The Wildfires thread

[kernals12]

If I remember correctly, the Camp Fire did make international headlines.

[kernals12]

Interesting coincidence: both this fire and the 1961 fires forced the most recent Presidential loser to evacuate; Richard Nixon back then and Kamala Harris now.

[LilianaUwU]

I had a quick at CNN to see what the headlines were.  They led off their coverage with a list of celebrity homes burned and property damage dollar figure estimates.

Won't someone think of the billionaires?!

[Max Rockatansky]

I had a quick at CNN to see what the headlines were.  They led off their coverage with a list of celebrity homes burned and property damage dollar figure estimates.

Won't someone think of the billionaires?!

Seems like much of the press is thinking about them. 

And to clarify, I'm not insinuating that people should lose their homes nor that was Camp Fire wasn't covered at all by media.  That said, I am saying is that there is an obvious large disparity at in hand in terms of concern amongst press and the normals alike about Pacific Palisades versus Paradise. 

[kernals12]

Another fire broke out, this one in the Hollywood Hills, centered around Runyon Canyon. An evacuation order is now in effect in a rectangle bounded by Laurel Canyon Blvd, Hollywood Blvd, Mulholland Drive, and the Hollywood Freeway.

https://deadline.com/2025/01/hollywood-hills-fire-runyon-canyon-1236252259/

[bing101]

https://www.foxla.com/news/studio-city-home-collapses-from-massive-la-fire

A home in studio city collapsed while fire crews were fighting all over the area.

[kernals12]

Another fire, this one in Ventura County, in Calabasas
https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/kenneth-fire-san-fernando-valley

[vdeane]

I had a quick at CNN to see what the headlines were.  They led off their coverage with a list of celebrity homes burned and property damage dollar figure estimates.

Won't someone think of the billionaires?!

Seems like much of the press is thinking about them. 

And to clarify, I'm not insinuating that people should lose their homes nor that was Camp Fire wasn't covered at all by media.  That said, I am saying is that there is an obvious large disparity at in hand in terms of concern amongst press and the normals alike about Pacific Palisades versus Paradise. 

I think it's also because those of us not from the west coast tend to think of wildfires as a rural problem, not something that would threaten a major metro area.

[Max Rockatansky]

I had a quick at CNN to see what the headlines were.  They led off their coverage with a list of celebrity homes burned and property damage dollar figure estimates.

Won't someone think of the billionaires?!

Seems like much of the press is thinking about them. 

And to clarify, I'm not insinuating that people should lose their homes nor that was Camp Fire wasn't covered at all by media.  That said, I am saying is that there is an obvious large disparity at in hand in terms of concern amongst press and the normals alike about Pacific Palisades versus Paradise. 

I think it's also because those of us not from the west coast tend to think of wildfires as a rural problem, not something that would threaten a major metro area.

I guess?  The reality is that there are large wildfires almost every year in the Santa Monica Mountains.  We aren't too many posts removed from talking about a somewhat large fire in nearby Malibu.  Even the Bay Area has had some really big fires recently such as the CZU Lightning Complex fires which torched much of Big Basin State Park in 2020.

I think that I've said this elsewhere on forum, but it isn't that the fires are new.  What is new or rather people having to come to terms with is that cities here aren't immune from being impacted by wildfire. 

[Scott5114]

So what's the issue with the hydrants? Do they not have enough water stored up or is the pumping equipment not able to handle this much demand at once?

Not designed to handle this much demand—hydrant systems are designed for fighting individual house fires, not something on the scale of a wildfire. There have also been problems with pumping stations being offline due to lack of power because of the fire.

[1995hoo]

Interesting coincidence: both this fire and the 1961 fires forced the most recent Presidential loser to evacuate; Richard Nixon back then and Kamala Harris now.

Heh, I don't think the current vice president has had to "evacuate"—she's in DC, where she was attending a funeral yesterday. But your point about threatening her husband's house is certainly valid. I saw something the other day talking about the house being threatened. Is it still standing?

[kernals12]

So what's the issue with the hydrants? Do they not have enough water stored up or is the pumping equipment not able to handle this much demand at once?

Not designed to handle this much demand—hydrant systems are designed for fighting individual house fires, not something on the scale of a wildfire. There have also been problems with pumping stations being offline due to lack of power because of the fire.

Well they certainly should be.

[bing101]

https://ktla.com/news/ap-us-news/ap-wildfires-latest-10-confirmed-dead-as-firefighters-work-to-contain-blazes-in-los-angeles-area/

10 deaths reported in the LA area related to the fires.

[Brandon]

So what's the issue with the hydrants? Do they not have enough water stored up or is the pumping equipment not able to handle this much demand at once?

Not designed to handle this much demand—hydrant systems are designed for fighting individual house fires, not something on the scale of a wildfire. There have also been problems with pumping stations being offline due to lack of power because of the fire.

Well they certainly should be.

Yes, and that lack of capacity has been a major criticism of the fire fighting capabilities of LA and LA County for decades.  Every time proposals for new and added capacity come up, they lose out somehow to other interests.

[kernals12]

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents

Sit Rep: The Palisades Fire is inching ever closer to Mulholland Drive and is at the edges of Topanga and Monte Nido.

The winds in the Santa Monica Mountains are projected to slow down today but to start up again tomorrow night.

[kernals12]

So what's the issue with the hydrants? Do they not have enough water stored up or is the pumping equipment not able to handle this much demand at once?

Not designed to handle this much demand—hydrant systems are designed for fighting individual house fires, not something on the scale of a wildfire. There have also been problems with pumping stations being offline due to lack of power because of the fire.

Well they certainly should be.

Yes, and that lack of capacity has been a major criticism of the fire fighting capabilities of LA and LA County for decades.  Every time proposals for new and added capacity come up, they lose out somehow to other interests.

Hopefully this sort of catastrophe should get the county to stop dragging its feet.

[Max Rockatansky]

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents

Sit Rep: The Palisades Fire is inching ever closer to Mulholland Drive and is at the edges of Topanga and Monte Nido.

The winds in the Santa Monica Mountains are projected to slow down today but to start up again tomorrow night.

AKA Dirt Mulholland.  Not much to burn up there but I suspect it will be used as a fire break.

[NWI_Irish96]

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents

Sit Rep: The Palisades Fire is inching ever closer to Mulholland Drive and is at the edges of Topanga and Monte Nido.

The winds in the Santa Monica Mountains are projected to slow down today but to start up again tomorrow night.

If I'm understanding that map correctly, the Palisades fire is very close to Riviera CC, where there's supposed to be a PGA tour even in 5 weeks.

[kernals12]

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents

Sit Rep: The Palisades Fire is inching ever closer to Mulholland Drive and is at the edges of Topanga and Monte Nido.

The winds in the Santa Monica Mountains are projected to slow down today but to start up again tomorrow night.

If I'm understanding that map correctly, the Palisades fire is very close to Riviera CC, where there's supposed to be a PGA tour even in 5 weeks.

It doesn't look like there's been any movement in that direction. The fire is only really heading North

Edit: This is a better map, it shows where flames are actually burning https://fire.airnow.gov/#10.73/34.064/-118.3978  As you can see, there are no active fires near the Riviera CC. But we got a much bigger problem: it appears Mandeville Canyon is starting to burn. That means the 405 freeway is at risk.

[lepidopteran]

The Andrew McNally House, built in 1887 by the co-founder of the Rand McNally publishing company, is pictured after it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/national-guard-arrives-to-assist-deputies-as-eaton-fire-continues-to-rage-in-l-a-county/
(Advance to picture 3 in cycling display)

[kernals12]

As all these people are devastated by the destruction of the homes that they love, I think we should remember all the ridicule those same people are given in normal times for wanting the suburban life.

[Max Rockatansky]

You probably greatly overestimate what people who actually own homes think of the internet peanut gallery. 

[kernals12]

You probably greatly overestimate what people who actually own homes think of the internet peanut gallery. 

Suburbia has been a subject of mockery for at least 200 years

[kernals12]

https://fire.airnow.gov/#10.68/34.1011/-118.4933

Sit rep: the Palisades fire seems to have stopped before it could wipe out Monte Nido on the West but it has reached Mandeville Canyon on the East, getting closer to Sepulveda Pass, site of the vital 405 freeway. And to the North, it has jumped over Dirt Mulholland on a path toward Encino and Tarzana.

And the winds are expected to pick up again tonight

[kernals12]

20 mph winds are forecast this afternoon in Simi Valley   https://www.windfinder.com/#10/34.3230/-118.3475/2025-01-11T21:00Z/spot