Map: Post If You Could See or Smell the Smoke

Pinolian August 7, 2012 at 09:21 am

I smelled smoke in Pinole around 10 p.m. Monday night.

Kim August 7, 2012 at 11:41 am

We could see it coming over the hill at the Hercules swim center. Very dark and black. It was about 7:15 pmThe swimmers were removed from the pool and sent home.

concerned resident August 7, 2012 at 12:28 pm

I live in Pinole valley.the smoke came over the hill and It was bad,lungs hurt,had a headache.had to take my wife in for a migraine because of this fire! Still wondering why we didn't receive a shelter in place??what the heck is happening in this area?

Claire Stein August 7, 2012 at 12:55 pm

We were considering a trip to Waterworld today. Can anyone in Concord have an update on the air quality there? We're hoping the smoke will have dissipated in the hills before reaching the Concord area.

David Mills (Editor) August 7, 2012 at 01:03 pm

Claire: The skies look pretty clear here in neighboring Walnut Creek. I went on a bike ride this morning and didn't notice any effects

Alan Eckert August 7, 2012 at 01:09 pm

I could smell it in east Albany last night

Claire Stein August 7, 2012 at 01:11 pm

Thanks David!

Mary Flaherty August 7, 2012 at 03:21 pm

In Tilden Park (Berkeley) from a ridge near the Merry-Go-Round, looking east or northeast (in the direction of Pinole, roughly) we saw what we thought were strange colored clouds around 7:30 p.m.

Selina Williams August 7, 2012 at 03:52 pm

I first saw fire start around 7:15 from Berkeley Marina. Decided to suspend my walk and head home. Then drove with windows shut under the hugh black cloud that bloated out the sun over Richmond. It poured over the hillside of El Cerrito where I could see it swirl up and over Pinole Valley. From Best Buy in Pinole I watched as the black cloud continued to pour and swirl, folks seemed completely unaware or unconcerned with what was happening! Some were driving with windows open!
Fortunately for some of us, the cloud skipped the Hercules waterfront but I stayed in doors the rest of the evening. Now, for all the "anti-regulation" people out there, what do you say? Is it business at any cost?

Selina Williams August 7, 2012 at 04:02 pm

When the explosions happened, I thought maybe it was an earthquake! I didn't realize it was Chevron until later ...

Dorothy Coakley August 7, 2012 at 05:38 pm

There was definitely the sound of two explosions, clearly audible from our house near ECHS. Shortly thereafter (around 7:00) my husband called from EC BART to say that he could see the fire. From our porch, one could see the Standard off-gassing stack flaming high with what appeared to be a secondary fire at its base. Then, of course, the smoke plume, and dreadful air quality with the sensation of one's lungs burning. (Inside the house.) An apology? I think a decade of underwriting for local hospitals might be more appropriate.

Lorna Dee Cervantes August 7, 2012 at 07:13 pm

I'm in San Francisco near the hill on Twin Peaks. I could see the fire and plumes of smoke and a huge cloud of brown smog that obscured the view of the Bay and came around in a spiral from east to south to west and north. The sky was clear and blue on the other side of the hill. It looked like a red sunset in the east. I just moved into an old house with drafty windows and no duct tape. I am home today still feeling ill. Last night I had bad burning in my eyes, throat, nose and sinuses. After midnight I started feeling a heavy pain in my lungs like asthma sufferers describe. It still hurts and brown goo is coming up. I had a head ache and felt light headed. They MUST tell us what was in the toxic fumes and the chemicals they sprayed to put it out.

Mike August 7, 2012 at 10:33 pm

The air smelled funny at my house lastnight around 9:00pm. We live in Castro Valley, it didn't really smell like fire smoke as such, but nothing like I've smelled before, don't know if it was the refinery or not.

Bren August 8, 2012 at 03:40 pm

Yesterday, under the story about the fire, I posted a comment critical of Chevron. Today I got an e-mail from San Ramon Patch telling me it "couldn't be published" because it violated Patch's terms of service.
The thing is, I've read the terms of service, and my comment did not in any way, shape, or form violate those terms. It's very obvious that a bunch of Chevron employees flagged my post, and then an algorithm deleted it without even checking to see whether the flagging was valid. It's very sad and frustrating that Chevron's shills were able to game the system and suppress a comment critical of their company.

CHACHA August 20, 2012 at 06:33 am

scared, saw dark clouds, billowing smoke over elsobranted/pinole hills, started affecting eyes, throat, lungs, smell around 930p on thru nite (in a lock-down in our home all nite since aound 7pm), it was awful, scarey, ...now i know a little how the poor jews felt w/the Nazi's/german govt w/Hitler like tactics from Big-Oil/Chevron should be ashamed and paying-off a few $$$/people w/fines/slaps on the wrist is "no excuse for their carelessness, stupidity, in-humane treatment and disregard for the publics health and safety!!!

Raymond Ortiz August 25, 2012 at 01:04 am

I live in unincorporated Hayward for weeks now my wife's asthma has been at it's worst we both have some sort of upper respiratory infection with thick sticky but clear mucous. and have blk spots all over car that wont wash off. Can this be due to the Chevron fire?

Bren August 25, 2012 at 01:20 am

Sure sounds like it, Raymond. You should both see doctors and document everything. Hopefully there's somebody who can take samples of those black spots on your car as well. I'm not sure who you'd contact about that, though.

CHACHA August 25, 2012 at 01:28 am

I'd ask a dalmation bout the black spots, if not make sure ur car is detailed/cleaned or may ruin ur clearcoat paint , etc , but only after u get a 2nd opinion n pics on it!

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