Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017

Subject: BS: Wildfire in California Wine Country 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 08:16 PM

Today has been a bad day for wildfire in the California Wine Country. The San Francisco Chronicle says:

A swarm of fires supercharged by powerful winds ripped through Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties Monday, killing at least 10 people, injuring dozens of others, destroying more than 1,500 homes and businesses, and turning prominent wineries to ash.
Starting in the middle of the night, the fires hopscotched across neighborhoods, raced across fields and jumped freeways. Wind gusts up to 70 mph pushed walls of flames nearly 100 feet high, throwing embers ahead like hot fingers into strip malls and subdivisions. Many people who fled the surge had enough time to grab car keys, perhaps a pet, but not much more.

URJ Camp Newman, site of the San Francisco Folk Music Club's post-Christmas Camp New Harmony, is in the middle of the area that has been evacuated, and it is not known yet whether the camp has been damaged. Here's a message from the camp's Facebook page:

Dear Friends and family of Camp Newman,
You might have heard there are numerous fires in Northern California, including near Camp Newman. We wanted to share that everyone who lives on the property has been evacuated and is safe. We were also able to remove the Torahs from camp. Firefighters are working hard to contain the fires and currently we do not know the status of the buildings and the grounds. Thank you for your love and concern. We will communicate when we have more information and ask that you refrain from calling the office.

Guess we'll have to wait and see. Wish us luck.


I'm a hundred miles away in the Sierra Foothills, while the fires are in the Wine Country. We had clear skies and very high winds all last night. A source of ignition would have caused us a lot of trouble, as it did two years ago. But so far, no fire in my area.

We moved to Camp Newman in December, 2008, and Camp Harmony became Camp NEW Harmony. Clever, eh? If we're able to have camp there this year, this will be our tenth year at Camp Newman - but prospects look dim.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Wildfire in California Wine Country Oct 2017
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 09:09 PM

Not that this helps but is this arson? war?
Thousands of homes gone, 40,000 acres of fire
Hospitals evacuated by private cars
two days away from Joe is a worst case

Subject: RE: BS: Wildfire in California Wine Country Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 09:42 PM

From Camp Newman's Facebook page:

UPDATE:
As many of you may have heard, since 10pm last night, forest fires have been burning in Sonoma and Napa counties. It is with tremendous shock and sadness that we share that the majority of the buildings at our beloved Camp Newman home have been destroyed.
Right now, the reports are that the fires in the area are still burning. As you might assume, information coming out of the area right now is spotty. Our staff has not been able to visit camp, and may not be able to for a few days. We will, of course, provide you with more information as it becomes available. Please continue to check Facebook for ongoing updates.
Most importantly, we take great comfort in knowing that all of our staff are safe. We are so grateful to the first responders and firefighters who attempted to save our camp buildings. We are keeping these heroic and hardworking people in our thoughts and prayers as they continue to work to protect the people and the places in our Camp Newman neighborhood, for whom we will continue to pray. If you have evacuated your home and need a safe place with power and water, you can visit our wonderful Reform synagogue close to camp, Congregation Shomrei Torah.
We have been so moved by your outpouring of love, support and concern for camp. It is a powerful reminder that Camp is about our holy community, our kehillah kedosha.
In the weeks to come, we will share more details about our plans for the future. We will also provide a way for your children and teens to process this news, and how you can help.
Thank you for keeping Camp Newman and the beautiful land it occupies in your hearts and thoughts.
To all those who love Camp Newman and our community, together we will go from strength to strength,
Ruben Arquilevich, Rabbi Erin Mason, Michelle Tandowsky, and the entire URJ Camp Newman team and Advisory Board

The news sounds bad, but the camp committee will wait a few days and not make a decision until we get more specific information from the Camp Newman staff. The camp has built ten or so new cabins over the last five years, and a lovely health and welcome center. These new buildings are in spaces that are very "defensible," so maybe they survived. There are many other buildings that go back to the time when the camp was a military cooking school, and those buildings are in much more vulnerable locations. I'm hoping against hope, I suppose, but I think it's a good idea to wait until we get solid information.

Donuel, I haven't seen any information about the cause. The wind has been very strong the last couple days, and everything is tinder-dry. The valley between me and the camp is eighty miles wide, so I don't worry about this fire affecting my home. We';ve had "perfect storm" fire conditions the last two weeks, so fire can happen anywhere, anytime. We had to evacuate two years ago, and it was very frightening. We were only a few hundred yards away from the start of that fire, but the winds and the freeway protected us - that time. We had a lot of rain last winter and a lot of growth in the spring, but now all that vegetation is ready to burn.

-Joe-

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Most of URJ Camp Newman ‘destroyed’ by wildfires

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Nick
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 08:55 AM

Sorry to hear and hope it isn't affecting you directly, Joe. You are further north east if I remember.

It's weird. Everywhere we went to when we visited California seems to have been in the news with some exceptions.

Hottest day in san francisco since records began.
We went to Yosemite and it was in the news with a visitior being killed in a rock fall.
Drove through wine country and stayed in Sonoma.
Went to Las Vegas.

I feel like a albatross. I hope nothing happens in the other places we visited...

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Colin Randall
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 09:11 AM

My thoughts with anyone affected. I live half the year in the Var (south of France) and we had a series of pretty serious wildfires in July though mercifully without loss of life. Never too close to our home. though friends had scarier experiences, but we could look out and see at least four or five separate outbreaks across a wide panorama. Not far from us, a boy if 14 has admitted starting 20. He was 'bored'. Most - something like 9/10 according to one expert I saw pontificating on TV - have a 'human factor', ie negligence or criminal intent

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Oct 17 - 01:17 PM

I'm sorry to hear about the terrible destruction, Joe.

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Oct 17 - 07:47 PM

There was an article in the Sacramento Bee today about the destruction of Camp Newman:

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article178107351.html

The Camp New Harmony committee will have a phone conference tomorrow to discuss an alternate location. We're doing our best to ensure that we don't have to cancel camp this year.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 05:45 PM

So many things are so terrible - the deaths, the lost homes and businesses, the evacuations, and the missing people. My heart goes out to all of them.

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 06:33 PM

Here's the most recent information from Camp Newman. Note that the staff has still not been able to visit the camp and assess damages, so we really don't know how extensive the damage is yet.
-Joe-

URJ Camp Newman
Sent: Wed, Oct 11, 2017 6:31 pm
Subject: Camp update & supporting our community

Dear friends and family of Camp Newman,

As you may know, most of the buildings at URJ's Camp Newman were destroyed on Monday in the Tubbs fires still raging through Northern California. For more information, click here. As of today, we still have not been able to reach the site. Please continue to check our website and Facebook pages for updates.

Since Monday's news, we've received an outpouring of love and support through the form of prayers, songs, social media posts, stories, calls, texts and emails. Your collective response has been a healing salve not just for our own spirits - but for everyone who loves camp - and our hearts are full with gratitude for this community.

We look forward to sharing our plans for Summer 2018 soon. In the meantime, here are some ways you can help Camp Newman and support those who have been affected by this devastating fire:

Donate to Camp Newman's Relief Fund
Camp Newman is more than just buildings. It is a community built on the memories of 70 glorious summers, on the leadership of NFTY teens who have gone out into the world and changed it for the better - a community that lives in the hearts and minds of all the staff and lay leaders who have found inspiration and the promise of a better future.

Our community is strong - but your financial support is critical in supporting our next steps, both immediate and long term. We are committed to thoughtfully planning how we will create an outstanding 2018 summer experience and beyond for the Newman community.

As we assess the physical damage and consider our future while supporting our campers, families, staff, and community, we ask you to make a generous gift today. Every dollar counts and is deeply appreciated. Together, we make Camp Newman strong.

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Oct 17 - 09:16 PM

Article on SF Chronicle web site:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Camp-Newman-jewish-summer-camp-destroyed-fires-12267959.php

Photo from above article:
http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/66/52/67/14331365/5/920x920.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/urjcampnewman/photos/a.158494520868.119290.135345445868/10154972491085869/?type=3

We just finished a meeting on alternate sites, and we've chosen one that sounds really good. By luck, a member of the camp committee will be working at another camp at that location tomorrow.

I feel really bad about Camp Newman, which had become a wonderful site. The few press photos show destruction of older buildings, although one looks like it might be showing that the brand-new Welcome Center/Health Lodge may be totally destroyed.

We have 2-1/2 months to find a new site and adjust to it. It's bound to be a lot of work.

Some of the sites we're considering are managed by UCCR. I don't think I'm at liberty to say which one is at the top of our list. some of the camps we contacted have already been booked by organizations who were burned out of other camps this week. There are lots of camps in the fire-affected areas.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Oct 17 - 06:44 PM

Here are the latest photos:

<http://html.noahberger1.dphoto.com/album/53277w

Looks like th "Field Cabins" survived, but not the newest cabins that were located next to the dining hall. It looks like the dance hall, dining hall, and the new health lodge/welcome center are completely gone.
Such a shame.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 14 Oct 17 - 09:35 PM

Sorry to read about the loss.

The Ponil Complex Fire in North Eastern New Mexico started on June 2, 2002 and burned until June 17. The burn zone covered 92,000 acres (370 km).

The main backwoods historic cabins were wrapped in an insulated, reflective material, French Henry is the home of the Aztec Ponil Mine...the main Ponil log cabins were also wrapped (imagine a giant roll four feet tall that is handled by two people, much like wrapping a shipping pallet.

The wraps are similar to ones firefighters use for personal safety on the job, though they're thicker and the Forest Service says they're not exactly fireproof. These wraps are straightforward to apply—essentially you use staples and special tape to hold it fast against the building, so the high winds of a wildfire don't blow it off—and appear to have the potential to keep the structures intact. It's not cheap: Wrapping a single cabin costs nearly $1,200 of the stuff, and it takes six to seven hours to secure to a building.

The photos of the NM buildings I knew VERY well...all survived.

www.time.com/3096340/forest-fires-buildings/

Product Source
www.firezat.com

Photo
www.cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/photo/2017/09/wildfires-rage-across-the-american/f17_2258633/main_900.jpg?1504718510


Video
http://abc30.com/news/protective-wrap-covers-historical-structures-near-french-fire-/238207/


Sincerely,
Gargoyle

I am rather shocked that most "camp" organizations are not using the product...it saved several log-cabin structure 15 years ago in NM.

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Oct 17 - 10:54 PM

Hi, Garg -
I see from the photos that a number of newer buildings at Camp Harmony survived. All of the new buildings were built to "defensible" standards, but the new buildings that were destroyed were close to older buildings that come from the time that the property was a military base. The camp was midway in a process of rebuilding. I think that if the reconstruction had been complete, it's possible that all of the new buildings would have survived. I'm amazed that the surrounding trees and the Star of Judah survived so well.
-Joe-

---

Photos from 13 October, first camp staff visit:

https://campnewman.org/2017/10/17/finding-more-miracles-among-the-rubble/

A reflection by Camp Newman Executive Director Ruben Arquilevich:

https://urj.org/blog/2017/10/16/5-miracles-i-saw-camp-newman-last-week

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 08:32 PM

Well, we have a new location for Camp New Harmony. It will be at Camp Monte Toyon (click) at Aptos, just south of Santa Cruz. This camp is much smaller than we're used to, so registrations will be limited. We won't reopen registration until we've confirmed that everyone who has already registered, will be accommodated. Give us a week or two. Then we'll have a limited "early bird" discount period.
It's a beautiful camp in a beautiful location. Not a bad drive from the Bay Area, but tough on us Sacramento folks.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: michaelr
Date: 23 Oct 17 - 09:06 PM

It's two weeks today since the devastating wildfires began here in Sonoma County. 100ft tall walls of flame, driven by 70mph winds, destroyed about 8,000 homes and businesses and took almost 40 lives. They came within a couple of miles of where I live in downtown Santa Rosa and are still not all 100% contained. Bay Area air quality was worse than Beijing's for a few days. I've never seen anything like it and I hope I won't again, but this is the new normal. Climate change is here, and it's deadly.

Subject: RE: Wildfire at California's Camp New Harmony Oct 2017
From: leeneia
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 09:30 AM

I'm glad it's over. My newspaper had an article yesterday about the many schools that are burned down or too smoke-damaged to use. Even if a family can come back to home and jobs, what do you do with the children?

Subject: ADD: California's Burning (Hali Hammer)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Nov 17 - 03:08 AM

Hali Hammer has a song called "California's Burning." It fits.


Unfortunately I am singing this again. Please donate to the fire victims if you possibly can.

CALIFORNIA'S BURNING (Hali Hammer)
California's burning - The sky's a smoky gray
California's burning - Don't go outside to play
California's burning - With fires flaring near, it's hard to breathe the air
California's burning

California-s burning - The sun peeks through the haze
California's burning - Don't see it much these days
California's burning - It sets a molten red, I wish that it were gold instead
Cause California's burning

Insatiable fires send birds flying from their wires
So many of them, how did they begin?
Like a scene from ancient Rome, folks evacuating homes
While ashes boldly ride upon the wind

California's burning - It's burning up the trees
California's burning - That brings you to your knees
California's burning - The animals have fled their cozy forest beds
While California's burning

Insatiable fires send birds flying from their wires
So many of them, how did they begin?
Like a scene from ancient Rome, folks evacuating homes
While ashes boldly ride upon the wind

California's burning - Hot embers fill the sky
California's burning - They bring tears to my eyes
California's burning - It makes you want to cry with everything so dry
California's burning - California's burning - California's burning