LA fires

[James Curry]

While it is horrific what is happening in LA with all these fires. Question, is the news coverage in Australia anything like the UK? All we ever get is what is going on with the fires. Yes it is sad that about 16 people have lost their lives,and thousands have lost there homes.It is though, diabolical that scum will take advantage and loot burnt out homes.

Mean while all seems to be peaceful around the world nothing mentioned about what is going on in the Gaza/Israeli war and have the Russians and Ukrainians declared a cease fire and news networks do not think it is news worthy?

Yesterday in Gaza
There were 40 people had killed in Gaza during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths since October 7 to 40,005 – about one in every 55 people in the enclave. More than 92,401 have been injured.
Bet the Israeli's are pleased as they currently are not the main news item just now.

Also in Russia , Russian elite are not happy that Putin may have talks with Trump.

But sad as it is I am sick of hearing about multi millionaires losing their $20 million dollar homes.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

There has been full coverage every night about the fires in Los Angles,Australia being a fire prone country sympathizes with what the firemen in the States a have to put up with. We spend $millions getting ready for the summer fire seasons, everyone knows it will happen eventually in their area. Here in Cooma the helicopters take off every morning searching for any sign of smoke. We send firemen to help i Canada and the States, but this fire in the US came at the wrong time, as ours are on standby.
One thing puzzles me why didn't they send in the army helicopters and planes to help water bomb the fires, they where quick enough to send in bombers to fire bomb the Houties.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Now some 24 dead.

Have a cousin in California, retired now but was with the fire service for years ending up as head of the Arson division.

After Victoria here in Oz he told me California was the next worst place for bush fires.,
But looking at some of the footage it shows fires in areas where there ais no bush.
Obviously with the strong winds, and fires of this nature develop their own, burning embers have spread.

The fact that there is a limited water supply care of the state governor did not help.

Many I am informed do not have insurance, apparently costs rose so high in recent years many stopped payment,

The Mayor has said that already plans are in place to rebuild!!!!!!!

[vic mcclymont]

Their are lies, damned Lies and BBC lies.
Justin Rollack BBC environment editor went at great pains as to how climate change caused these fires, ********.
At least one or more of the fires were deliberate.
The intensity of the fires is caused by lack of scrub clearance. The Greens objected and won the case not to clear the scrub.
Lack of water has again been caused by the Greens on objecting to water being taken from the river as kills fish.
Fire Brigade has had their budgets slashed in recent years.
Of course BBC won't Broadcast any of this as it would upset thier green credentials.
Vic

[James Curry]

I wonder if they have a system like they have , certainly in France. Were I lived, the fields at the back of us on the edge of the forest they had these Small Water catchments/reservoirs and these pressed up by water, they have green dooms on them. At first I thought it was as a standby irrigation system but my neighbour said no they are for fire fighting in the forest. Those who have driven through France will have seen them somtimes even along the side of motorways.
There is also a requirement to remove branches on trees so they are at least 2 metres off the ground and also were possible the undergrowth is kept down. France has loads of wild boar and deer that roam the forests feeding off grass, berries and leaves. In a lot of farming areas there are plenty of chasseurs, my neighbour would often drop me a few cuts of wild boar meet and the odd venison joints.
Boar are becoming a bit of a problem as gthey are eating crops now as well.

Concerning a shortage of water in LA , nothing new there really but there is the Paciffic Ocean nearby. Okay understand it has been windy but the Spanish seem to be able to scoop up sea water or if they want to scoop your swimming pool water up as well.

[John Arton]

Quite a lot of talk on various news media regarding how the major and governor have failed the fire service, cost cutting etc.
Also saw one clip where house owners were urged not to plant shrubs near to wooden fences as they can provide fuel for any fire.
The amount of smoke generated has prevented fire fighting aircraft from dropping fire suppression liquid/product onto the fires.
Rgds
J.A

[Rodney Mills]

Los Angeles has a long range of small mountains that are above Beverly Hills covered in trees, brush and native shrubs. Classified as a wilderness area. Developers built roads throughout them and sold lots, that only the wealthy could afford, lower down became housing development for the not so super wealthy. I was an overnight guest of one of the owners of a top house, the owner had built a huge deck supported by pilons, were we sat outside and had dinner. The view of a nighttime was beyond spectacular. below were the lights of the city of L.A. and the black void of the ocean. The insurance rate, no pun intended was sky high. And many took the risk and built and occupied a magnificent home uninsured. The not so wealthy homes were built on small lots with about twenty feet between neighbors. Much like the housing estates in the UK. again with very high fire insurance rates. Well, it hit the fan. The wind in the wrong direction spread fires from house to house. Those with no fire insurance are left with perhaps an armful of personal treasures, photo albums etc. that they grabbed on the way out and the clothes they were wearing.

It is impossible to remove all the shrub from around the houses, most of those houses were hanging out over a shrub covered cliff face.

Forecast is increasing winds, and further fire danger anticipated.

The current death rates stand at 14. There are a number of missing who could have moved away to stay with family and friends.

Rodney

[Rodney Mills]

They are using ocean water by huge seaplanes flying low and scooping up water in tanks then dumping it on the fire. But sparingly, the problem is this is a limited method as the salt water perinates the earth and the liquid evaporate, but the salt doesn't and causes the earth to be barren. I have traveled all over France and the averments cannot be compared. These houses are built on to of mountains with shrub growing up the sides. You cannot chop them down or treat them like a garden. If you had one of these houses they are on top of peaks and below as the land levels off are housing developments. The fire insurance is in many cases unobtainable or very expensive. The owners of these houses shot craps and lost. It's kind of like buying a Rolls Royce but can't afford the insurance...She'll be right mate!

Rodney

[James Curry]

Rodney, A lot of areas in France are vulnerable to fire. I had a holiday home in the Aude region loads of Gorges. A beautiful place with fantastic scenery.
https://www.francethisway.com/places/gorgesdelaude.php

While not densely populated they are in the summer months prone to flash fires and rock falls. From what I have seen the pompiers react quickly. Also when I lived in Spain the Bomberos again really get there act togather quickly. In Spain in the villages the houses are side by side and also in the Urbanizations there are a lot of pine trees and scrub land about property.From my Villa I could watch the aircraft scope sea water and drop it on fires on the hills behind my Villa. I even had a helecopter drop the water catchment bag into my swimming pool. When the flames are two roads away from your own villa they can take as much as they like as far I was concerned, Also the law says you cannot refuse. After they did that the Police ordered everyone to evacuate. The next town down from mem, Javea Had really bad fires and burnt it's way all the way down to the port that was 2015. Regarding the use of sea water it does not lasting damage to the enviroment. After a few months mother nature takes it in her stride and new growth soon appears. Even the trees although scorched soon start growing again. Those pilots are real heros. The job they do is fraught with danger. Two planes hit each other and both crews sadly died.

[j.sabourn]

The salit water bit sounds feasible Rodney. Where I used to live was 200 metres off the Indian Ocean , but when we had bush fires the helicopters persisted on filling up from a large fresh water ornamental lake 50 feet from my house. I kicked up about scooping up all the fish etc. from lake and not using seawater. The excuse was it was prohibitive to use salt water in the helicopters due to the corrosive quality’s of the salt. They didn’t know they were talking to a seaman where salt water on a ship was a continuous battle with chipping hammers and scrapers. Cheers JS.
PS Todays fire in LA how does it compare with the Great Fire of San Francisco all those years ago ? JS