California wildfire leaves town in ruins

[Still Waters]

A fierce wildfire racing across Northern California has destroyed parts of the Sierra foothills, including one town, officials say.

The so-called Camp Fire, which started early on Thursday near Camp Creek, has been fuelled by strong winds and dry forest.

Some residents in the town of Paradise, which was "devastated", were trapped by the flames, state fire officials said.

Thousands in the region have evacuated, including from schools and hospitals.

There are unconfirmed reports of casualties, which an official said could take days to confirm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46146354

[Nnicolette]

Lots of people missing today its 1 in the afternoon and pitch black out. Chico was partially evacuated during the night but they have %5 containment where they stopped the entry into town. Paradise, magalia and many other nearby towns are completely gone.  I saw the giant orange purple cloud when i dropped my son off at school yesterday and within a couple hours paradise was completely gone. It was incredibly windy so sad to see everybody looking for lost family members and pets today. It will rain in a week and this should be over then.

[RoofGardener]

Jeez loise... that's awful

[Nnicolette]

I feel bad for the homeless and people without cars. The air isn't breathable outside. Some people actually died in thier cars trying to escape and alot more were evacuated from thier vehicles and given rides but today am seeing a huge amount of people mostly looking for elderly friends and family alot of people with mobility issues and dementia and senior citizens missing. it hit paradise so fast. Its not done at all just spreading the other direction. Thankfully many firefighters worked hard through the night to save chico but a whole lot of people are homeless right now.

Edited November 9, 2018 by Nnicolette

[Nnicolette]

If anyone wants and update the fire is still going. There were great organizational efforts to flee as there are only 9 confirmed deaths amidst a current total of 6500 homes burned. The area is still solid with smoke though not breathable so schools are closed til after thanksgiving. There will be 50 mph winds again this weekend so the fire is expected to quickly spread again.

[+and-then]

32 minutes ago, NicoletteS said:

If anyone wants and update the fire is still going. There were great organizational efforts to flee as there are only 9 confirmed deaths amidst a current total of 6500 homes burned. The area is still solid with smoke though not breathable so schools are closed til after thanksgiving. There will be 50 mph winds again this weekend so the fire is expected to quickly spread again.

I'm not familiar with the area.  Is it hilly?  Do they have to worry about mudslides after the first rains?

[Buzz_Light_Year]

14 minutes ago, and then said:

I'm not familiar with the area.  Is it hilly?  Do they have to worry about mudslides after the first rains?

Yeah! Paradise is located on the foot hills of the Sierras.

[The Caspian Hare]

9 dead, 35 missing

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-wildfires/five-dead-in-california-wildfire-as-second-blaze-forces-malibu-evacuation-idUSKCN1NE0WQ

[Still Waters]

Quote

California wildfires: 250,000 flee monster flames ravaging state

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46161280

 

[+susieice]

At least 11 deaths are now reported.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/deaths-suspected-california-wildfires-winds-set-pick-back-n934846

Here's a link to the slideshow from the above link. This is 70 miles north of Sacramento according to the captions. Scroll on the right and as the captions change, so will the pictures.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/deaths-suspected-california-wildfires-winds-set-pick-back-n934846

The Woolsey fire is in Southern California. Malibu is under evacuation.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/evacuations-expand-to-malibu-as-firefighters-battle-growing-woolsey-fire-in-southern-california/70006567

Edited November 11, 2018 by susieice

[+susieice]

Death toll at 23 with 110 missing in Northern California. 

https://www.apnews.com/21231ab70a4d4369833dee2f723d8e04

The Woolsey fire in Southern California includes the town of Thousand Oaks, the scene of Wednesday night's shooting. My thoughts go out to all the victims, but I can't even imagine what the town of Thousand Oaks is going through right now.

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/11/10/armageddon-woolsey-fire/

[Eldorado]

California Gov. Jerry Brown's office says they are focusing on the wildfires ravaging both ends of the state and not President Trump's "inane and uninformed tweets" blaming the disaster on mismanagement of the state's forests.

"Our focus is on the Californians impacted by these fires and the first responders and firefighters working around the clock to save lives and property — not on the president’s inane and uninformed tweets," Evan Westrup, the governor's press secretary, told ABC News on Sunday.

Westrup did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment.

The response comes one day after the president blamed the deadly California wildfires on "gross mismanagement" of the state's forests, threatening to withdraw federal funding. The president doubled down on the finger-pointing in a Sunday tweet from France.

Full monty: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/416156-california-governors-office-says-focus-is-on-wildfires-not-trumps-inane

[ExpandMyMind]

2 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

California Gov. Jerry Brown's office says they are focusing on the wildfires ravaging both ends of the state and not President Trump's "inane and uninformed tweets" blaming the disaster on mismanagement of the state's forests.

"Our focus is on the Californians impacted by these fires and the first responders and firefighters working around the clock to save lives and property — not on the president’s inane and uninformed tweets," Evan Westrup, the governor's press secretary, told ABC News on Sunday.

Westrup did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment.

The response comes one day after the president blamed the deadly California wildfires on "gross mismanagement" of the state's forests, threatening to withdraw federal funding. The president doubled down on the finger-pointing in a Sunday tweet from France.

Full monty: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/416156-california-governors-office-says-focus-is-on-wildfires-not-trumps-inane

The President of the US doesn't seem to realise that the land is owned by the federal government and completely its responsibility to maintain, not the State's. 

[+and-then]

It was a stupid, petty thing for him to say, IMO.  While it's probably accurate if the government decides to cut disaster help to regions that mismanage their funds or continue to build in zones that are guaranteed to be struck again and again (hurricanes, floods, etc.) then FEMA need not exist and the tax base would eventually suffer greatly.

[+susieice]

1 hour ago, ExpandMyMind said:

The President of the US doesn't seem to realise that the land is owned by the federal government and completely its responsibility to maintain, not the State's. 

What planet are you on? The land is private property and billions in tax dollars are sent every year. Some is Federal, but not much. California has it's own State Government that the money is turned over to.

[ExpandMyMind]

3 minutes ago, susieice said:

What planet are you on? The land is private property and billions in tax dollars are sent every year. Some is Federal, but not much. California has it's own State Government that the money is turned over to.

Quote

California officials and fire experts, including the head of the state’s largest firefighters association, blasted Trump’s comments as simplistic and ill-informed — noting that the federal government itself owns more than half of California’s forest land — and grossly insensitive in its timing.

SFC

 

[+susieice]

3 minutes ago, ExpandMyMind said:

California officials and fire experts, including the head of the state’s largest firefighters association, blasted Trump’s comments as simplistic and ill-informed — noting that the federal government itself owns more than half of California’s forest land — and grossly insensitive in its timing.

 

10 minutes ago, susieice said:

What planet are you on? The land is private property and billions in tax dollars are sent every year. Some is Federal, but not much. California has it's own State Government that the money is turned over to.

I said. Some is owned by the Federal Government. That would be your National Parks. There is little BLM land and these fires aren't in a National Park. This is State governed, privately owned land. 

 

1 hour ago, and then said:

It was a stupid, petty thing for him to say, IMO.  While it's probably accurate if the government decides to cut disaster help to regions that mismanage their funds or continue to build in zones that are guaranteed to be struck again and again (hurricanes, floods, etc.) then FEMA need not exist and the tax base would eventually suffer greatly.

I agree there could be mismanagement of funds. Trump can't handle his mouth, that's for sure.

[ExpandMyMind]

1 minute ago, susieice said:

I said. Some is owned by the Federal Government. That would be your National Parks. There is little BLM land and these fires aren't in a National Park. This is State governed, privately owned land.

I'm going to assume 'the head of the state’s largest firefighters association' knows what he's talking about.

[+susieice]

9 minutes ago, ExpandMyMind said:

I'm going to assume 'the head of the state’s largest firefighters association' knows what he's talking about.

I'm going to give you a geography lesson, ok. The US has 50 states. All states have their own government and laws. All states have Federal Parks in them. All states receive Federal funding for whatever they request. Out of 50, only 1 has this problem over and over and worse and worse. Other states have fires, as wildfires are a part of the natural processes. Nothing of this frequency or scope. And this isn't even the hottest or driest in the southwest. Maybe the state's largest firefighters association should check into what happened to the billions that Sacramento got to help curb this problem.

And I'll also go out on a limb and say the most likely cause of this fire wasn't something, but someone. Usually is. We'll see.

Edited November 12, 2018 by susieice

[+susieice]

2 minutes ago, susieice said:

No idea how this happened. Ooops

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by susieice

[Gromdor]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/woolsey-fire-explodes-to-70000-acres-amid-fight-to-save-communities/ar-BBPy5Y5

"Trump approved a state-of-emergency declaration but on Saturday once again attacked California, claiming erroneously that poor forest management policies caused the fires, even though the Woolsey fire didn’t occur in a forest."

[+susieice]

8 minutes ago, Gromdor said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/woolsey-fire-explodes-to-70000-acres-amid-fight-to-save-communities/ar-BBPy5Y5

"Trump approved a state-of-emergency declaration but on Saturday once again attacked California, claiming erroneously that poor forest management policies caused the fires, even though the Woolsey fire didn’t occur in a forest."

It didn't occur in a National Park either, although they have. I heard one person (not here) comment that Malibu doesn't have trees. Believe me. It does. And really big flowering shrubs also. Not just the beach. The canyons are full of shrubbery and trees. And houses. All houses will be a million dollar house because of the cost of living California has. And I'll still stick to my prediction that the cause will point to someone and not something. Trump needs to cool his jets. What he said was uncalled for, especially at this moment. To suspect misappropriation is one thing. To speak like that to those poor people and first responders is not good.

Edited November 12, 2018 by susieice

[+and-then]

1 hour ago, susieice said:

I agree there could be mismanagement of funds. Trump can't handle his mouth, that's for sure.

I have no doubt that the officials in CA use such Federal funding for whatever they prefer, regardless of rules.  If he wants to see another case of mismanagement he should investigate New Orleans Louisiana and those Parishes that diverted Federal funding over decades from maintaining their levee system.  To my knowledge, not one Parish official was ever even indicted, let alone convicted.  The money became a slush fund and was mostly never accounted for.  It was a common assumption for those of us who grew up along the Gulf Coast that someday the Crescent City would fill up like a bowl when the right hurricane came calling.

As I said, he's probably accurate but you don't kick people when they're suffering.  We're all Americans and we all can face overwhelming natural tragedies of some sort.  Along the coast, we have been forced by the need for insurance to adopt rigid (expensive) building codes.  Perhaps a similar system of codes could save lives out there as well.

[+and-then]

If this fire follows the pattern, the rains will come and shortly after sufficient rain has fallen, the hillsides will slide.  Another potential tragedy.  I know that area is home to many people and I'm sure that the natural beauty will be restored over a few years but I think I would only live in such a place if I could afford to stay in place and emerge after it was over - including the tons of mud and debris that might come down on me on a rainy night.

[+susieice]

8 minutes ago, and then said:

If this fire follows the pattern, the rains will come and shortly after sufficient rain has fallen, the hillsides will slide.  Another potential tragedy.  I know that area is home to many people and I'm sure that the natural beauty will be restored over a few years but I think I would only live in such a place if I could afford to stay in place and emerge after it was over - including the tons of mud and debris that might come down on me on a rainy night.

Those mudslides are serious business. Without the roots to secure the dirt, it comes down like an avalanche and will destroy what wasn't taken by fire. It happens even if the rain is delayed by a few weeks or even months. The rebirth of nature is what a wild fire is about. It takes out the old and dead and the new comes up. Most of these fires, however, are started by people. There's no controlling the Santa Ana winds. Firemen know how to control fires. Sacramento needs to be brought to task.

Edited November 12, 2018 by susieice