Hang in there, California: wild fires

[Buddahaid]

I firmly believe PGE will be ripped a few new holes with all the professional people having lost so much. The sad part is they will prevail in passing it on to all the consumers just like what happened with the Brisbane pipeline explosion caused by their ineptness and failure to use funds they received in previous years earmarked to inspect those very same pipelines. Can't disappoint the investors you know.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Now we await the runoff/pollution into the water reservoirs from scorched earth watersheds this winter. Hydro-seeding forest hillsides may be required as there are still damages from the Cobb Mountain/Middletown disaster( known as the Valley Fire) of 2015 just a little further north.

http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentfile1226_1955.pdf This report gives greater clarity to the long-term post-fire danger to the region watersheds and environment when heavy winter rains hit. The current disaster, which is even larger, will bear the same consequences over the decade to come.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/6041674-181/a-year-later-valley-fires?gallery=6044366&artslide=12

[fireftr18]

Acktung, thanks for the continued updates. I'm getting virtually nothing about in the news about the fires here. There is very little in fire trade magazines. I pass along the information when I can. Prayers for all of you.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by fireftr18

Acktung, thanks for the continued updates. I'm getting virtually nothing about in the news about the fires here. There is very little in fire trade magazines. I pass along the information when I can. Prayers for all of you.

The tally thus far in today's paper: 651 homes damaged in Napa county with 569 of that tally: destroyed; 4882 homes are destroyed in neighboring Sonoma County; with 601 commercial structures also destroyed...So far the death toll stands at 43 but all of the 'missing' are not accounted for as yet. All road blocks are supposedly lifted so I will be viewing the damage on Oakville Grade/Trinity Rd. road sometime this week.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Fireftr18

I'm curious about the loss of structures. In an area that has a history of wildfire, why weren't the newer areas built and older areas redone to protect them from wildfire?

The Redwood Valley fire in Mendocino County (8dead 36,523 acres0 is 100% percent contained. The Tubbs fire in Sonoma is 95% contained; the Nuns and Pocket fires in both Napa and Sonoma are 94% contained.as of this AM full containment is expected today. In today's SF chronicle: the Hanley Fire of 1964 burned 52,000 acres and destroyed 100 homes This present fire is a more savage copy along nearly the same path....half a century later:

Originally Posted by Chronicle

Local officials had long been aware that another tragic wildfire was a possibility. As recently as last spring a Sonoma Counrt report on potential hazards facing the region cautioned that a fire comparable to the Hanley Fire could cause 'catastphic damage to the City of Santa Rosa. hazard. If multiple blazes broke out around the state during fire season firefighting resources in Sonoma County could be stretched beyond theircapacity the Hazard Mitigation PPlan stated...In Santa Rosa's Fountaingrove neighborhood, built in an area that the Hanley Fire had roared through in 1964, homeowners had spent heavily on protection measures to prepare for a wildfire. Still the neighborhood was lost to the flames. No one expected that a fire could jump into the heart of Santa Rosa burning a subdivision such as Coffey Park. This fire will rewrite the books....it isn't just about the 'wildland urban interface' where 1/3 of Sonoma County residents live.

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/san-francisco-chronicle/20171027/281539406209892

[Aktungbby]

Drove the Oakville Grade/ Trinity roads and Hwy 128 today, through formerly evacuated Calistoga to Geyserville and back: approx. 120 miles incl. the Silverado Trail. Much complete devastation and some of the mountain slopes and beautiful homes I've seen for decades are just....gone.

[fireftr18]

https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2017/11...-soaked-crops/

[Mr Quatro]

Hang in there California ... the fire stops here

[Aktungbby]

California didn't vote for the Gropinator-in-Chief: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/11/17/white-house-44-billion-disaster-aid-bill-offers-no-relief-for-wildfire-victims/

In a joint statement, (Democrat) Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris called the bill “appalling.”
“It’s appalling the White House is choosing to ignore the victims of California’s wildfires,” the senators said. “The latest disaster supplemental request is a completely inadequate response to all of the recent natural disasters, but it’s particularly egregious that no money was included to help Californians rebuild.”
“To help with the recovery, there’s been a bipartisan effort between California’s congressional delegation and Governor Brown to secure $7.4 billion in federal funds for those devastated by the wildfires,” the statement continued. “Despite the Trump administration’s request, we’ll continue that effort to ensure enough funding is included for California in this aid package before it passes Congress.”

In all fairness though, the hurricane burden, especially in Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida is at $100 billion dollars. The amount requested by CA's Gov Brown ( governor moonbeam in his own right?!) is $7.5 billion and separate FEMA aid has been authorized to California disaster victims. As a greatfull FEMA recipient in one past earthquake disaster myself: destroyed chimney and foundation to house etc, I imagine the Donald has to make some tough allotment decisions and is discovering there are no good deals!! https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/10/10/president-donald-j-trump-approves-major-disaster-declaration-california The world's 10th largest economy, California, and its 'wine country' will weather the firestorm...sodaspeke!

[Aktungbby]

ON the radio this AM: Insured fire damages are listed at $9,000,000,000! Additionally

and chairman of AccuWeather.
“We estimate the California wildfires will profoundly affect the economy of California. The cost to contain and fight the fire and deal with the aftermath will be in the billions. And, the loss in tax revenue from businesses no longer around, including the vineyards; the workers who have lost their jobs and can no longer pay taxes as well as other impacts will be quite costly. This will create a hole in the California budget, which may necessitate an increase in taxes. (naturally) If California has to borrow more this might negatively impact its bond ratings and it will have to pay higher interest rates on all borrowings, which can cost upwards of 10s of billions of dollars. At this time, we estimate the economic impact of the fires is already approaching $70 billion dollars. Based on our forecast the total costs from this disaster on the economy would exceed $85 billion the total economic impact could even reach $100 billion.”

Now we have the Ventura Fire. Winds up to 70 mph( air dropped retardant cannot be used above 30mph) have caused 27,000 people to evauate and the fire has consumed 50, 000 acres; The town of Bel Air is presently threatened.

[Mr Quatro]

High winds today too ... I feel so sorry for the people involved especially the ones without insurance. I hope this one is over soon.

Morning news said another fire broke out near hwy 405 at 5 am this morning ... starting to wonder if someone is starting these fires knowing the high winds will spread them.

[Steiger]

If there ever was a year to have another El Nino, this would be it.

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

ON the radio this AM: Insured fire damages are listed at $9,000,000,000! Additionally Now we have the Ventura Fire. Winds up to 70 mph( air dropped retardant cannot be used above 30mph) have caused 27,000 people to evauate and the fire has consumed 50, 000 acres; The town of Bel Air is presently threatened.

A bit of clarification: as of the last time I heard, about an hour ago, there is a total of six separate fires burning in the general area of Ventura County and Los Angeles, both of which areas are adjacent. Bel Air is not a town, but a neighborhood in LA and the site of some of the most expensive homes and estates in the US. The Bel Air fire is the most recent blaze and is threatening not only the homes, it is threatening the Getty Museum, home to a collection of some of the most priceless art works anywhere; also in jeopardy is the Skirball Cultural Center. As of last check, only one of the fires has any containment, but it was only 10% contained. The biggest problem has been the presence of the Santa Ana Winds, a recurring meteorological phenomenon featuring very high winds and very low humidity. The winds have died down a bit at present, but there are predictions they may pick up again later in the day. The Bel Air fire is causing some really big problems; it is right next to the 405 Freeway, the main traffic route between the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley; LA is divided into two by the Santa Monica Mountains and other smaller ranges, with the Basin to the south and the Valley to the north. The 405 has been shut down and this is really bad since the 405 is one of the most heavily traveled roadways in the US and is a rough go, trafficwise, even in the best conditions...


Los Angeles threatened as wildfires spread, forcing thousands to evacuate --

https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/we...uation-n826946

Fire crews fight to protect Ojai; hundreds of homes are feared lost in Ventura County --

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/l...206-story.html

This map shows where 5 of Southern California’s biggest wildfires are burning --

http://www.dailynews.com/2017/12/05/...s-are-burning/








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[Mr Quatro]

Hwy 405 this morning: http://www.dailynews.com/2017/12/06/...skirball-fire/

A wildfire broke out near the Skirball and Getty Centers along the 405 freeway early Wednesday morning. The fire has currently burned more than 50 acres and the 405 has been shut down. This newly ignited fire is the fourth fire, following the Thomas, Rye and Creek fires, that is currently burning in Los Angeles County

.

[vienna]

The Skirball Fire has gotten a bit worse since those morning news reports:

As many as six homes destroyed in Skirball Fire burning near 405 freeway in Bel Air --

https://la.curbed.com/2017/12/6/1674...ty-bel-air-map

If the Santa Ana winds do pick up again later in the day, it could be very bad for those to the east of the current blaze since the winds come from a east and northeast direction. Back in the 80s, there was a fire that started in the Laurel Canyon area, on the north edge of Hollywood, and it burned all the way to the ocean, a distance of about 12+ miles, straight. I witnessed how the fire first started and the speed with which it spread, from some kids playing with firecrackers to the massive blaze it became, was startling...







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