I hope that all our NT members that live in Cali are safe from the fires.
I have friends and relatives in many areas of Cali and hopefully, they will stay save.
Having lived in CA for a number of years I'm quite familiar with the terrain and how and why the fires start and spread so fast. The Santa Ana winds which come in the fall and move from inland to the sea are hot and dry adding to the normal little or no rainfall from spring to fall/winter.
California has been prone to wildfires for centuries. Housing creeping into burn areas is a huge problem. The topography and climate lend itself to wildfires.
LA (city) hasn't had a drop of rain for over 4 months. Add that to the high temps, Santa Ana winds and none existent humidity and the fires will burn hotter and more intensely than under normal conditions.
Until you have experienced the Santa Ana winds it difficult to understand how they can reak so much damage.
Currently, the winds were at 70 mph with gusts to 100 mpg. Since the winds, lack of rain and humidity a campfire can be a blazing inferno in a matter of minutes and start miles away from the source.
Where I am it is definitely a brush clearance problem. There are some multi million dollar home in the Sepulveda fire zone. They showed coverage on the news and these homes are literally surrounded by trees and foliage. The rich loves their homes surrounded by greenery yet few have taken any preventative steps even after the last one not too long ago in that area. The rich are sometimes penny wise but pound foolish.
IMO, the first thing is for people that don't live in CA and have never experienced a wildfire is that CA has had wildfires for centuries. They have gotten worse because of a number of things. The change in the climate with hotter weather, the mismanagement of land (building into areas that should not have homes in them) The power companies that have never kept up the required maintenance while expanding the power grid at a record pace. Ongoing droughts and the Santa Ana winds add to the power and destruction caused by these fires. The topography of the land in Calif and of course brush that is allowed to grow uncontrolled both on private and public lands and more clearing of forest floors to rid itself of the deadwood.
There are many areas to attack to try to as best we can to stop or eliminate some of these fires.
What I don't get in regards to transmission towers being the cause of some of these fires is why don't they lay down foscheck around them year round and also clear a perimeter around the bases.
Good question Paula, but PG@E was responsible for last year's fire that leveled Paradise and this year they are saying that was trouble with one of their site moments before the fire broke out.
It's the reason that they are in bankruptcy with 30 billion in debts.
Isnt that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library? What a shame.
No. The library is in Simi Valley. No major fire reported there yet.
The Getty fire is headed for Mt. St. Mary's College, which actually does look a lot like that picture.
UPDATE - There is now fire in Simi Valley and the library may be in danger.
I hope that all our NT members that live in Cali are safe from the fires.
I have friends and relatives in many areas of Cali and hopefully, they will stay save.
Having lived in CA for a number of years I'm quite familiar with the terrain and how and why the fires start and spread so fast. The Santa Ana winds which come in the fall and move from inland to the sea are hot and dry adding to the normal little or no rainfall from spring to fall/winter.
California has been prone to wildfires for centuries. Housing creeping into burn areas is a huge problem. The topography and climate lend itself to wildfires.
LA (city) hasn't had a drop of rain for over 4 months. Add that to the high temps, Santa Ana winds and none existent humidity and the fires will burn hotter and more intensely than under normal conditions.
Until you have experienced the Santa Ana winds it difficult to understand how they can reak so much damage.
Currently, the winds were at 70 mph with gusts to 100 mpg. Since the winds, lack of rain and humidity a campfire can be a blazing inferno in a matter of minutes and start miles away from the source.
But we have an NT expert that says it's due to a lack of logging and brush clearing. A real genius there !
Where I am it is definitely a brush clearance problem. There are some multi million dollar home in the Sepulveda fire zone. They showed coverage on the news and these homes are literally surrounded by trees and foliage. The rich loves their homes surrounded by greenery yet few have taken any preventative steps even after the last one not too long ago in that area. The rich are sometimes penny wise but pound foolish.
IMO, the first thing is for people that don't live in CA and have never experienced a wildfire is that CA has had wildfires for centuries. They have gotten worse because of a number of things. The change in the climate with hotter weather, the mismanagement of land (building into areas that should not have homes in them) The power companies that have never kept up the required maintenance while expanding the power grid at a record pace. Ongoing droughts and the Santa Ana winds add to the power and destruction caused by these fires. The topography of the land in Calif and of course brush that is allowed to grow uncontrolled both on private and public lands and more clearing of forest floors to rid itself of the deadwood.
There are many areas to attack to try to as best we can to stop or eliminate some of these fires.
What I don't get in regards to transmission towers being the cause of some of these fires is why don't they lay down foscheck around them year round and also clear a perimeter around the bases.
Good question Paula, but PG@E was responsible for last year's fire that leveled Paradise and this year they are saying that was trouble with one of their site moments before the fire broke out.
It's the reason that they are in bankruptcy with 30 billion in debts.
If any NT members have been forced out and need a night's lodging, my door is open to them.
It makes me think of a line spoken by Alvin York (Gary Cooper) in the movie: Sgt York.
"God sure does work in mysterious ways."