Upper Lake — founded in 1854, a red archway in town announces — lies just beyond the checkpoint to the evacuation zone, which is managed by the National Guard and the Highway Patrol. Upper Lake was settled by two Anglo-Americans who had helped lead a revolt against Mexican rule in nearby Sonoma, a nugget of history written on the back of the postcards Mr. Lynch has stacked on the front counter. Upper Lake’s main street is a line of Old West-style storefronts, and with the evacuation of most residents, the place had the feel of a ghost town.

Mr. Lynch described the area as economically depressed, and a place where people like to be left alone by the government. And even amid a devastating fire season and news reports about rising temperatures, there is plenty of skepticism over climate change.

“Millions of years ago, I’m sure they had fires that raged and raged for months — it just so happens that we are in one of those cycles,” Mr. Lynch said.

Other residents have stayed behind because they are worried about looters, concerned that they would return to find “their back doors kicked in,” he said.

As he spoke, one of his regulars, Steve Lugger, came in to buy cat litter.

“I’m the last living one in my family, and I just wanted to live in my house,” said Mr. Lugger, 68. “And I have 12 cats to take care of.”

Lucerne, 10:56 a.m.

On a normal day, you can see clear across the lake, where almost every weekend there is a bass fishing tournament. But the fires have brought a thick haze of smoke.