The PGA Tour’s season-opening Safeway Open at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, California ended just in time. California native Brendan Steele won his second-straight Safeway Open title there Sunday afternoon, beating Phil Mickelson and Chesson Hadley. On Sunday night, the resort and its surrounding homes were evacuated thanks to massive Northern California wildfires.
Fire forces evacuation of @SilveradoResort hours after #SafewayOpen endedhttps://t.co/EXuNSSWCBC
Source: @GolfWorld pic.twitter.com/d4xpFfNxLq
— Rock Bottom Golf (@RockBottomGolf) October 9, 2017
Here are tweets from some of the golfers evacuated, via Golf Digest:
https://twitter.com/martinpiller/status/917262510264164353
I've never run from a wild fire before #napafire
— Patton Kizzire (@pkizzire) October 9, 2017
200+ acre fire off Atlas Peak Rd. Prayers for all the first responders headed that way. Really scary stuff… #napa pic.twitter.com/BUFHBLannM
— Kyle Thompson (@KyleThompsonPGA) October 9, 2017
Steele made it out before the fires, but sent his wishes to those affected:
Just found out about the fires in Napa.Hoping everyone in the area and @SafewayOpen is safe.Sending positive thoughts for quick containment
— Brendan Steele (@Brendan_Steele) October 9, 2017
Photos of the course Monday showed some grandstands burning:
https://twitter.com/GolfAdvisor/status/917482809677238272
One day after the completion of the Safeway Open, wildfires forced an evacuation from Silverado Resort and Spa where the event was held. pic.twitter.com/C4zfmqKQ1P
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) October 9, 2017
As per San Francisco CBS affiliate KPIX, the course itself has sustained some damage:
Marlene Rosenberg has lived near the Silverado County Club since 1975. She and her husband were getting ready to evacuate early Monday when a fireman told them it was time to go.
“There power was out so we had to raise our garage door by hand,” she said. “When we pulled up the door, there was a fireman standing there. He said you go to go now.”
An evacuee told KPIX 5 that the 12th hole at the famed golf course had also been damaged by flames.
At least 15 homes that line the course had completely burned or were heavily damaged.
Homes inside the resort were also burning:
#BREAKING Homes burning one after another inside Silverado Country Club. This one on Hillcrest Dr. at Inverness. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/uX0TAbZcAt
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) October 9, 2017
#DEVELOPING Dozens of multi-million dollar homes burning inside @SilveradoResort community. Firefighters can only try to stop spread. pic.twitter.com/WWblXXbzmJ
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) October 9, 2017
#DEVELOPING Unfortunately this is a common sight in @SilveradoResort #SilveradoHighlands. Multi-million dollar homes…now rubble. #abc7now pic.twitter.com/eRM4RYs8lX
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) October 9, 2017
The resort tweeted Monday that its structures are safe for the moment, but the fire is still active:
It is still an active fire. Currently the resort structures are intact. Winds are dying so should help to improve the situation.
— Silverado Resort (@SilveradoResort) October 9, 2017
As of 12:30 p.m. Pacific Monday, 14 large fires were burning over 57,000 acres across the North Bay. At least 1,500 homes and buildings have burned, and over 20,000 people have been evacuated. Multiple fatalities are feared. So far, the damage to the golf course and Sonoma Raceway doesn’t seem as severe as damage to many other structures, but there are ongoing concerns for both venues.
[KPIX]
