# The Camp Fire Thread -or- Northern Cali Is Like SOOO Hot Right Now **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216 "2018-11-08T22:17:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/1 "2018-11-08T22:17:34Z")
[The AP is reporting that tens of thousands are fleeing, some thru walls of flame](https://apnews.com/13f45d0d7c024094a9daa9173a4b4f50). It sounds really urgent and really fucking bad. > [@](#): > > Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate a fast-moving wildfire that exploded in size Thursday, threatening several Northern California communities and forcing panicked residents to race to help neighbors who had to drive through walls of flames to escape. > > It was not immediately known if there were injuries or fatalities. > > As people fled in cars, some abandoned their vehicles, running from encroaching flames as they held babies in their arms and pets, said Gina Oviedo, who described a devastating scene as she evacuated the town of Paradise. Flames were engulfing homes, utility poles were crashing down and things were exploding, she said. > > “It’s a very dangerous and very serious situation,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told The Associated Press. “I’m driving through fire as we speak. We’re doing everything we can to get people out of the affected areas.” > > He confirmed reports that evacuees had to abandon their vehicles as they fled the scene. > [@](#): > > All of Paradise, a town of about 27,000 people 180 miles (290 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, was ordered to evacuate, said Butte County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Miranda Bowersox. > > The wildfire was reported at 6:30 a.m., affecting about 30,000 people, Rick Carhart, a Cal Fire spokesman, said. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/2 "2018-11-08T22:39:15Z")
I knew there was a big fire somewhere, because of all the murky smoke we’re seeing here in San Jose. I hope everyone gets out safely up there. It was blowing a gale this morning on my way to work. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/3 "2018-11-09T01:22:13Z")
How long has it been since California hasn’t had at least one, large scale wildfire causing people to flee? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/4 "2018-11-09T02:36:46Z")
Warm dry weather in northern California is predicted to go on until the 16th or so, another week. This is very bad. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/5 "2018-11-09T03:23:25Z")
Our weather-talkers are predicting no precipitation through _Thanksgiving._ (backside of the Sierra) Some Old Bullshit, to be sure. But I love me a good camp fire. I have about 3 a week. Might burn one tonight… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/6 "2018-11-09T05:05:35Z")
[Paradise lost](https://apnews.com/13f45d0d7c024094a9daa9173a4b4f50): > [@](#): > > “Pretty much the community of Paradise is destroyed, it’s that kind of devastation,” said Cal Fire Capt. Scott McLean late Thursday. “The wind that was predicted came and just wiped it out.” > > McLean estimated that a couple of thousand structures were destroyed in the town of 27,000 residents about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, was ordered to get out. The extent of the injuries and specific damage count was not immediately known as officials could not access the dangerous area. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/7 "2018-11-09T05:52:41Z")
Well, I must say the thread title promised more fun stuff than the OP contained. My thoughts are with all those affected. Living in Australia, bushfires (wildfires) are a fact of life in late summer (esp Feb/March) and particularly in the southern states and every year sees lives and properties lost with some years being worse than others. May the losses in Paradise be minimal and just stuff that can be rebuilt. May everyone be safe. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/8 "2018-11-09T15:25:47Z")
Man, ever since that huge tornado in Joplin in 2011 I’ve been woken up to the idea that natural disasters wipe out entire towns. Yes, yes I know - hurricanes and tornadoes have been wiping out huge swaths of populations for millennia (and also New Orleans, duh). But for some reason the Joplin one just finally made it click for me how devastating that is. I just cannot fathom the idea of not only losing your home but all your neighbors, your schools, your parks, your business districts, all gone at the same time. There’s nowhere safe and happy for you to land. With these wildfires too, add in the terror of just the FLAMES…boy oh boy, the OP makes my stomach turn. It seems like the people of Paradise are helping each other, and that’s what’s most important in times like this. No one will survive if people don’t band together. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/9 "2018-11-09T16:03:40Z")
[The fire is still burning and still out of control. And it’s huge.](https://apnews.com/8cc9527b1d904dedbe9b39d10df99c58) > [@](#): > > The fire in Paradise was reported shortly after daybreak and had consumed more than 28 square miles (73 square kilometers) by nightfall with firefighters unable to contain any of the blaze, McLean said. And new fires started yesterday too: > [@](#): > > Wildfires also erupted in Southern California, with reports early Friday of two large fires scorching about 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) and threatening numerous communities. [ABC7.com](http://ABC7.com) reported that 75,000 homes are under evacuation orders along the border of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Many people are missing & unaccounted for in Paradise. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/10 "2018-11-09T16:13:05Z")
I know a bunch of folks from there. Trying to find out what happened to them. Hoping the fire does spread to Chico. Apparently they’re evacuating parts of that city, too. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/11 "2018-11-09T16:38:57Z")
[Malibu ordered evacuated](https://apnews.com/dd7356201deb4cb7b74988b1b16c4db4). Yes: all of Malibu. > [@](#): > > The entire city of Malibu was ordered evacuated early Friday as a ferocious Southern California’s wildfire roared toward the beachside community that is home for many Hollywood celebrities. > > The Los Angeles County Fire Department tweeted that the fire raging through the Santa Monica Mountains was headed to the ocean. Malibu has about 13,000 residents and lies along 21 miles (34 kilometers) of coast at the southern foot of the mountain range. > > “Imminent threat!” the department said in its warning. > > The erupted Thursday near the northwest corner of the city of Los Angeles as the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds gusted, triggering overnight evacuations of an estimated 75,000 homes in western Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County. I wonder if I should ask a mod to remove “Northern” from the thread title. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/12 "2018-11-09T19:23:54Z")
The Camp Fire has moved insanely fast. Early on it was burning 80+ acres/minute, but it has sustained 50+ for most of the last day - from nothing to 70,000+ acres in ~20 hours. The town of Paradise is more less gone from the looks of things and we’re only at ~5% containment. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/13 "2018-11-09T19:23:59Z")
About half of the cities of Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park are under mandatory evacuation orders. That’s a huge population. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/14 "2018-11-10T00:02:16Z")
For those who are not Californians, here is the [Cal State Fire Map](http://www.fire.ca.gov/general/firemaps). There is a clickable link below it to get to a bigger map that can be zoomed and clicked more easily. The information generally isn’t the absolutely freshest (Facebook and local blogs tend to have the most recent news) but it is the most comprehensive source. And yes, there are 16 active fires in California at this time (many mostly contained). ☹ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/15 "2018-11-10T00:09:38Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Man, ever since that huge tornado in Joplin in 2011 I’ve been woken up to the idea that natural disasters wipe out entire towns. Yes, yes I know - hurricanes and tornadoes have been wiping out huge swaths of populations for millennia (and also New Orleans, duh). But for some reason the Joplin one just finally made it click for me how devastating that is. > > I just cannot fathom the idea of not only losing your home but all your neighbors, your schools, your parks, your business districts, all gone at the same time. There’s nowhere safe and happy for you to land. > > With these wildfires too, add in the terror of just the FLAMES…boy oh boy, the OP makes my stomach turn. > > It seems like the people of Paradise are helping each other, and that’s what’s most important in times like this. No one will survive if people don’t band together. I moved to that region (briefly, as it turned out) a few months later. I never could bring myself to go there even though it wasn’t all that far away. One of my FBFs in my previous town said that her kids, who were then late grade-schoolers, said, “What happened to their houses?” “They’re gone.” “And their clothes?” “They’re gone.” “And their toys?” “They’re gone too.” “The kids in Joplin don’t have any toys? Let’s have a lemonade stand.” So, they did that and the neighborhood kids’ parents bought $10 or $20 cups of lemonade, and my FBF went online and found an organization that specialized in helping kids, and sent them a check. There was a lot of news about people finding X-rays and other medical records, from the hospital that was wrenched right off its foundation. That was not as unexpected as the story about the X-ray MACHINE that was found 30 miles away. :eek: The building could not be imploded because it was constructed over a defunct lead mine, and instead was dismantled and later subjected to a wrecking ball. Back to the fire. I heard that Caitlyn Jenner’s house was totally destroyed by this fire. ☹ Does anyone know how this fire got started? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/16 "2018-11-10T01:49:58Z")
> [@](#): > > While the cause of the fire wasn’t known, Pacific Gas & Electric Company told state regulators it experienced an outage on an electrical transmission line near Paradise about 15 minutes before the blaze broke out. The company said it later noticed damage to a transmission tower near the town. The utility’s filing was first reported by KQED News. > **[At least 9 dead as fire incinerates N. California town](https://apnews.com/article/fires-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-california-department-of-forestry-and-fire-protection-8cc9527b1d904dedbe9b39d10df99c58)** > > PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — A fierce wildfire in Northern California incinerated most of a town of about 30,000 people with flames that moved so fast there was nothing firefighters could do, authorities said Friday. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/17 "2018-11-10T02:15:56Z")
[_Westworld_ parts have departed](https://variety.com/2018/film/news/westworld-paramount-ranch-western-town-woolsey-fire-1203024785/). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/18 "2018-11-10T02:57:23Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > Hoping the fire does spread to Chico. Apparently they’re evacuating parts of that city, too. You meant “doesn’t”, I hope? My sister lives in San Diego, and even fires that far away affect air quality. I’ve visited her, and if the place where she lived was ever in danger of catching fire, we’d REALLY have problems. Remember a couple years ago when the city of Fort MacMurray, Alberta was evacuated due to a forest fire, and Oroville, CA more recently because of a possible dam break? In both cases, these were cities of about 80,000, and both towns were left largely intact, so that was a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/19 "2018-11-10T03:11:53Z")
[You may have seen this shot of people](https://twitter.com/BankerG2/status/1061039382029754368) evacuating Malibu. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2018, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216/20 "2018-11-10T03:12:25Z")
The air quality here in the Bay Area is really bad. The smoke is so thick that it looks like we’re fogged in. My eyes burn, my throat is scratchy, and taking a deep breath causes coughing. It smells like smoke inside buildings. We almost need an omnibus thread for California wildfires. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-camp-fire-thread-or-northern-cali-is-like-sooo-hot-right-now/824216.md?page=2)