# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/41 "2020-08-21T00:54:34Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > We got rain last week, surprisingly, and thunderstorms. The lightning started a lot of the fires, so the rain hurt. It was really a microscopic amount of rain. The thunderstorm itself was nuts. Set off car alarms in my complex. We get the occasional thunderstorm here but nothing like that. The difference between lightning flash and thunder varied a lot, and randomly (between a couple of seconds and 15+ seconds), so it was clearly widespread. Went on from about 4-6am. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/42 "2020-08-21T03:58:08Z")
Yeah, when it started raining last week, I thought, “Rain in August? Maybe fire season won’t be so bad this year!” And then it turned out to be the kind of rain that starts fires, because fuck 2020. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/43 "2020-08-21T04:06:43Z")
heh even the deserts on fire and has been for a week in a half … it was so hazy here it actually cooled it down over the weekend … and we had a 45 minute storm that helped a little bit but mostly just made a bunch of noise > **[Lake fire grows to 27,041 acres north of Castaic](https://www.ocregister.com/2020/08/20/lake-fire-grows-to-27041-acres-north-of-castaic/)** > > A wildfire burning near Lake Hughes in steep and rugged terrain and fueled by bone-dry vegetation and drought-stressed trees has grown to 27,041 acres and was 48% contained Thursday morning. its only half contained … it might take another week to finish it off local news is saying the evac center at the fairgrounds that the article mentions is about 5 minutes from me ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/44 "2020-08-21T15:46:28Z")
Cross-posting from the Gweeb. A fire evacuation warning zone has just been advanced to about 1 mile from where I live. There are a lot of suburbs and freeway between us and it, but I’m still keeping the evacuation zone map open in a tab, and will go back and refresh it periodically. The historic redwood log building in Big Basin Redwoods State Park has burnt, I hear. Hopefully those big ancient redwoods withstand this fire, like they have in the past. All of the village of Boulder Creek might be history. There are just not enough firefighters to battle all these behemoths. ---
**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 21, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/45 "2020-08-21T17:41:25Z")
I’ve been looking at the maps that Jumpbass shared, it looks like downtown Boulder Creek itself might be safe. I understand that evacuation orders have gone out of UC Santa Cruz. From a different branch of the fire, my daughter’s friend was evacuated out of Gilroy yesterday. So far the fire closest to us continues to be well mannered, and burn east away from us. Cal Fire had this to say yesterday: > “My recommendation is that all the citizens in California be ready to go if there is a wildfire,” Cal Fire spokeswoman Lynnette Round said Wednesday. “Residents have to have their bags packed up with your nose facing out your driveway so you can leave quickly. Everybody should be ready to go, especially if you’re in a wildfire area.” It seems a bit extreme for the entire state, but around here it makes sense. Be a good reason to drive my cars a little bit anyway. ---
**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 21, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/46 "2020-08-21T22:22:25Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > From a different branch of the fire, my daughter’s friend was evacuated out of Gilroy yesterday Huh. The only fire near Gilroy is on the far side of Henry Coe, quite a ways away. Was she way up in the hills somewhere outside of town? ---
**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 21, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/47 "2020-08-21T23:05:29Z")
Maybe it was her dad’s house instead, which is Morgan Hill. I’m going to ask a few more questions because I can’t figure it out either. ---
**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 21, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/48 "2020-08-21T23:29:28Z")
OK - clarification. It’s her dad’s house and it was a “ready to go” warning, not the order to leave. It looks like the fire is the other side of the ridge, but they want to be ready if it comes over. ---
**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 22, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/49 "2020-08-22T00:13:00Z")
Got it. With the expected lightning storm this weekend/next week, I’ll certainly have my car packed and ready. Right now in Aptos I am far, far from the fires, but that could change quite quickly. ---
**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 22, 2020, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/50 "2020-08-22T00:40:45Z")
The whole region came back after Loma Prieta, and I remember what that looked like at first. It will come back again. I just hate to see it. Did you just say storm this weekend? Well, shit. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/51 "2020-08-22T00:57:53Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Did you just say storm this weekend? Well, shit. Worth [following](https://weatherwest.com/archives/7459). There can be fair amount of informed commentary/situation tracking in the comments section if you have the time to sift for it. Also useless nonsense at times, but the signal/noise ratio is better than most 🙂 ---
**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 22, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/52 "2020-08-22T00:58:22Z")
Yup. [[Album] Yup ![](https://i.imgur.com/E9u2zVD.jpeg?fb "Yup") ](https://imgur.com/a/2U8zOOX) ---
**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 22, 2020, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/53 "2020-08-22T01:39:05Z")
Now neurosing about possible vulnerability in Sacramento itself. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/54 "2020-08-22T03:59:00Z")
End of the fuckin’ world. And I ain’t never read no bible. Shit! ---
**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 22, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/55 "2020-08-22T05:32:32Z")
Hey, it’s 2020. Still time for a major earthquake, a nuclear power accident, and an active volcano in Bakersfield. ---
**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 22, 2020, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/56 "2020-08-22T05:33:42Z")
Please don’t give 2020 more ideas. It already has more than enough. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/57 "2020-08-22T06:02:03Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Hey, it’s 2020. My sister, who lives in Georgia, told me the new slang for “Screwing something up” is “You 2020ed it”. ---
**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 22, 2020, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/58 "2020-08-22T06:14:45Z")
Works for me. I’ve also heard the claim that “2020” is going to become a term for “crazy”. ---
**Author:** ![allyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@allyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/allyn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/59 "2020-08-22T20:53:05Z")
Last image from the Bonny Doon (Santa Cruz Mtns) webcam: [http://www.alertwildfire.org/southeastbay/index.html?camera=Axis-BonnyDoon&v=81e002f](http://www.alertwildfire.org/southeastbay/index.html?camera=Axis-BonnyDoon&v=81e002f) [alertwildfire.org](http://alertwildfire.org) has links to other webcams all over California ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/60 "2020-08-22T21:30:01Z")
California coast climate in a nutshell: virtually zero lightning. And rainfall is a perfect bell curve, peaking in Jan Feb, and practically zero between May and October. So being awakened Sunday by a spectacular thunderstorm was a rare “treat”. Hah. My family all went camping at Big Sur Sunday- Tuesday…bailed out early as the smoke (from any of 3 nearby fires) got worse and worse. Drove home 100 miles north to the Bay Area, out of the range of that smoke but into the range if the SZU Complex smoke. Or maybe it’s LNU. Can’t tell, doesn’t matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=4)