California Wildfires running thread

[Scout]

I don't think there is one, but this shouldn't be political (but it is).

 

[Inky_Wretch]

FWIW, there's been discussion on the Mother Nature thread. Not saying this thread isn't deserved, just that the topic wasn't ignored.

 

[Scout]

FWIW, there's been discussion on the Mother Nature thread. Not saying this thread isn't deserved, just that the topic wasn't ignored.

I know, but there are a lot of factors coming into play here.

A drone just took out a water plane. Funding threatened. People saying protection of a bird caused this.

 

[MileHigh]

I know, but there are a lot of factors coming into play here.

A drone just took out a water plane. Funding threatened. People saying protection of a bird caused this.

Oh for sure there's a lot going on beyond the utter destruction of the fires.

Bash and Newsom getting railed. Empty reservoirs. Hydrants running dry. Fire budgets slashed. The rebuild will take decades. Homeowners insurance will be impacted nationwide. Never mind the absolute devastation thousands of people find themselves in.

 

[dixiehack]

Taking an opportunity here to plug our matching donations thread which is pinned to the top of the board.

SoCal wildfire relief: The SJ.com giving thread (with a matching donation opportunity)

 

[Inky_Wretch]

I know, but there are a lot of factors coming into play here.

A drone just took out a water plane. Funding threatened. People saying protection of a bird caused this.

Folks are blaming everything except climate change and man's hubris.

 

[Hermes]

I recently read a book on the history of L.A. and I didn't as a Midwesterner realize how much humans shouldn't be living there until I read about Mulholland.

 

[ChrisLong]

What I've seen and read:
-- The dry reservoir was undergoing renovation, but has been closed for a year. This is inexcusable. City pashed an $800,000+ bill to pay for it, but the best outside bid came in at $1.3M. Opponents said the work should have been done by city personnel, not contracted out. That reservoir was supposed to be for drinking water. Debris and bird crap was getting into it.
-- Mayor Karen Bash is under fire. Her side said the fire department evaluated itself and downsized support staff, but not firefighters. Losing mayoral candidate Rick Caruso blamed her. Yet, he paid for a private firefighting company to fireproof his house. Two of his kids lost their houses. IMO, both are idiots.
-- Trump blaming Newsom. Imagine that!!! I'm not high on Newsom. Trump is an effing moron. Newsom vs. Trump makes me like Newsom a bit more.
-- Newsom's deal on water was to help save the salmon habitat. Reports said it was to save an insignificant fish called smelt. Not birds. IMO, no amount of redirected water would have prevented the devastation of these fires.
-- True about the drone. It caused damage to one of the airplane's wings and it could not continue to fly. Speaking of morons.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

It scares people when there are natural disasters beyond human control. So they prefer to blame other humans, because human folly is a familiar constant. Every firefighter in the US could've been there. Lake Superior could've somehow been moved close to LA. Wouldn't have mattered much.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

The smelt is not insignificant to the larger predators who feed on them.

 

[Neutral Corner]

With a drought and 60 - 100 mph winds, there were going to be fires and some were going to get out of hand. Various parts of the governmental preparedness and response could have been better but I have zero confidence that things would have gone much differently if someone else was in power. Too many conflicting priorities and constituencies. The race to hang this disaster on someone for political advantage while the fire is still burning is quite unbecoming.

 

[ChrisLong]

The smelt is not insignificant to the larger predators who feed on them.

I smelt that response coming ....