Lessons from a wildfire

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May 13, 2015
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Here is a good watch!!!

It was a good watch.

Living in an LA suburb and hunting the surrounding forests, I am keenly aware of the excessive dead undergrowth and dead trees... in the lical forests. When I was a kid, and into young adulthood, I use to see prision crews clearing the dead stuff in the winter, putting it into burn piles; I have not seen crews of anytype doing this in 40+ years. The Santa Ana winds are nothing new, nor are fires during our Santa Ana winds. It has been predicted for decades that sooner or later, a wind driven fire will burn from our moutians/hills to the ocean, destroying everything in its path. We have had plenty of time and warnings to take preventive measures to better deal with such fires. As has already been pointed out, there have already been simular type of fires in Ca, and other states; yet our leaders have chosen to sit on their hands.

Unfortunately, these tragedies were predicated, and could have been minimized with appropriate steps that include infrastructure upgrades and more appropriate land management.
 

Alpine4x4

Lil-Rokslider
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Washington
Pump stations should have working generators that are maintained and tested to ensure they will operate in an emergency. Good question, why was the reservoir being maintained at this time of year during fire season?
It's fire season year round in Socal and in reality the milder weather of winter is probably the best time for them to maintain it. The driving factor here was the wind storm which is impossible to predict in long term modeling.
 

Billinsd

WKR
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It's fire season year round in Socal and in reality the milder weather of winter is probably the best time for them to maintain it. The driving factor here was the wind storm which is impossible to predict in long term modeling.
”Fire season” in the water transmission in San Diego is the end of October to April. That’s when the greatest demand on the system is expected and it’s most vulnerable. The transmission system can and is shut down during fire season, for extremely critical projects that can’t wait, however it rare and is limited to a day and depends where it is and the predicted weather, high winds no. The Santa Ana’s are expected, however 100 mph winds are probably a once in a hundred or thousand event. I don’t know. We have high winds during Santa Ana’s but nothing like LA, generally.
 

mt terry d

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Shoot2HuntU
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Several years ago I visited some family in Calgary.
I was shocked to see some pretty high end subdivisions where
they mandated shake roofs and the houses were so close you ( not I)
could literally jump from rooftop to rooftop

No excuse for some of the $hiT that goes on anymore.
 

Alpine4x4

Lil-Rokslider
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”Fire season” in the water transmission in San Diego is the end of October to April. That’s when the greatest demand on the system is expected and it’s most vulnerable. The transmission system can and is shut down during fire season, for extremely critical projects that can’t wait, however it rare and is limited to a day and depends where it is and the predicted weather, high winds no. The Santa Ana’s are expected, however 100 mph winds are probably a once in a hundred or thousand event. I don’t know. We have high winds during Santa Ana’s but nothing like LA, generally.
Thats wild since 2/3 of the major wildfires in California happen June-August. Its not "fire season".

 

tony

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News article says the mayor refused help from the City of New York Fire Dept. Zero cost, Jet Blue was going to fly them and gear for free.
Mexico is sending fire fighters per the governor.
Props to Mexico. In this case who cares where the help comes from.
 

Billinsd

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Here is another good watch from a Yorba Linda Water District Director Brett Barbre. Very level headed logical interview. I was born and raised in Yorba Linda, birthplace of Nixon.


 
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Billinsd

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Thats wild since 2/3 of the major wildfires in California happen June-August. It’s not "fire season".
Yes, it “seems” like most large fires happen in summer and early fall. So, calling fire season from end of October to April seems opposite. It’s been difficult for me to remember and keep track for this reason.
 
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Rich M

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My lesson is not to buy a house in a very vulnerable place. It appears many people could not get fire insurance? It’s getting difficult, expensive to get any kind of insurance in California. The government hates insurance companies, hates businesses, and makes things as hard as possible for them.
Agreed.

We have insurance issues in FL. Govt is trying to keep them from leaving.
 

NCTrees

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Oct 24, 2022
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Nope not here in Cali. Governor Newsom loves destroying our State.
Newsome is just a small symptom of the greater disease, known largely as CEQA. Probably well intentioned, maybe effective back in the acid rain days. Now its just a hammer for preservationists to stop any / all work. Here's an example- https://climatecasechart.com/case/c...nstitute-v-board-of-forestry-fire-protection/

I'm not going to be so bold as to say any individual project or program is going to solve something like this disaster. However, a suite of solutions are available and well known that would be effective at reducing some of these catastrophes. Unfortunately, those solutions are sued to oblivion every time they are proposed. Nothing gets done in California anymore because of that law, many others like it, along with the thousands of unelected bureaucrats charged by the government to interpret and enforce those laws
 

JStol5

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I live in Sierra Madre and we are under mandatory evacuation. I stayed to protect my property. Fire is 4 blocks north of me so I feel pretty safe. The wind is down for now but coming back tonight. I have a transfer switch on my electrical panel and running my generator. Being a small town the police know me and leave me alone. Devastating what's happening around here for sure.. I've been through 4 of these over the years.
I’m from La Canada. I know a bunch of folks who lost everything in Altadena. It’s heartbreaking. The foothills are my home. Glad you’re safe.
 

mt terry d

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Shoot2HuntU
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I suppose they'll want us to bail them out. Okay.
Send them each $750 like they did out east for those flood victims and call it even.
 
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I suppose they'll want us to bail them out. Okay.
Send them each $750 like they did out east for those flood victims and call it even.
Govt. did the same thing to the residents of Hawaii. Pretty much nothing. Funny how the Biden administration is now pledging 100% support but no one else gets the same?
 

Athens

Lil-Rokslider
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Pump stations should have working generators that are maintained and tested to ensure they will operate in an emergency. Good question, why was the reservoir being maintained at this time of year during fire season?
This very question is one that must be answered.
 

mt terry d

WKR
Shoot2HuntU
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Setting bad precedent.
Probably be charged with something;
maybe have his house condemned?
Can't have non-professionals taking things into their own hands.
That's why he pays exorbitant property taxes, right?



 
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