Thousands flee LA wildfires

glennz said:
I cant imagine that being a likely scenario in a place like LA County. Municipal water systems here in flyover country are backed with diesel generators, both at the treatment plant and key booster stations. That's simple disaster preparedness. The more likely scenario is there was just too much demand from the firefighting activities. The system can't keep up. Or perhaps the water plants or booster pump stations themselves were consumed by fire.

But if he's right, heads should roll somewhere.
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It may have something to do with turning off certain transmission lines in very high winds to prevent them from touching trees and sparking fires. Sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

See: https://www.fastcompany.com/9094579...off-power-is-more-complicated-that-youd-think

www.preventionweb.net

Shutting off power to reduce wildfire risk on windy days isn’t a simple decision – an energy expert explains the trade-offs electric utilities face

Deciding to shut off power isn’t as simple is as it might sound. The executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech, talks about the risks and trade-offs utilities have to weigh in deciding how to respond during fire-risk conditions.
www.preventionweb.net www.preventionweb.net


Edit to add: I just found this very extensive report about the water situation in LA. ‘Completely Dry’: How Los Angeles Firefighters Ran Out of Water
 
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Gumby said:
Edit to add: I just found this very extensive report about the water situation in LA. ‘Completely Dry’: How Los Angeles Firefighters Ran Out of Water
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One million gallon water tanks and municipal water systems designed many decades ago to serve homes and fire hydrants were not designed for hundreds, maybe thousands, of homes burning in short order. The high wind effect was like a blow torch quickly igniting home after home.

When neighborhoods are rebuilt, let’s hope new modern fire fighting infrastructure is built.
 
Sue J said:
This morning I contacted my sister about her step daughter and her family who live in Altadena, CA. She told me they had evacuated and were staying with friends.

This afternoon their house burned down. It was a house they had been renting for a few years. Just tragic. But they are safe.
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My daughter evacuated this morning. She is safe in my part Cali now. I am very thankful.
 
<mod note> Despite an earlier moderator request the political commentary and snark have continued.

Multiple posts have been removed. This discussion is not about public policy and infrastructure. A devastating and tragic event is ongoing, impacting the lives of forum members, their families and friends. Let’s show a little restraint and empathy.
 
cho oyu said:
Thank you for a reasoned assessment of the challenges faced by a huge portion of the US, as well as around the world. These problems will simply become worse with population movement and climate change, unfortunately. Even in parts of Europe that haven't burned in recorded history, there are now huge challenges in dealing with the same problems.

I am quite saddened for this community by the tenor of many of the comments in this thread.
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I agree. Thank you, Cathy63. This Is Us. The Asheville, NC area was supposed to be a "climate refuge." Most of us -really - even in NJ have been impacted by one or another of multiple hurricanes, such as Sandy, and tropical storms over the years. (I have NEVER seen rain like I did in TS Ida - which came to NJ from TEXAS!!!

Far-reaching effects of climate change were predicted 20 and 30 years ago. They are here.
 
The thought of someone having to experience this is horrible. I know someone who went though this (not this fire but another one). Their family was on vacation at the time but saw about the fire at their hometown via friend on Facebook. Lost everything including some pets. Luckily afterwards, the family was able to stay with friends until their insurance built them a new house in their community. But I can still remember reading the chilling Facebook posts where the person was asking friends about the house and friends responding there is nothing left. Everything is burned down.
 

Death toll rises in LA fires​


By Andrew Barker, Editor at LinkedIn News

Los Angeles could see more serious wind events as soon as Sunday — potentially exacerbating the ferocious wildfires that have already been blazing through the area for days. At least 10 people have died in the fires, which have scorched more than 35,000 acres and leveled 10,000 structures, including homes, schools and businesses. Two of the largest fires remained essentially uncontrolled Friday morning, as the National Guard arrived to protect against looting in evacuated areas.
 
Even 35 years ago when I bought my house in SoCal everyone knew it was fire country and a major disaster would happen every few years during Santa Ana season (typically October-November). It's one of the reasons I bought a place on the SW side of town (look at all the fires and the NE side adjacent to open space always gets hit first and hardest).

That said, any sense of invulnerability I might have had has vanished over the last few years as one bad fire every few years has become multiple really bad fires all year, every year. Even my 'safe' pocket on the SW side of town doesn't seem so safe anymore. Anywhere in SoCal can burn.
 
Chuckanut said:
Living in hilly areas where fires can sweep down a canyon at freeway speeds has always been a problem in So. Cal. I imagine their home owners insurance rates will skyrocket after this. If they can get it.
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They are saying fire insurance not available in some areas due to history of losses. In others insurers have reduced coverage and some fled the state. Bad all around.
 
Seeing the pictures of entire burned down neighborhoods looks just like the pictures from Paradise California.
 
This is so sad, my heart goes out to everyone affected by this.
Prayers to those firefighters who are working to contain the fires, and to those working to keep areas safe from looters and those choosing to exploit the situation.

As someone who also lives in wild fire area, it is so frightening to be in an evacuation.
 
Wealthy celebrities probably own multiple homes.

What happens to the ordinary people, who only have one place to live like those who live in Altadena? Where do they live? Are there enough rental units available to house these people?

I ask because my former home was seriously damaged during an earthquake though the overall structure remained standing and in once piece. It took over two years for the repairs to be made and the property was once again safe to occupy.
 
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You bring up an interesting point, Chuckanut: this whole area is earthquake country and one could happen at any time. Imagine the fires from a major quake with water lines broken gas lines broken and on fire.

I mentioned in an earlier post that my sis-in-law is a Red Cross volunteer, waiting to be dispatched to the area. She was notified and called me this morning. She's been deployed to all the major national emergencies this past year and she says this one 'feels different'. When asked to explain, she said they are having her drive trucks from the warehouses to the distribution points and that she and her truck would be under military/National Guard escort due to looting. She also mentioned that she was briefed on active arsonist activity still occurring. As if going to battle with Mother Nature isn't enough...
I told her to please be careful and request a job loading the trucks at the warehouse instead. She's trained forklift operator, which sometimes is scarce in these events.
 
Chuckanut said:
Wealthy celebrities probably own multiple homes.

What happens to the ordinary people, who only have one place to live like those who live in Altadena? Where do they live? Are there enough rental units available to house these people?

I ask because my former home was seriously damaged during an earthquake though the overall structure remained standing and in once piece. It took over two years for the repairs to be made and the property was once again safe to occupy.
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It's already been discussed a lot on TV about the high bureaucracy in California is only going to make rebuilding longer, more expensive and more frustrating. Many years, not months before the burned houses are replaced.
 
As a Southern California resident I hope they require the replacement construction to meet higher fire hardened standards. We have spent a lot of money fire hardening our home but it isn't currently required. My husband has removed any wood sidingand replaced it with cement board. Fences also replaced with cement board. Wooden roof timbers are now wrapped in aluminum. We've drastically changed our landscaping to move vegetation away from our house. Windows are metal clad wood frame... Etc

We live on a canyon in a 60 year old tract home. If made sense to fire harden.

Edited to correct egregious typos... I had typed it on my phone in an airport returning from vacation
 
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California forest fires come every year and they could not do anything about the fires?
 
rodi said:
I hope they require the replacement construction to meet higher fire hardened standards.
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Now I wonder how the newer homes up there in Pacific Palisades fared vs the older ones. At least as of 2 years ago they were building new 4,000 SF homes to replace old smaller homes.
 
flyingaway said:
California forest fires come every year and they could not do anything about the fires?
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It’s sometimes hard for others to picture how high winds like Los Angeles has been experiencing can create conditions that firefighters say are beyond anything they can handle.
My brother in San Fernando was notified of mandatory evacuation orders today. But thanks to aggressive firefighting efforts on the ground and air ops, and reduced wind gusts, the evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted now.
 
Los Angeles can be a tough place to live for many reasons.
I lived there, in the San Fernando Valley, for just a couple of years long ago, and remember at least half a dozen earthquakes during that time. Then there was a 6.7 earthquake just a few blocks from where I lived that killed dozens of people and injured thousands. I had long since left the area when that one hit, but it certainly got my attention.
 
This is a very sad situation. My heart goes out to victims and their families who are dealing with such hardship.

I can only hope maybe this will be a catalyst to create consensus to manage forest resources differently and to build more responsibly.

People should not be losing homes and property at these rates year after year with no solution or change.
 
While high winds were in effect, I believe air support was mostly grounded. Winds have died down, and firefighting efforts are now more successful. Just heard one of the large air tankers that scoops water from the Pacific ocean collided with someone’s drone or unmanned aircraft, causing the tanker to make an emergency landing and is now out of commission.
 
braumeister said:
Los Angeles can be a tough place to live for many reasons.
I lived there, in the San Fernando Valley, for just a couple of years long ago, and remember at least half a dozen earthquakes during that time. Then there was a 6.7 earthquake just a few blocks from where I lived . . .
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Would that be the Sylmar earthquake of Feb 9, 1971? I lived only 2 miles from the epicenter and was only 10 years old at the time, but boy, that memory of being trapped inside a shaking home remains a vivid one.
 
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