The trouble is, the fires tend to be fairly spotty, and the terrain is very hilly. So even if one area burned down five years ago, the other side of the hill may still have plenty of fuel. Not to mention, that area is lousy with eucalyptus trees, which are officially known as pryophillic. They produce oil-saturated bark and twigs which collect on the ground.
Under the current conditions - high winds, high temps, and very low humidity - the fire can jump a 100 yard break (like, say, a highway with well trimmed, fuelless margins) in minutes, and inch thick flaming branches have been thrown by the wind as far as a mile ahead of the fireline. If there’s any fuel at all, even the stuff that managed to grow back in less than five years, it can easily burn again.
Gah, woke up in LA county today and the horizon’s brown from fire smoke! Its not as bad as SD, but from the map, I thought it was fairly small. But the sun this morning had a distinct tint of brown/yellow that matches the brownness of the horizon. Feels like we’re surrounded @_@
Several family members had to evacuate and they’re staying with other family. There was a small, 40 acre, fire near my grandmas house but the firefighters put it out pretty quick so no one had to leave.
Also just heard this morning that two teens were arrested for starting small fires around Escondido. Police have not connected them with any of the big fires but the book needs to be thrown at these assholes.
This seems to happen every 2 years and its always some nut who has set the fire. To get off from prosecution, they are probably playing up insanity, but this all seems to happen with Amazing regularity. :dubious:
Q: Is there any money to be made in scorching real estate & neighborhoods? Is there some sort of under-the-table incentive these guys are getting (or anticipating from the re-build)?
Is this some grass roots objection to “unreasonable Federal Land Management” (like please don’t burn down 1/2 the west coast during fire season?)
Yes, its been pointed out that this time only a small portion of CA has been affected, but some of that seems to be through luck and hard work… and prior set fires have been a LOT worse.
Its seems illogical for pyromania to only strike this often in the Pacific time zone and where there is a pattern, you look for a money trail… right?
I dunno. Here in Colorado Springs, there was some looting in evacuated areas. I doubt people set fire on purpose hoping to loot, but it’s an attractive crime of opportunity for certain types.
There was a fire in Santa Barbara in 1990 that was one of the more devastating ones to have happened here. It was started by some douche bag over a dispute with one of his neighbors.
