Evacuation route in Sonoma County blocked, leaving residents concerned

An exit route that Sonoma County residents once used to escape a raging wildfire seven years ago is now blocked, and residents are blaming it on the county's bureaucracy.

In October of 2017, the Nuns Fire roared through the Sonoma County town of Glen Ellen.  It was something the people living on O'Donnell Lane could not have imagined.

"I mean, this was a wall of flames that neighbors had to drive through," said homeowner Nathan Oliver. "We were rushing, as the fire was coming down this hill to engulf the end of the lane, to get off the lane as quickly as possible."

Oliver's home was one of only seven that were saved that day, all because a local fireman knew a back way into the neighborhood, which is now closed.  In the rush to evacuate, the most obvious exit, Henno Road, was gridlocked.

But no one died in the fire because all of the O'Donnell residents were able to escape over a century-old one-lane bridge at the end of the street.

The old bridge looks very different now, blocked to traffic with large "Road Closed" signs and concrete K-rail barriers.

"Our 31 homes, over 60 neighbors, are not able to use this egress off O'Donnell Lane due to what we feel is county bureaucracy," said Oliver.

In December a car crashed into the bridge, cracking a 3-foot section of the concrete sidewall. County inspectors decided that it could be a hazard if someone hit it again.

So, they closed off the bridge with moveable "Road Closed" signs. But the neighborhood objected.

"It seemed crazy because it really wasn't a hazard to be on the bridge," said homeowner Sue Braito. "It was only a hazard if a car struck the bridge again, and it went over."

"It's ridiculous. I mean to have this blocked; we had enough trouble here," said Marge Everidge. "I want it fixed. I want the bridge repaired."

They held a meeting and complained to the county about the loss of the bridge.

"And after that community meeting, a couple weeks later, these K-rails were dropped on the bridge," said Oliver. "Now there's no way for us to egress or ingress during an emergency."

The decision to close the bridge was the result of a county inspection in January, but since then there has been no effort to find out what it may cost to fix the damage. Residents said they would be willing to pay for a study to determine that.

No one from the county would go on camera on Tuesday but, by phone, Janice Thompson, Deputy Director of Engineering and Maintenance, said the barriers would remain until they could install removable "bollards" that could only be unlocked by the fire department.

But the homeowners who had to flee the flames that night don't think they should have to wait for firemen to show up before they can get out.

"When you've lived through an entire lane burning down and rushing away fearing for your life, that's what this is. This is traumatizing to everybody."

The neighbors have asked if some kind of break-through barrier could be devised that would allow exit in an emergency. But right now, the county doesn't seem interested.

They said they don't have the money to fix the bridge and that they must consider the risk to public safety if someone, someday, hit the bridge sidewall again.

But considering what happened seven years ago, the neighbors feel there is an even greater threat to public safety that is being ignored.