that based on photos and video shared by a reporter, the Sheriff’s Department’s response to the event was “completely inappropriate.”
“People were simply trying to express themselves and to hold the sheriff accountable,” she said. “They shouldn’t be harassed or intimidated by law enforcement as they’re trying to do that, especially by the very law enforcement agency they’re trying to hold accountable.”
The news conference had been organized by the National Lawyers Guild in a lot by the South Los Angeles sheriff’s station to condemn the department’s use of force against protesters who have gathered nightly to demonstrate against Kizzee’s shooting. Dozens have been arrested as protesters and deputies clashed over Labor Day weekend and into this week.
The Sheriff’s Department has said protesters initiated confrontations by throwing rocks and bottles at deputies. But activists have said in interviews that the displays of force were unprovoked.
On Friday, yellow tape blocked off multiple sides of the news conference, which was held in a parking lot behind an El Pollo Loco. Several dozen people attended, including some who described being hit by projectiles or arrested by deputies without provocation. Meanwhile, on the other side of the tape, deputies looked on.
“I think it’s a problem when we’re holding a press conference and media is present that police feel a need to be in full body armor and surround us on three sides,” said Cynthia Anderson-Barker, a member of the executive board of the National Lawyers Guild of Los Angeles. “We were almost kettled in, we were almost surrounded the way these demonstrators typically are at these demonstrations.”
As speakers shared experiences of being injured by deputies at the protests, deputies slowly worked on arranging a wire barrier around the group.
When the event ended, they began pushing the barrier forward more assertively and corralled members of the media, representatives of the National Lawyers Guild and others toward an exit.
Multiple people said they did not hear an order to disperse, and several deputies moving the wire would not answer when asked why people were being moved from a public place.
“Following orders,” one of them said.
Anderson-Barker said that the actions violated the right to free speech.
By about 1 p.m., the deputies had nearly sealed off the section of the parking lot where the news conference had taken place with the wire barrier. Alicia Brower, a 33-year-old photographer from Hollywood who had attended a protest this week, looked on as they advanced.
“They continue to do this, to paint their picture that we are animals and we are to be criminals and we are to be surrounded,” she said.


latimes--2020-09-12--How to read and understand air quality numbers and maps

There ’ s smoke and ash outside .
You feel like you ’ re inhaling tiny dust particles .
You check your weather app for the air quality .
But what do the numbers and colors mean ?
The Air Quality Index is a number from 0 to 500 that indicates the health effects certain individuals might experience while breathing .
The higher the number , the more polluted the air .
The AQI is divided into six categories , each assigned a color , from green ( under 50 , posing little to no risk ) to dark red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone ) .
The categories in the middle take into consideration various sensitivities to poor air quality ; for example , in children , the elderly and people with conditions such as asthma .
• Green/Good ( 0 to 50 ) : Air quality is considered satisfactory , and air pollution poses little or no risk .
• Yellow/Moderate ( 51 to 100 ) : Air quality is acceptable ; however , unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion .
• Orange/Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups ( 101 to 150 ) : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy outdoor exertion : People with heart disease , pregnant women , children and older adults and people with lung disease such as asthma .
• Red/Unhealthy ( 151 to 200 ) : Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects ( such as difficulty breathing and throat irritation ) , and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects .
Everyone in the sensitive groups should avoid prolonged time outdoors .
• Purple/Very Unhealthy ( 201 to 300 ) : This would generate a health alert suggesting that everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People in the sensitive groups should avoid all outdoor physical activity ; everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor activity .
• Dark Red/Hazardous ( greater than 300 ) : This would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions .
The entire population is more likely to be affected .
Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors .
“ Once you get above 101 , even people without environmental sensitivities and existing respiratory illnesses will start to feel an impact , ” said Tyler Knowlton , director of communications at Plume Labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Accuweather uses for maps showing global air quality .
That index takes into consideration World Health Organization guidelines , and its categories go from “ Fresh Air ” to “ Airpocalypse ” ( which was the reading Friday evening in Portland , Ore. ) .
The Environmental Protection Agency calculates the standard AQI based on five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act : ground-level ozone , particle pollution ( also known as particulate matter ) , carbon monoxide , sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide .
The most dangerous — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California — are ground-level ozone ( created by chemical reactions when pollutants emitted by cars , power plants and chemical plants react with sunlight ) and particulate matter , or PM .
PM10 and PM2.5 describe the sizes of PM , referring to their maximum diameter in micrometers .
According to Nahal Mogharabi , director of communications at the South Coast Air Quality Management District , PM2.5 from the wildfires is driving the AQI in most cases this week .
Romain Lacombe , chief executive of Plume Labs , explained that PM2.5 molecules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even the bloodstream .
“ PM2.5 are small , inhalable particles , smaller than a human hair , that are emitted from a variety of sources such as wildfires , vehicles , fugitive dust and industrial sources , ” said Mogharabi .
“ The PM2.5 can also be formed in the atmosphere from the reaction of gases emitted from these same sources.
” The AQI across Los Angeles hovered in the mid-100s Friday afternoon , or “ unhealthy for sensitive groups.
” The forecast for the next few days is in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ very unhealthy , ” meaning everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor activity .
Lacombe recommends looking at AQI forecasts to get a sense of the general trend , but he warns that the numbers can be misleading .
Weather patterns can result in quick changes , and even neighboring cities can have very different readings , he said .
South Coast AQMD encourages people to check its website , aqmd.gov , or download its smartphone app for real-time air quality information .
“ As always , if you see ash or smell smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoors with their windows and doors closed , ” said Mogharabi .

The Los Angeles skyline is shrouded in smoke from the Bobcat fire as seen from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Haze from the Bobcat fire looms over Azusa as it burns in Angeles National Forest. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Despite the unhealthful air quality, Fabian Ortez of Riverside enjoys an afternoon of fishing off the pier in Seal Beach. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
A hazy sun is seen behind the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An upbeat message on the South Coast Cinemas marquee in Laguna Beach is dimmed by the smoky air. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
A man walks his dog past the historic lifeguard tower in Laguna Beach as the sun is obscured by smoke from wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The sky is gray over the Santa Monica Pier as a family plays in the breakwater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A crow on a cypress tree in Garden Grove is silhouetted by a sun obscured by ash from Southland wildfires. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Smoke from the Bobcat fire burning in the Angeles National Forest blankets the Southland. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Two people get ready to surf as a hazy red sun sets off Hermosa Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
Visitors check their photos at Griffith Observatory with a smoky view of the Hollywood sign behind them. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
An aerial view of Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline at sunset is obscured by smoke, ash and smog on Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Elijah Simpson practices shooting hoops against a backdrop of smokey skies from the Bobcat Fire at Angel’s Gate Park in the San Pedro on September 16, 2020. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Brooks Hubbard with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers takes photos from the historic North Broadway Bridge over the Los Angeles River Tuesday morning as smoke and ash from the Bobcat fire cloak the area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
There’s smoke and ash outside. You feel like you’re inhaling tiny dust particles. You check your weather app for the air quality.
But what do the numbers and colors mean?
The Air Quality Index is a number from 0 to 500 that indicates the health effects certain individuals might experience while breathing. The higher the number, the more polluted the air.
The AQI is divided into six categories, each assigned a color, from green (under 50, posing little to no risk) to dark red (greater than 300, hazardous for everyone). The categories in the middle take into consideration various sensitivities to poor air quality; for example, in children, the elderly and people with conditions such as asthma.
Green/Good (0 to 50): Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. Yellow/Moderate (51 to 100): Air quality is acceptable; however, unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
Air quality is acceptable; however, unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. Orange/Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101 to 150): The following groups should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion: People with heart disease, pregnant women, children and older adults and people with lung disease such as asthma.
The following groups should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion: People with heart disease, pregnant women, children and older adults and people with lung disease such as asthma. Red/Unhealthy (151 to 200): Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects (such as difficulty breathing and throat irritation), and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects. Everyone in the sensitive groups should avoid prolonged time outdoors.
Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects (such as difficulty breathing and throat irritation), and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects. Everyone in the sensitive groups should avoid prolonged time outdoors. Purple/Very Unhealthy (201 to 300): This would generate a health alert suggesting that everyone may experience more serious health effects. People in the sensitive groups should avoid all outdoor physical activity; everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor activity.
This would generate a health alert suggesting that everyone may experience more serious health effects. People in the sensitive groups should avoid all outdoor physical activity; everyone else should avoid prolonged or heavy outdoor activity. Dark Red/Hazardous (greater than 300): This would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors.
“Once you get above 101, even people without environmental sensitivities and existing respiratory illnesses will start to feel an impact,” said Tyler Knowlton, director of communications at Plume Labs, which developed the Plume AQI, which Accuweather uses for maps showing global air quality. That index takes into consideration World Health Organization guidelines, and its categories go from “Fresh Air” to “Airpocalypse” (which was the reading Friday evening in Portland, Ore.).
The Environmental Protection Agency calculates the standard AQI based on five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
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The most dangerous — and what accounts for the smog in California — are ground-level ozone (created by chemical reactions when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants and chemical plants react with sunlight) and particulate matter, or PM.
PM10 and PM2.5 describe the sizes of PM, referring to their maximum diameter in micrometers. According to Nahal Mogharabi, director of communications at the South Coast Air Quality Management District, PM2.5 from the wildfires is driving the AQI in most cases this week.
Romain Lacombe, chief executive of Plume Labs, explained that PM2.5 molecules are small enough to enter the lungs and even the bloodstream.
“PM2.5 are small, inhalable particles, smaller than a human hair, that are emitted from a variety of sources such as wildfires, vehicles, fugitive dust and industrial sources,” said Mogharabi. “The PM2.5 can also be formed in the atmosphere from the reaction of gases emitted from these same sources.”
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
The AQI across Los Angeles hovered in the mid-100s Friday afternoon, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The forecast for the next few days is in the 200s, which would be categorized as “very unhealthy,” meaning everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor activity.
Lacombe recommends looking at AQI forecasts to get a sense of the general trend, but he warns that the numbers can be misleading. Weather patterns can result in quick changes, and even neighboring cities can have very different readings, he said.
South Coast AQMD encourages people to check its website, aqmd.gov, or download its smartphone app for real-time air quality information.
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“As always, if you see ash or smell smoke, we encourage the public to stay indoors with their windows and doors closed,” said Mogharabi.


latimes--2020-09-11--Two killed when small plane crashes into parking lot near Van Nuys Airport

At least two people died Friday afternoon when a small fixed-wing plane crashed in a parking lot on the 7000 @ @ @ @ @ , just west of the Van Nuys Airport , the Los Angeles Fire Department said @ @ @ @ @ Erik Scott said he arrived on scene to see the white , single-engine plane still @ @ @ @ @ burnt , twisted metal forming a pile of rubble and other broken off pieces nearby @ @ @ @ @ and extinguished the burning wreckage , Scott said .
Two people found inside the rubble @ @ @ @ @ were not immediately identified .
There was no damage to nearby structures , but three @ @ @ @ @ Witnesses said they saw the plane fly straight down into the parking lot , missing @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s fortunate this was not a populated area , ” he @ @ @ @ @ Federal Aviation Administration would investigate the crash and remove the wreckage from the scene .

Firefighters look over what’s left of a mangled plane that crashed in the Van Nuys area of Los Angeles on Friday. The small plane crashed and burned in a parking lot near Van Nuys Airport, killing two people while barely missing parked cars in a narrow space between industrial buildings.
At least two people died Friday afternoon when a small fixed-wing plane crashed in a parking lot on the 7000 block of North Hayvenhurst Avenue, just west of the Van Nuys Airport, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Department spokesman Capt. Erik Scott said he arrived on scene to see the white, single-engine plane still on fire with pieces of burnt, twisted metal forming a pile of rubble and other broken off pieces nearby.
Firefighters pulled hose lines and extinguished the burning wreckage, Scott said. Two people found inside the rubble were declared dead. They were not immediately identified. There was no damage to nearby structures, but three vehicles sustained minor damage.
Witnesses said they saw the plane fly straight down into the parking lot, missing nearby buildings, Scott said.
“It’s fortunate this was not a populated area,” he said.
Scott said the Federal Aviation Administration would investigate the crash and remove the wreckage from the scene.


latimes--2020-09-11--Autopsy finds low, nonlethal amounts of alcohol and medication in Naya Rivera's body after she drown

Autopsy finds low, nonlethal amounts of alcohol and medication in Naya Rivera's body after she drowned

Actress Naya Rivera had nonlethal amounts of prescription medication and alcohol in her system when she drowned while boating on Lake Piru , according to a medical examiner ’ s report made public Friday .
Rivera ’ s 4-year-old son was found alone on the boat after she disappeared July 8 and told investigators his mother had never come out of the water .
A few days later , the “ Glee ” actress ’ body was recovered from the Ventura County lake .
The autopsy report included the medical examiner ’ s earlier determination that the drowning was accidental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a low level of amphetamine and diazepam , caffeine and a blood-alcohol level of 0.016 % .
The autopsy did not say whether the medication and alcohol played a role in her death .
Her blood-alcohol level was five times lower than the legal limit for drunken driving in California , 0.08 % .
The report revealed that wind speeds on the lake the afternoon she drowned were up to 21 mph .
Investigators believe it is possible winds blew the boat away from her while she was in the water and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the small vessel .
Lake workers discovered her son alone and alerted sheriff ’ s deputies .
The son told investigators that he and his mother jumped into the water and that she pushed him back into the boat but then did not get back on .
He recalled his mother , who authorities say could swim , yelling for help before vanishing below the waterline .
When investigators found the pontoon boat , Rivera ’ s “ purse and adult life vest was on a bench seat behind the driving area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
Rivera , 33 , had no signs of physical injury or disease and was found in a two-piece swimsuit .
According to the report , she had a prescription for Adderall , an amphetamine commonly used to treat attention deficit disorder .
“ She was known to consume alcoholic beverages , smoke about a pack of cigarettes per week , and used marijuana by vaping , but she was not known to use any illicit substance , ” the autopsy said .

Authorities search for “Glee” actress Naya Rivera in Lake Piru in July in the days after her 4-year-old son was found alone on a boat she had rented.
Actress Naya Rivera had nonlethal amounts of prescription medication and alcohol in her system when she drowned while boating on Lake Piru, according to a medical examiner’s report made public Friday.
Rivera’s 4-year-old son was found alone on the boat after she disappeared July 8 and told investigators his mother had never come out of the water. A few days later, the “Glee” actress’ body was recovered from the Ventura County lake. The autopsy report included the medical examiner’s earlier determination that the drowning was accidental and added the new information that she had a low level of amphetamine and diazepam, caffeine and a blood-alcohol level of 0.016%.
The autopsy did not say whether the medication and alcohol played a role in her death. Her blood-alcohol level was five times lower than the legal limit for drunken driving in California, 0.08%.
The report revealed that wind speeds on the lake the afternoon she drowned were up to 21 mph. Investigators believe it is possible winds blew the boat away from her while she was in the water and made it harder to get back to the small vessel.
Lake workers discovered her son alone and alerted sheriff’s deputies. The son told investigators that he and his mother jumped into the water and that she pushed him back into the boat but then did not get back on. He recalled his mother, who authorities say could swim, yelling for help before vanishing below the waterline.
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When investigators found the pontoon boat, Rivera’s “purse and adult life vest was on a bench seat behind the driving area,” according to an investigator’s report.
Rivera, 33, had no signs of physical injury or disease and was found in a two-piece swimsuit. According to the report, she had a prescription for Adderall, an amphetamine commonly used to treat attention deficit disorder. “She was known to consume alcoholic beverages, smoke about a pack of cigarettes per week, and used marijuana by vaping, but she was not known to use any illicit substance,” the autopsy said.


latimes--2020-09-11--LAPD will refer incident in which firefighter punched restrained detainee to D.A.

The Los Angeles Police Department will refer to prosecutors for possible criminal charges a 2019 incident in which an L.A. firefighter punched a restrained detainee in the head , police officials said Friday .
The announcement , released alongside previously unpublished body-camera footage of the incident , marks an abrupt shift in a case that had lingered unresolved for 18 months until The Times received a tip about it in August and published two articles detailing what occurred .
Firefighter Derek Farrow , who had previously rejected internal punishment in the matter in favor of going before a disciplinary panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fire Department late last month — one day after The Times ’ first article was published , internal records show .
He declined to comment Friday through a union representative .
Domingo Albarran Jr. said Farrow wants to put the incident behind him and didn ’ t feel he would receive a fair hearing given the current atmosphere — in which protesters across the country have called for greater accountability from police and other public safety officials .
Police announced the referral of the case and posted the body-camera footage online Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Times .
The LAPD hasn ’ t provided The Times with the full-length , raw video from the body-worn camera despite several requests .
The footage , recorded by an unidentified LAPD sergeant , shows Farrow twice punch the detainee , Earl Hatton , while Hatton is strapped to a hospital gurney in a hallway of L.A. County-USC Medical Center in March 2019 .
The video also shows Farrow holding a towel around Hatton ’ s face .
The Times had previously obtained hospital surveillance footage showing Farrow tighten the towel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to yank the man ’ s head down on the gurney .
Internal records obtained by The Times said the use of the towel by Farrow , who is white , had prompted Hatton , who is Black , to yell , “ I can ’ t breathe !
” Farrow , working as an emergency medical technician at the time , has alleged Hatton was spitting at first responders and medical staff , saying he wanted to give them communicable diseases he had , and had bitten a LAPD officer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop the spitting and struck Hatton to stop him from biting the officer .
Farrow continued to work in the city after the incident as he awaited his disciplinary hearing .
The Los Angeles Fire Department has repeatedly declined to explain why its investigation of the incident — which was reported the same day it occurred — took so long .
LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said Friday that detectives planned to refer the case to prosecutors in L.A. County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ’ s office but had not actually done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were still working on the case .
Lacey ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment .
Albarran said the LAPD ’ s suggestion that the incident will be presented to prosecutors was misleading .
He said neither he nor Farrow had been notified of any referral .
He also said the incident had previously been referred to Lacey ’ s office and rejected for criminal prosecution .
“ The D.A .
looked at it and said , ‘ There ’ s nothing here , ’ ” Albarran said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incident had not been posted by the LAPD on Friday , including footage that shows the officer who was bitten address the bite and pull up his sleeve to check for a puncture wound .
Footage also exists of Hatton spitting and shouting racist insults at the first responders around him , Albarran said .
In the commentary released along with video Friday , Police Capt .
Stacy Spell said that the footage would not normally be released because it “ does not meet the criteria of the department ’ s policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that LAPD Chief Michel Moore “ made the determination that , because of media inquiries and community concerns , it ’ s in the best interest of the public to release this video.
” Spell also described the events that led up to Hatton ’ s arrest , including that he had assaulted a woman with a brick , then injured his own head after being arrested by banging it in the back of a police vehicle .
Hatton was convicted in the preceding incident and sentenced to four years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their body cameras in the hospital .
However , after Farrow punched Hatton , the sergeant activated his camera .
LAPD body cameras continually record a two-minute loop of footage , even when they are not activated .
When activated , the cameras retain the previous two minutes .
In this case , it was during that retained portion of footage that Farrow punched Hatton .
Both Farrow ’ s use of the towel and his punching of Hatton were determined by Fire Department investigators to be against policy , according to records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to county health officials , who control city EMTs ’ licenses , as a possible breach of state law barring the abuse of patients .
County officials concluded that the Fire Department ’ s own discipline for Farrow was sufficient and that they would not seek to revoke his license .
Hatton , 24 , remains incarcerated and couldn ’ t immediately be reached for comment .
But his sister Marchaunte Fisher , who lives in Sacramento and regularly speaks with her brother , said she was “ mortified ” seeing Farrow strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave him the right to think he could do that ?
” Fisher said .
“ He has the towel tightly wound around his head… .
There wasn ’ t a need for that.
” Fisher said the video release left her with more questions for the Police Department .
“ They say he hit his head in the car , but where is the evidence of that ?
” Fisher said , adding that she wants to see the department release the body-camera footage of her brother ’ s arrest as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video and said she couldn ’ t see the struggle described in the reports .
“ I just need to have the department meet with the commission in closed session and explain what ’ s going on , ” she said .
“ We ’ re not getting any answers .
”

Kevin Rector, Dakota Smith, Paul Pringle

The Los Angeles Police Department will refer to prosecutors for possible criminal charges a 2019 incident in which an L.A. firefighter punched a restrained detainee in the head, police officials said Friday.
The announcement, released alongside previously unpublished body-camera footage of the incident, marks an abrupt shift in a case that had lingered unresolved for 18 months until The Times received a tip about it in August and published two articles detailing what occurred.
Firefighter Derek Farrow, who had previously rejected internal punishment in the matter in favor of going before a disciplinary panel, instead accepted a 12-day suspension from the Fire Department late last month — one day after The Times’ first article was published, internal records show.
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He declined to comment Friday through a union representative. Domingo Albarran Jr. said Farrow wants to put the incident behind him and didn’t feel he would receive a fair hearing given the current atmosphere — in which protesters across the country have called for greater accountability from police and other public safety officials.
Police announced the referral of the case and posted the body-camera footage online Friday, three weeks after it was requested by The Times. The LAPD hasn’t provided The Times with the full-length, raw video from the body-worn camera despite several requests.
The footage, recorded by an unidentified LAPD sergeant, shows Farrow twice punch the detainee, Earl Hatton, while Hatton is strapped to a hospital gurney in a hallway of L.A. County-USC Medical Center in March 2019. The video also shows Farrow holding a towel around Hatton’s face.
The Times had previously obtained hospital surveillance footage showing Farrow tighten the towel around Hatton’s face and use it to yank the man’s head down on the gurney. Internal records obtained by The Times said the use of the towel by Farrow, who is white, had prompted Hatton, who is Black, to yell, “I can’t breathe!”
Farrow, working as an emergency medical technician at the time, has alleged Hatton was spitting at first responders and medical staff, saying he wanted to give them communicable diseases he had, and had bitten a LAPD officer. Farrow said he used the towel to stop the spitting and struck Hatton to stop him from biting the officer.
Farrow continued to work in the city after the incident as he awaited his disciplinary hearing. The Los Angeles Fire Department has repeatedly declined to explain why its investigation of the incident — which was reported the same day it occurred — took so long.
LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said Friday that detectives planned to refer the case to prosecutors in L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s office but had not actually done so as of Friday afternoon because they were still working on the case.
Lacey’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Albarran said the LAPD’s suggestion that the incident will be presented to prosecutors was misleading. He said neither he nor Farrow had been notified of any referral. He also said the incident had previously been referred to Lacey’s office and rejected for criminal prosecution.
“The D.A. looked at it and said, ‘There’s nothing here,’” Albarran said.
He also said additional LAPD footage of the incident had not been posted by the LAPD on Friday, including footage that shows the officer who was bitten address the bite and pull up his sleeve to check for a puncture wound.
Footage also exists of Hatton spitting and shouting racist insults at the first responders around him, Albarran said.
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In the commentary released along with video Friday, Police Capt. Stacy Spell said that the footage would not normally be released because it “does not meet the criteria of the department’s policy regarding the release of video evidence” but that LAPD Chief Michel Moore “made the determination that, because of media inquiries and community concerns, it’s in the best interest of the public to release this video.”
Spell also described the events that led up to Hatton’s arrest, including that he had assaulted a woman with a brick, then injured his own head after being arrested by banging it in the back of a police vehicle. Hatton was convicted in the preceding incident and sentenced to four years in prison.
Rubenstein said LAPD officers turn off their body cameras in the hospital. However, after Farrow punched Hatton, the sergeant activated his camera.
LAPD body cameras continually record a two-minute loop of footage, even when they are not activated. When activated, the cameras retain the previous two minutes. In this case, it was during that retained portion of footage that Farrow punched Hatton.
Both Farrow’s use of the towel and his punching of Hatton were determined by Fire Department investigators to be against policy, according to records. Fire leaders also flagged the incident to county health officials, who control city EMTs’ licenses, as a possible breach of state law barring the abuse of patients.
County officials concluded that the Fire Department’s own discipline for Farrow was sufficient and that they would not seek to revoke his license.
Hatton, 24, remains incarcerated and couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. But his sister Marchaunte Fisher, who lives in Sacramento and regularly speaks with her brother, said she was “mortified” seeing Farrow strike him in the video.
“What gave him the right to think he could do that?” Fisher said. “He has the towel tightly wound around his head…. There wasn’t a need for that.”
Fisher said the video release left her with more questions for the Police Department.
“They say he hit his head in the car, but where is the evidence of that?” Fisher said, adding that she wants to see the department release the body-camera footage of her brother’s arrest as well.
Fire Commissioner Jimmie Woods-Gray viewed the video and said she couldn’t see the struggle described in the reports. “I just need to have the department meet with the commission in closed session and explain what’s going on,” she said. “We’re not getting any answers.”


latimes--2020-09-11--'Sad, tragic loss for all Californians': Death toll in state fires at 19

A record-shattering rash of wildfires is continuing to take a devastating and deadly toll on California , even as crews report some progress in their battle against the largest firestorm in modern state history .
The collective scale of the infernos that have scarred the state over the last month is staggering : at least 19 fatalities , tens of thousands of structures destroyed and more than 3.1 million acres burned — the most recorded in a single year and all but 500,000 acres since Aug. 16 .
The loss has been most profound from the North Complex fire near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now blamed for nine deaths , placing it among the deadliest wildfires in state history , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .
Among those killed were 16-year-old Josiah Williams and 77-year-old Millicent Catarancuic .
Officials said Williams was believed to have been attempting to evacuate in his own vehicle and that Catarancuic had been aware of the fire but chose to stay .
Officials revised the North Complex fire ’ s death toll Friday night from 10 to nine people .
Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory Honea said deputies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human remains in a storage shed .
Anthropologists later determined it was an anatomical model of a skeleton made of resin , and a resident who owned the property confirmed that he had used the model while studying anthropology .
An additional 19 people have been reported missing in the area of the fire , which has burned more than 252,000 acres and was 21 % contained as of Friday night .
Steve Kaufmann , a spokesman for the fire ’ s response team , said Thursday that 2,000 structures have been destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase after crews further assess the area .
A second death was confirmed Thursday near the community of Happy Camp in the burn area of the Slater fire , which has chewed through more than 136,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties and across the border into Oregon .
That blaze remains 0 % contained .
Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant called the overall death toll “ a very , very sad and tragic loss for all Californians.
” Officials also saw further growth in the monstrous August Complex fire , already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blaze has now scorched more than 491,000 acres in a remote area in and around Tehama County .
Abutting it to the north is the Elkhorn fire , burning in the Mendocino , Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests .
It has charred 255,309 acres .
For a time , online reports had combined the Elkhorn fire statistics with the August Complex fire umbrella — resulting in a mammoth merger listed at more than 746,000 acres .
But Kimberly Kaschalk , a public information officer for the August Complex response , said Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflection of the unified command structure set up to manage all the blazes in the area , rather than an indication that the fires had physically combined .
“ I ’ m sure a lot of people are spitting out their coffee this morning when they see that , ” she said .
The online August Complex acreage figures were revised downward later in the morning .
The scope of this year ’ s fire season has been both historic and horrifying .
Six of the state ’ s 20 largest wildfires have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Cal Fire .
Within the last week , front-line firefighters have had to contend with a record-breaking heat wave and howling winds — a noxious combination that fueled explosive fire growth statewide .
Many officials and experts believe such extreme weather conditions are the result of climate change .
“ If you do not believe in science , I hope you believe in observed evidence , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Friday as he surveyed damage in the Oroville area .
“ You walk around this community , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you see the reality — a reality that has set in in this state in very indelible ways .
And that is , we ’ re in the midst of a climate emergency .
We ’ re in the midst of a climate crisis .
We are experiencing weather conditions the likes of which we ’ ve never experienced in our lifetime .
We ’ re experiencing what so many people predicted decades and decades ago , but all of that , now , is reality.
” The repercussions of that reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hots are getting a lot hotter , the dries are getting a lot drier , and the wets are getting a lot wetter.
” In California , he added , “ we have to own that reality , and we have to own a response to that reality.
” “ This is a climate damn emergency , ” he said .
“ This is real , and it ’ s happening.
” Despite the challenges , California fire officials say they have continued to gain ground amid weather conditions that are currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much [ of ] Northern California will help maintain cooler temperatures into the weekend , and an onshore [ air ] flow next week will help increase humidity , ” Cal Fire officials wrote in a situation report Friday .
“ In Southern California , desert regions will remain dry and warm , with the mountains and coastal regions experiencing an onshore flow that is helping with humidity recovery and seasonal temperatures.
” Though the near-term forecast is promising , officials warned that fire season is far from over .
Roughly 14,800 firefighters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide , according to Cal Fire .
“ Don ’ t let these cooler temperatures fool you .
Do not let your guard down , ” Berlant said Friday .
“ Historically , it is September and October when we experience our largest and our most damaging wildfires.
” There are signs of progress in some areas .
The El Dorado fire near Yucaipa has burned almost 14,000 acres and was 37 % contained as of Friday night .
In San Diego County , the Valley fire near the Mexican border remains at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Cal Fire .
All evacuation orders , evacuation warnings and road closures in the area of the Valley fire were lifted Friday afternoon .
For the El Dorado fire , Yucaipa police also lifted the evacuation orders for all areas east of Jefferson Street and south of Carter Street .
Officials are also now reporting 6 % containment on the Creek fire , which has burned almost 176,000 acres and destroyed an estimated 369 structures in the Sierra foothills northeast of Fresno .
The Bobcat fire burning in the San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 % contained .
It has charred more than 26,000 acres .
Smoke from that fire again blanketed parts of Los Angeles County on Friday , prompting air quality advisories for much of the region .
Areas along the 210 Freeway from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga are likely to see the highest levels of particulate matter , according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
“ Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory , if you can smell smoke or see ash from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the district said .
In the San Francisco Bay Area , which has been socked in with smoke this week , local police departments sent alerts to residents about hazardous air quality .
San Francisco opened relief centers for homeless people Friday and urged everyone else to stay inside with windows and doors shut .
Air quality throughout much of the region was at “ very unhealthy ” levels Friday .
Mary Ellen Carroll , executive director of San Francisco ’ s Department of Emergency Services , said during an online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with respiratory illnesses and children were especially at risk .
She urged residents not to use leaf blowers , barbecues or hair spray , to avoid indoor painting and to use exhaust fans while cooking .
“ We are asking people to stay indoors with windows and doors closed , ” she said .
Times staff writers Hayley Smith , Maura Dolan , Colleen Shalby and Andrea Castillo contributed to this report .

Luke Money, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Joseph Serna, Paige St. John

A record-shattering rash of wildfires is continuing to take a devastating and deadly toll on California, even as crews report some progress in their battle against the largest firestorm in modern state history.
The collective scale of the infernos that have scarred the state over the last month is staggering: at least 19 fatalities, tens of thousands of structures destroyed and more than 3.1 million acres burned — the most recorded in a single year and all but 500,000 acres since Aug. 16.
The loss has been most profound from the North Complex fire near Oroville in Butte County, which is now blamed for nine deaths, placing it among the deadliest wildfires in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
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Among those killed were 16-year-old Josiah Williams and 77-year-old Millicent Catarancuic. Officials said Williams was believed to have been attempting to evacuate in his own vehicle and that Catarancuic had been aware of the fire but chose to stay.
Officials revised the North Complex fire’s death toll Friday night from 10 to nine people. Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory Honea said deputies had found what they thought were burned human remains in a storage shed. Anthropologists later determined it was an anatomical model of a skeleton made of resin, and a resident who owned the property confirmed that he had used the model while studying anthropology.
An additional 19 people have been reported missing in the area of the fire, which has burned more than 252,000 acres and was 21% contained as of Friday night.
Steve Kaufmann, a spokesman for the fire’s response team, said Thursday that 2,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged, though that number may increase after crews further assess the area.
A second death was confirmed Thursday near the community of Happy Camp in the burn area of the Slater fire, which has chewed through more than 136,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties and across the border into Oregon. That blaze remains 0% contained.
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Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant called the overall death toll “a very, very sad and tragic loss for all Californians.”
Officials also saw further growth in the monstrous August Complex fire, already the largest in state history. That blaze has now scorched more than 491,000 acres in a remote area in and around Tehama County.
Abutting it to the north is the Elkhorn fire, burning in the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests. It has charred 255,309 acres.
For a time, online reports had combined the Elkhorn fire statistics with the August Complex fire umbrella — resulting in a mammoth merger listed at more than 746,000 acres.
But Kimberly Kaschalk, a public information officer for the August Complex response, said Friday morning that the combination was more a reflection of the unified command structure set up to manage all the blazes in the area, rather than an indication that the fires had physically combined.
“I’m sure a lot of people are spitting out their coffee this morning when they see that,” she said.
The online August Complex acreage figures were revised downward later in the morning.
The scope of this year’s fire season has been both historic and horrifying. Six of the state’s 20 largest wildfires have started in the last month or so, according to Cal Fire.
Within the last week, front-line firefighters have had to contend with a record-breaking heat wave and howling winds — a noxious combination that fueled explosive fire growth statewide.
Many officials and experts believe such extreme weather conditions are the result of climate change.
“If you do not believe in science, I hope you believe in observed evidence,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday as he surveyed damage in the Oroville area.
“You walk around this community, you walk around this park around Lake Oroville, you see the reality — a reality that has set in in this state in very indelible ways. And that is, we’re in the midst of a climate emergency. We’re in the midst of a climate crisis. We are experiencing weather conditions the likes of which we’ve never experienced in our lifetime. We’re experiencing what so many people predicted decades and decades ago, but all of that, now, is reality.”
The repercussions of that reality, Newsom said, are that “the hots are getting a lot hotter, the dries are getting a lot drier, and the wets are getting a lot wetter.” In California, he added, “we have to own that reality, and we have to own a response to that reality.”
“This is a climate damn emergency,” he said. “This is real, and it’s happening.”
Despite the challenges, California fire officials say they have continued to gain ground amid weather conditions that are currently improving.
“The smoke layer covering much [of] Northern California will help maintain cooler temperatures into the weekend, and an onshore [air] flow next week will help increase humidity,” Cal Fire officials wrote in a situation report Friday. “In Southern California, desert regions will remain dry and warm, with the mountains and coastal regions experiencing an onshore flow that is helping with humidity recovery and seasonal temperatures.”
Though the near-term forecast is promising, officials warned that fire season is far from over. Roughly 14,800 firefighters are still battling 28 major wildfires burning statewide, according to Cal Fire.
“Don’t let these cooler temperatures fool you. Do not let your guard down,” Berlant said Friday. “Historically, it is September and October when we experience our largest and our most damaging wildfires.”
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
There are signs of progress in some areas.
The El Dorado fire near Yucaipa has burned almost 14,000 acres and was 37% contained as of Friday night. In San Diego County, the Valley fire near the Mexican border remains at 17,665 acres and is 55% contained, according to Cal Fire.
All evacuation orders, evacuation warnings and road closures in the area of the Valley fire were lifted Friday afternoon. For the El Dorado fire, Yucaipa police also lifted the evacuation orders for all areas east of Jefferson Street and south of Carter Street.
Officials are also now reporting 6% containment on the Creek fire, which has burned almost 176,000 acres and destroyed an estimated 369 structures in the Sierra foothills northeast of Fresno.
The Bobcat fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains above Monrovia is also now 6% contained. It has charred more than 26,000 acres.
Smoke from that fire again blanketed parts of Los Angeles County on Friday, prompting air quality advisories for much of the region. Areas along the 210 Freeway from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga are likely to see the highest levels of particulate matter, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
“Even in areas far from fires or areas not covered by a smoke advisory, if you can smell smoke or see ash from a wildfire, avoid or limit outdoor activities,” the district said.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, which has been socked in with smoke this week, local police departments sent alerts to residents about hazardous air quality.
San Francisco opened relief centers for homeless people Friday and urged everyone else to stay inside with windows and doors shut. Air quality throughout much of the region was at “very unhealthy” levels Friday.
Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of San Francisco’s Department of Emergency Services, said during an online news conference that older people, those with respiratory illnesses and children were especially at risk.
She urged residents not to use leaf blowers, barbecues or hair spray, to avoid indoor painting and to use exhaust fans while cooking.
“We are asking people to stay indoors with windows and doors closed,” she said.
Times staff writers Hayley Smith, Maura Dolan, Colleen Shalby and Andrea Castillo contributed to this report.