California On Fire

[cloudhopper]

Next March when we all start bitching about the smoke, think about what happens when all fires are suppressed - until the inevitable eventually happens and the whole shithouse goes up in flames...

[ProThaiExpat]

You really can't compare apples with oranges. Southern California is a major wild brush area with no rainy season. Before the area became so populated, annual brush fires were common as natures way of clearing out dead brush. Much of the brush has a short seasonal life and is dead within a year. Unlike Thailand, where you rarely see dead brush, sub-tropical weather just doesn't get as dry as California or parts of Australia.

As residential areas pushed into the hills and occupied land which was once wild brush areas, the need to keep a cleared perimeter between the residence and adjoining wild brush areas became mandatory but not always done. Likewise, once the the brush fire is fanned by the Santa Ana winds, winds from the hot dry desert areas, fire starts to leap and ignites anything flammable.

Ten years ago there was a major policy debate as to whether rustic wood shingles should be banned as a fire hazard. I don't know if the ordinance ever passed, although cement shingles stained and shaped like wood are very cosmetic. Most high end homes had very thick rustic wood shingles then.

As you will see from the pictures, the hills are the major areas that are affected by the fire as that is where the brush is. It is always amazing where they will build houses, in brush areas, yes, in the middle of natural water courses, yes,in dry stream beds, yes, etc. all to meet their day of reckoning.

[mcgriffith]

A friend of mine who lives in Orange County, CA was chatting with me this morning on gmail. As he was taking his daughter to school in the morning he said all the visible ridgelines were ablaze; an almost apocalyptic scene. More than 250,000 people evacuated from their homes in San Diego County.

I remember the big fire a few years ago (Julian fire); at noon on a sunny day, the sky was so dark drivers had their headlights on, and large chunks of ash were falling from the sky....

CM in burning season is nothing compared to this.....

EDIT: now over 700,000 people evacuated; thousands of houses lost....

[FolkGuitar]

You really can't compare apples with oranges. Southern California is a major wild brush area with no rainy season. Before the area became so populated, annual brush fires were common as natures way of clearing out dead brush. Much of the brush has a short seasonal life and is dead within a year.

[sNIP]

There are many species of flora that require fire in their life cycle. The giant redwood tree seeds can't germinate unless they have had their outer layer burned off. I remember some years ago debate about putting out wildfires in national park areas because of this eco-factor.

We humans, having decided that we are the dominant life on the planet, have tried to change nature to suit our needs. I think this does NOT please Mother Nature. And you really don't want to pi$$ off Mother Nature....

[my friend I]

Next March when we all start bitching about the smoke, think about what happens when all fires are suppressed - until the inevitable eventually happens and the whole shithouse goes up in flames...

Last burnoff our neighbour lost control of his fire & lost s'house & every other building & trees.