Author Topic: Los Angeles fires  (Read 346 times)

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Offline Ed McCullough

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Los Angeles fires
« on: January 11, 2025, 03:14:01 PM »
I just heard on the radio that the Palisades region that has burned is about 22,000 Acres, which converts to 34 square miles. If that were in the shape of a square, it would be 5.8 Mi on a side. That sure is a lot of homes and businesses.

Offline Age

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2025, 03:27:40 PM »
Yeah, I just called a couple my friends (of whom I could fine phone numbers) to see how they were doing and how close they were to the devastation. All I'm gunna is that it's Sad.  :-X :’(
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Offline Gnarly He Man

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2025, 04:49:46 PM »
My wife is from San Pedro, and her daughter still lives there.
The Santa Ana winds are continuing.
Lotta memories gone up in smoke.
The West is beautiful, but water is an issue. "It never rains in California".

Offline brorat

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2025, 09:55:24 PM »
Has anyone heard from Phil or Tony Sardo?
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Offline brorat

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2025, 10:41:04 AM »
Has anyone heard from Phil or Tony Sardo?

I got a text from Phil early this morning.  He says, "I think we are fine.  We will wait to see.  Thank you."
So ... for now they're ok, but just from the wording of his message you can sense the anxiety.  These fires are such a tragedy ... one which could have been prevented IMHO.  Nuff said.
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Offline servus

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2025, 11:18:43 AM »

[/quote]

These fires are such a tragedy ... one which could have been prevented IMHO. 
[/quote]

Dunno. These fires are tricky when the Santa Annas are blowing. One tree knocked against a powerline is enough to start a blaze. Naturally, a flicked cigarette, a barbeque etc. can be the trigger. As for the advanced preparations (including empty reservoirs) or the reaction of city authorities - that's another story. The jury is not out yet. I lived through one of those fires in Santa Barbara in another century. Ditto I saw the burning hills on the highway to LA. It's serious business. Normally fires are preceeded by overly abundant rain and mudslides. I experienced the latter in Santa Barbara in 1968. The brush grows thick thereafter. Then came the fire. Can't recall if it was in 71 or 72.
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Offline Ed McCullough

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2025, 11:22:13 AM »
Here in Houston last summer there were several alterations between weeks of intense rain and weeks of intense drought. First the grass grew High in areas that are not mowed, such as median strips of some roads. During the drought the grass continued standing High and became very dry. Tall dry grass can burn easily in a wind storm. I think this is the weather situation that Los Angeles has had this year.

Offline Gnarly He Man

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2025, 11:56:36 AM »
When we lived in Poway, the wildfires came within a couple of miles of our home from two directions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_Fire
Preventable?
I’m in Oklahoma now, more water here.
Still wildfires of course.
The recent winds in California were insane.
My heart goes out to all those who lost their tangibles—and intangibles.
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Offline brorat

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2025, 11:58:43 AM »
Having grown up in, and worked in the forest products industry for most of my life, I'm very familiar with forestry management techniques.  There are some fairly simple techniques that could have been employed in CA, but for whatever reason they were not.  Hopefully, there will be lessons from this tragic episode of wildfires that will be learned to prevent other preventable occurrences.
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Offline brorat

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2025, 12:00:33 PM »
Just did a quick look on the map, and as far as I can tell, Phil  Sardo's home is roughly 9 miles northeast of the Palisades fire.  Keep him, and Tony, and ALL the folks nearby to those fires close in your best thoughts.
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Offline Gnarly He Man

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2025, 01:11:25 PM »
Having grown up in, and worked in the forest products industry for most of my life, I'm very familiar with forestry management techniques.
"Forests" in Southern California do not resemble what you are familiar with.
Pacific Palisades WAS a bedroom community next to the ocean. No nearby forests . . .
Hindsight is 20/20.
Good luck.

Offline servus

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2025, 01:16:17 PM »
@Gnarly He Man

Pacific Palisades, Hollywood Hills, Topanga Canyon etc. are covered by thick brush and low trees between houses. If I recall, a lot of CA oak which is different than oak oak. I used to know other names as well.

@Brorat

If my memory is correct, the Indians, who used to inhabit CA before the Spanish and US settlers used to set backfires to limit the spread of fires. If my bad memory is correct yet again: It may be that during a previous fire in the LA area the backfire technique was used to halt the advance the flames. Google probably knows better than I do. I'm just yanking out recollections from that storage bin within.
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Offline servus

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2025, 01:39:21 PM »
Scrub oak they're called.
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Offline Age

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2025, 01:43:29 PM »
In an area where water is scarce, I've always wondered why they didn't figure out a way to use ocean water to put out the more serious fires. :-\
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Offline Gnarly He Man

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2025, 05:53:59 PM »
In an area where water is scarce, I've always wondered why they didn't figure out a way to use ocean water to put out the more serious fires. :-\
They did that, helicopters with “Super Scoopers” but they couldn’t operate when the winds were 50 MPH at the coast.
Take a look on Google Earth or Google Maps if you want to see what it used to look like.

Offline smojoe

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2025, 09:21:00 PM »
Salt water doesn't work well with wood ash. Caustic. Messes up the ground. I have 102 & 99 year old uncle and aunt in Palos Verded Est. But that's 27 mi. due south. So they're ok. But they have been experiencing land slides. And their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, almost all of whom went to Pepperdine Univ., are scattered about. Long Beach, San Pedro, Tustin. Mostly Orange Co.

Catastrophie seems to be in the 'usual' northern crescent. My info (according to my 2 can and string equipment), is saying that the brush is usually cut back by the electric companies. But has been slow this year. Lack of funds? In any case, it's unfair to blame the Gov. & Mayor. Not their fault.
I just know that I am personally devastated and could just crawl into a corner and cry.

smojo 

Offline wolfman

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2025, 11:37:40 PM »
 "...crawl into a corner and cry"
   HEAR HEAR!!

Offline Gnarly He Man

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2025, 08:12:56 AM »
I have 102 & 99 year old uncle and aunt in Palos Verded Est. But that's 27 mi. due south. So they're ok. But they have been experiencing land slides. And their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, almost all of whom went to Pepperdine Univ., are scattered about. Long Beach, San Pedro.
Yeah, I am very familiar with this area, as my wife grew up in San Pedro (and her eldest daughter lives there).
The coast highway going north out of San Pedro into Palos Verdes is frequently being repaired due to the ground shifting.
The step daughter I mentioned was working for Pepperdine for a year recently, they’re in Malibu.
The fires in Malibu in the 60’s led to Brian Wilson’s mental breakdown (that, and the acid  ::) ).

Offline brorat

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2025, 09:17:36 PM »
I spoke on the phone with Rockin Ron today. He is fine and thankfully not very close to the fires. He’s very concerned…as we all are…about those who are impacted.
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Offline Gnarly He Man

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Re: Los Angeles fires
« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2025, 02:41:13 AM »
Ron's in Mira Mesa, and I understand that the Santa Ana winds are expected to affect San Diego County in the next few days.
Fingers crossed for safety. SD gets less rain than LA, and water is in just as short a supply there.
Oklahoma is famous for severe weather, but this has been a better than average winter so far. Little snow left from a few days ago, and more expected next weekend, but no fires, thank God. And lots more water than Southern California.