PG&E sent texts warning it may cut power when many of those people have already been without it for several days. Without Wi-Fi, it was hard for some people to access more complete information, she said.
Another source of escape was the local Whole Foods and Mill Valley Market, where people crammed in to buy hot food and plug in their laptops. Both remained stocked with everything from a Marin-branded kombucha to exotic fruit to $150 caviar tasting trios.
Signs around the town reminded people of the Red Flag warning in effect -- increased fire danger because of low humidity and strong winds. Earlier in the week air quality was low enough from the smoke of nearby fires that people were directed to wear masks. Another banner reminded people what to do in the case of an earthquake: drop, cover and hold on.
The air quality was better Tuesday -- still a little hazy, as Birnbach put it, but good enough for groups to be out golfing at the Mill Valley Golf Course. The pro shop, though, was closed, pitch black inside. Despite the power outages and nearby raging fires, people are trying to carry on with life as normal.
“I’ve heard so many incredible stories of people coming out of here meeting and connecting and talking, getting to know their neighbors for the first time, going out to play like I did when I was a kid,” De Ferrari said.
As the power shutdowns and fires become more frequent, people in Marin are adjusting to be better prepared for the next ones.
“Every time this happens we’re assessing and evaluating and trying to see how we can make more improvements,” De Ferrari said, adding that as outages go on it’s just a waiting game. “We’re all kind of powerless in this situation -- literally and figuratively.”
--With assistance from Scott Moritz and Todd Shields.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.