# Breaking News: The West coast is on Fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 19, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512 "2020-08-19T19:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/21 "2020-08-20T02:46:05Z")
No fires in Sacramento County, but air quality sucks (not as badly as the Camp Fire a few years ago. Yet) and the sun looks red. We’re seeing ash falling here in Sacramento itself, and yeah, the air has a bit more taste and texture than normal. I don’t think the cat’s going outside for a few days. I’m betting this is harder on tiny kitty lungs than on human-size respiratory systems. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/22 "2020-08-20T03:01:48Z")
None really near us ATM in San Luis Obispo, but the smoke is brutal. We hit 100 deg today, I have no AC and my eyes are burning just sitting in my apt with the windows open. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/23 "2020-08-20T03:18:23Z")
My son in SLO says the Big Sir arson fire is filling the SLO valley w smoke today. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/24 "2020-08-20T04:34:24Z")
I’m in SLO. It was almost smoky enough today to stare at the sun. That didn’t stop us from nearly hitting triple digit temps. ---
**Author:** ![allyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@allyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/allyn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/25 "2020-08-20T05:24:30Z")
Smokey orange skies this morning in the Mt. View area. I could also smell smoke last night and this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/26 "2020-08-20T05:48:56Z")
Western Stanislaus County here, not far from Del Puerto Canyon Zone fire (in the hills, roughly between Lick Observatory and Patterson). Air somewhat smokey around here but not extremely so. Some ash falling all over everything. Fuck breathing that shit. I’m wearing some kind of mask just to step out the door, which I’m actually mostly avoiding. And keeping all my doors and windows closed. Sky has been alien yucky yellow-brown for several days. Reminds me of those color photos from Mars. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/27 "2020-08-20T12:06:05Z")
Our air is hazy here in Tucson. They said some of that is smoke from California wildfires. Stay safe. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/28 "2020-08-20T13:37:44Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > Average Precipitation Map by month for the US Well, there is your problem! You live in a place that doesn’t get rain. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/29 "2020-08-20T14:32:04Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > The area is fairly remote and fire fighting will be difficult. When I lived in CA, lightning-started fires were allowed to burn unchecked unless they were threatening structures. Is that still the case? I wouldn’t think they’d be making much effort in the remote areas of Big Basin. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/30 "2020-08-20T15:12:14Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > When I lived in CA, lightning-started fires were allowed to burn unchecked unless they were threatening structures. Is that still the case? I wouldn’t think they’d be making much effort in the remote areas of Big Basin I don’t know the current policy, but the SC mountains fire is large and 0% contained. Evacuations have been ordered all the way to Santa Cruz on the coast and Scotts Valley was just issued an evacuation warning. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/k4PdGvM.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/k4PdGvM) ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/31 "2020-08-20T15:54:24Z")
I’m in Napa. My house is not under threat, unlike the fires two years ago, but my sister, who lives in the hills near Lake Berryessa, lost a couple rental properties and her house was very threatened but the fire jumped over it somehow. This is the map I’ve been using: [https://firemap.sdsc.edu/?fbclid=IwAR1e0xAcFRktfmn1UCq8FjAnkqqqmnrL-uXrueCOrtZpKimD1-17u-V-kug](https://firemap.sdsc.edu/?fbclid=IwAR1e0xAcFRktfmn1UCq8FjAnkqqqmnrL-uXrueCOrtZpKimD1-17u-V-kug) Click on the icon in the upper right hand corner. Click on Fires and a dropdown will appear. Check **Satellite Fire Detections VIIRS** and **Satellite Fire Detections MODIS** ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/32 "2020-08-20T16:44:43Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > The fire has reached Big Basin State Park, which runs from Skyline to the Sea (near the cliffs we were discussing above). My understanding is that the old growth redwood is doing fine. This is in the Santa Cruz mountains, very close to where I lived for many years. The area is fairly remote and fire fighting will be difficult. I understand that the fire burned the visitor center there, which is a bummer. Beautiful state park. My garage smells like the cabins I camped in winter in Boy Scouts - full of wood smoke. No ash here yet, the winds are carrying it away from us. I’m keeping the A/C fans on all the time, and am going to replace the filters as soon as this is over. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/33 "2020-08-20T16:45:55Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > Rain? In California? In August? > > Hah!! > > We don’t generally get any measurable rain in July or August and no real rain until October or November. We got rain last week, surprisingly, and thunderstorms. The lightning started a lot of the fires, so the rain hurt. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/34 "2020-08-20T16:56:03Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > We’re seeing ash falling here in Sacramento itself I had to go to the office yesterday afternoon. When I came back out my car was covered in little flakes of ash, which really stands out against a black convertible top. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/35 "2020-08-20T17:25:37Z")
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve shared it with a few folks. Despite the intense smoke and ash, it looks like we’re well clear, which is good to know. It looks like my former home in Boulder Creek was in the burn area. No way to know yet if it’s still there. I loved living up there in the redwoods. This is very sad. It looks like hundreds of structures have burned, if not thousands. I imagine the fire fighters were completely overwhelmed. They had 500 Cal-Fire folks, plus a volunteer fire force. No air assist due to the smoke and winds. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/36 "2020-08-20T17:26:24Z")
As of just a few minutes ago, the air is yellow (sun angle plus crud in the air) and reeks of smoke, with some texture. So far as I know, there are no fires within 25 miles of Sacramento. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/37 "2020-08-20T17:35:22Z")
There are several communities in there, and it’s starting to reach far enough north that it’ll hit some pretty high class areas, as well as prime commute routes. One reason the evacuation orders are being issued out in front of the fire is that there are relatively few roads into some of these areas, and even places like Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz are running the risk of getting cut off in multiple directions. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/38 "2020-08-20T21:27:34Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > When I lived in CA, lightning-started fires were allowed to burn unchecked unless they were threatening structures. Is that still the case? I wouldn’t think they’d be making much effort in the remote areas of Big Basin. How long ago was that? The thing is that there are structures nearly everywhere now - previously wild areas have become suburban, even close to Big Basin. The housing crunch and all that. A fire burning out in a wilderness area is going to be monitored and not actively fought so much, but this thunder/lightening storm was a direct hit near densely populated areas with lots of dry vegetation. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/39 "2020-08-20T23:03:13Z")
SLO has the worst air quality in the country, today. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/40 "2020-08-20T23:28:13Z")
I’ve been congested and had a mild sore throat all day today. I’m attributing that to the smokey air. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=3)