Local News

LNU Lightning Complex: Family Mourns Deaths Of Napa Fire Victims; 'I Never Get To Hug Her'

August 23, 2020 / 11:59 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

click to expand

NAPA COUNTY (CBS SF) -- As the LNU Complex fires picked up speed Tuesday night, Robert McNeal of Winters lost contact with his mother, 70-year-old Mary Hintemeyer.

She tried to go into town earlier that day, only to be stopped.

"Got to the roadblock and (deputies) told her if she goes through, she can't go back in," McNeal said of his mother's fateful decision. "So she went back and that's when they started prepping the property to leave by then it was too late."

McNeal said his mother went back to the property on the 6900 block of Highway 128 to get her wheelchair-bound boyfriend Leo McDermott and his son, Tom.

Authorities discovered their remains among the ruins on the property on Wednesday.

McNeal has been up to the property near Markley Cove and believes everyone ended up in a hillside bunker because they were surrounded by flames.

"I believe they weren't going to the fire shelter because they absolutely knew it was going to be good," he said. "It was just a last resort, because they had their exit vehicle staged."

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES COVERAGE

The bunker was sturdy according to McNeal, but may not have been up to the test of a hot, fast-moving fire.

"It had a four-hour rated fire door, it had a 3/8 thick steel wall in the front next to the door, it was insulated with probably 8 inches of insulation and fiberglass walls on the inside of that," he said. "It should have been pretty well insulated."

McNeal remembers his mother as the family caretaker, watching over everyone, even during moments of illness. He's heartbroken over the loss of his best friend.

"I just, I never get to hug her," he said with his voice cracking with emotion. "I never get to see her. It just ain't worth it. I just don't want other people to have to deal with this."

On Sunday, McNeal had a message for anyone unsure about whether to follow evacuation orders.

"As much as you think you can hurt for somebody, it's more than that," he said of his loss. "Just get out, don't wait. If you think it's going to be too much to get your sprinklers on before you get out of there, forget those too. Forget it. Get out. Just get out. It ain't worth it."

The family has started a Facebook donation page https://www.facebook.com/donate/1674158656071369/1674158706071364/?fundraiser_source=feed&source_data[post_id]=1674158706071364 and a Venmo account @HintemeyerMcDermottReliefFunds to help pay for the costs of all three funerals.

LNU Lightning Complex Wildfires Burn Zones Map & Evacuations

NAPA COUNTY EVACUATION ORDERS

Highway 128 from Lower Chiles Valley Road to Monticello Road
Highway 128 from Chiles Pope Valley Road to Lower Chiles Valley Road
Chiles Pope Valley Road from Highway 128 to Lower Chiles Valley Road
All of Hennessey Ridge Road.
From Moskowite Corner to Wooden Valley Rd, Including the community of Circle Oaks
Atlas Peak from the Bubbing Well Pet Cemetary at 2462 Atlas Peak Rd to the dead end
From Loma Vista Rd / Soda Canyon Rd to the dead end.
All of Steele Canyon Rd from Hwy 128 to and including the Berryessa Highlands Sub Divison
Wragg Canyon Rd - from Hwy 128 to the end of the road, including Pleasure Cove Resort
Chiles Pope Valley Road - From Lower Chiles Valley Road to Pope Canyon Road
Highway 121 (Monticello Road) – from Wooden Valley Road to Silveraldo Trail
Pope Valley Road – From Aetna Springs Road to Chiles Pope Valley Road
Aetna Springs Road – From Pope Valley to the dead end
Butts Canyon Road – From Aetna Springs Road to the Lake County Line
James Creek Road – From Butts Canyon Road to the dead end
Ink Grade – from Pope Valley Rd to White Cottage Rd
Howell Mountain Rd – From Pope Valley Rd to White Cottage Rd
Highway 121 (Monticello Road) – from Wooden Valley Road to Vichy Ave.
Community of Angwin
Community of Deer Park
St Helena Hospital
East side of HWY 29 from Lake County line down to Silverado Trail
East side of Silverado Trail from Highway 29 to Highway 128
Northwest side of Highway 128 to Chiles Pope Valley Road
Northwest side of Chiles Pope Valley Road to Pope Valley Road
Northwest side of Pope Valley Road to Butts Canyon Road
West side of Butts Canyon to Lake County

SONOMA COUNTY EVACUATION ORDERS

North of Austin Creek Recreational Area
East of The Cedars
Mill Creek Road west of the intersection of Puccioni Road
South of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road
South of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road
West of West Dry Creek Road and Westside Road
North of Sweetwater Springs Road and McCray Ridge Road
East of the East Austin Creek (the actual creek)

Evacuation Zone - 2K2

All areas west of Hwy. 101 East of the Russian River to the Windsor Town limits North of where Windsor River Rd. dead ends extending west to the Russian River

Evacuation Zone - 4A1

All areas East of the Russian River
North of River Rd.
West of Trenton Healdsburg Rd. and Eastside Rd.
South of the area between the western dead end of Windsor River Rd. and the Russian River

Evacuation Zone - 4C1

North of Guerneville Road
East of Covey Road and Hwy 116
West of Laguna Rd
South of River Road

City of Healdsburg

The residents in the City of Healdsburg West of Highway 101 off of Chiquita Road are under an Evacuation Order. This includes Chateau Real, Matteri Rd, Burgundy Rd, Chablis Rd, Zinfandel Rd, and Riesling Rd.
All areas in the city of Healdsburg East of Highway 101 remain on an Evacuation Warning.

SONOMA COUNTY EVACUATION WARNINGS

West of Meyers Grade Road to the coast
South of Fort Ross Road
North of Russian Gulch State Beach
North of Austin Cree Recreational Area
East of Cedars
West of Mill Creek Rd
South of Stewarts Point-Skaggs Spring Road

Evacuation Zone - 2F1 -- downgraded Sunday to warning

East of Dutcher Creek Road and the Dry Creek (the actual creek)
North of Canyon Road
West of Hwy 101

Evacuation Zone - 2F2 -- downgraded Sunday to warning<

South of Canyon Road
East of the Dry Creek (the actual creek)
North of Lytton Springs Road
West of Geyserville Avenue

Evacuation Zone - 2F3 -- downgraded Sunday to warning

South of Lytton Springs Road
East of the Dry Creek (the actual creek)
North of Westside Road
West of the Healdsburg city limits.

Evacuation Zone - 2K1 -- downgraded Sunday to warning

All areas North and East of Westside Rd.
West of Hwy. 101
West of the Russian River

Meyers Fire - County Evacuation Zone 1F1

All areas east of Bohemian Hwy.
North of Graton Rd. and Harrison Grade Rd.
West of Harrison Grade Rd., Green Valley Rd., and Hwy. 116
South of the Russian River

Meyers Fire - County Evacuation Zone 1F2

All areas south of the Russian River
East and North of Hwy. 116 (Pocket Canyon)
West of Martinelli Rd

Walbridge Fire - County Evacuation Zone 4A1

All areas East of the Russian River
North of River Rd.
West of Trenton Healdsburg Rd. and Eastside Rd.
South of the area between the western dead end of Windsor River Rd. and the Russian River

Walbridge – Evacuation Zone 4B1 (Northern Forestville)

All areas south of River Rd. from Martinelli Rd. to Trenton Rd.
West of Covey Rd.
North of Front St. / Hwy. 116
East of Martinelli Rd.

Walbridge – Evacuation Zone 2K2

All areas south of Hwy. 101
East of the Russian River to the Windsor Town limits
North of where Windsor River Rd. dead ends extending west to the Russian River.

Meyers – Evacuation Zone 1E3

All areas south of the Russian River
West of Bohemian Hwy.
North and East of Coleman valley Rd. and Willow Creek Rd.

Meyers – Evacuation Zone 1E1

All areas south and west of Willow Creek Rd.
North of Coleman Valley Rd. and Wright Hill Rd.
East of the California Coastal National Monument (BLM property)

Meyers - Evacuation Zone - 1C1

All areas east of the Sonoma coast to the south fork of the Gualala River. South of Kruse Ranch Rd. and Howser Bridge Rd. to Fort Ross Rd.

Evacuation Zone - 2A3

North of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road to the eastern edge of Lake Sonoma
Everything west of the eastern edge of Lake Sonoma to the western boundary that runs north along the ridge line from the intersection of Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Rd @ Old Stewarts Point Skaggs Springs Road to the interception of Rockpile Road @ Cooley Ranch Road north to the Mendocino County Line

Evacuation Zone 4B1

All areas south of River Rd. from Martinelli Rd. to the intersection of River Rd at
Trenton Rd.
West of Covey Rd.
North of Front St. / Hwy. 116
East of Martinelli Rd.

Evacuation Zone - 4A2

East of Trenton Healdsburd Road
North of Mark West Station Road
West of the Windsor City Limits and Windsor Road
South of Windsor River Road

Evacuation Zone - 4A3

East of Trenton Healdsburg Road
North of River Road
West of Slusser Road
South of Mark West Station Road

Evacuation Zone - 2A2

North of the Dry Creek and the norther fork of Lak Sonoma County
West of Dutcher Creek, City of Coverdale city limits and Hwy 128
South of the Mendocino County line

Evacuation Zone - 2C4

South and West of Asti Road
East of Hwy 101
North of Hwy 128

Evacuation Zone - 2G1

East of Hwy 101
South and West of Hwy 128
North of Alexander Valley Road

Town of Windsor Zone A

North of Windsor River Road
West of Hwy 101
All to the Western and northern town limits west of 101

LAKE COUNTY EVACUATION ORDERS

The Lake County Sheriff's Office has issued an EVACUATION ORDER for residents living in and around Hidden Valley Lake and Jerusalem Valley areas of Lake County due to a Wildland Fire. This includes residents living North of Butts Canyon Rd, South of Hofacker Ln to Morgan Valley Rd, East of Hwy. 29 and West of the Lake/Napa County line. Residents are advised that there is an IMMEDIATE threat to life and property from a wildfire, and are urged to evacuate. Please leave the area. If you are in need of shelter please proceed to a Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP) that has been setup at the old airstrip off of Hwy 53 in Clearlake. You are asked to stay in your vehicle and wear masks when you arrive at the TEP. A shelter is being established and you will be directed to the shelter by staff at the TEP.

Eastside of Highway 29 – North of the Napa/Lake County line up to the Southern Intersection of Highway 29 / St Helena Creek Road (Across from the Twin Pine Casino)
All of St Helena Creek Road - to the Highway 29 / St Helena Creek Road / Butts Canyon Intersection
All areas and residents North and South of Morgan Valley Road (north of the previously established evacuation line (08/19/20) (from SR-29 and Hofacker Lane to Morgan Valley Road)
East of Sky High Ridge Road (extending north to SR-20), South of SR-20, and West of the Lake County line
The Lake County Sheriff's Office has issued an EVACUATION ORDER for residents living in the following areas: All residents living south of Morgan Valley Rd., west of the Mandatory Evacuation boarder line at Sky High Ridge Rd. to HWY 29 and HWY 53 in Lower Lake. East of HWY 29 at Hofacker Ln. to the Mandatory Evacuation Boarder line. This area was previously under a warning and has been upgraded to an order.

LAKE COUNTY EVACUATION WARNINGS

All areas west of Highway 29 (including areas west of Saint Helena creek Rd.)
North and East of the Lake/Napa County Line (extending north to the Anderson Springs Rd. continuing between the County Line and Highway 175)
South of Anderson Springs Rd, Neft Rd., and the Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Park
Area prolongation to the intersection of Hofacker Ln. and SR-29
This includes Middletown proper
All areas and residents along Morgan Valley Road between Rocky Creek Road and Reiff Road
All residences along and east of Big Canyon Rd., Perini Rd., and Seigler Canyon Rd., South of SR-29, west of SR-29, and north of the warning line (08/21/20)(Anderson Springs Rd., Neft Rd., and Boggs Mt Rec Area extending northeast to the intersection of SR-29 / Hofacker Rd.)
We are asking everyone to take preparations in the event that an Evacuation Order is issued. Preparations should include gathering all medications, important documents, making plans for pets, and notifying family members where you may be going. Those requiring additional time to evacuate or those with pets or livestock should leave the area as soon as possible. During a mandatory evacuation, it will be extremely hectic and traffic conditions will be very congested. By evacuating early, you do your part in keeping yourself, your neighbors, and our first responders safe. Should an evacuation order be issued and shelter is needed, you will be directed to a Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP).

EVACUATION CENTERS

Napa County:

Crosswalk Community Church

2590 First Street

Napa, CA 94558

Sonoma County:

Temporary Evacuation Point

Santa Rosa Fair Grounds

1350 Bennett Valley Road

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Petaluma Veterans Building

1094 Petaluma Blvd

South Petaluma, CA 94952

Lake County:

Temporary Evacuation Points: Is setup at the old airstrip off of Hwy 53 in Clearlake

Solano County:

All Evacuation Centers in Solano County are closed

Animal Evacuation Centers:

Napa County Animal Shelter

942 Hartle Court

Napa, CA 94559

Valley Brook Equestrian Center 1132 El Centro Ave. Napa 55 horses

Napa Valley Horseman's Association, 1200 Foster Road Napa 61 horses

Ag 4 Youth 1200 Foster Rd, Napa 62 Ruminants

Solano County

Vallejo Fairgrounds, 900 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo (large animals, current count 211 animals)
Solano County Animal Shelter, 2510 Claybank Rd (small animals only, current count 285 animals)

Lake County
Sonoma County