California wildfires
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LadyStanley
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Thomas Fire Now Ranks Among Top 10 Largest California Wildfires; 173,000 Acres Burned | The Weather Channel
Not an accomplishment I'm happy about
Not an accomplishment I'm happy about
LadyStanley
Registered User
LadyStanley
Registered User
LadyStanley
Registered User
LadyStanley
Registered User
Thomas Fire burns 272,000 acres. Fire information - KEYT
As of 12/20, Thomas fire: 272k acres burned; 60% contained.
As of 12/20, Thomas fire: 272k acres burned; 60% contained.
LadyStanley
Registered User
Southern California's Thomas Fire Now Largest Wildfire in State History | The Weather Channel
Not a record I ever hopefully would be superceded
Not a record I ever hopefully would be superceded
LadyStanley
Registered User
And here we are almost a year later. Some of the biggest fires (again) this year. And the deadliest in state history (Camp - 71 confirmed deaths) currently ongoing. Thousands of homes destroyed in the Camp and Woolsey (also ongoing) fires.
And the worst cities today in the world for air quality: San Francisco, Sacramento and Oakland
Northern California has worst air quality in the world
And the worst cities today in the world for air quality: San Francisco, Sacramento and Oakland
Northern California has worst air quality in the world
Stylizer1
SENSimillanaire
I was watching a show where they talked about the fires in California and how because of the massive drought they were linked to global warming. Did a little research and found this:
"The Great Fire of 1910 (also commonly referred to as the Big Blowup, the Big Burn, or the Devil's Broom fire) was a wildfire in the western United States that burned three million acres (4,700 sq mi; 12,100 km2) in North Idaho and Western Montana, with extensions into Eastern Washington and Southeast British Columbia, in the summer of 1910.[1] The area burned included large parts of the Bitterroot, Cabinet, Clearwater, Coeur d'Alene, Flathead, Kaniksu, Kootenai, Lewis and Clark, Lolo, and St. Joe National Forests.
The fire burned over two days, August 20–21, after strong winds caused numerous smaller fires to combine into a firestorm of unprecedented size. It killed 87 people,[2] mostly firefighters,[3][4] and destroyed numerous manmade structures, including several entire towns. It is believed to be the largest, although not the deadliest, forest fire in U.S. history.[5] The extensive burned area was approximately the size of the state of Connecticut.
In the aftermath of the fire, the U.S. Forest Service received considerable recognition for its firefighting efforts. The outcome was to highlight firefighters as public heroes while raising public awareness of national nature conservation. The fire is often considered a significant impetus in the development of early wildfire prevention and suppression strategies.
A great number of problems contributed to the destruction caused by the Great Fire of 1910. The fire season started early that year because the spring and summer of 1910 were extremely dry[6] and the summer sufficiently hot to have been described as "like no others".[1] The drought resulted in forests that were teeming with dry fuel, which had previously grown up on abundant autumn and winter moisture.[7] Hundreds of fires were ignited by hot cinders flung from locomotives, sparks, lightning, and backfiring crews. By mid-August, there were 1,000 to 3,000 fires burning in Idaho, Montana, and Washington"
2018 California wildfires
"2018 is the most destructive wildfire season on record in California, with a total of 7,579 fires burning an area of 1,667,855 acres (6,749.57 km2), the largest amount of burned acreage recorded in a fire season, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the National Interagency Fire Center, as of November 11.[1][2][3] The fires caused more than $2.975 billion (2018 USD) in damages, including $1.366 billion in fire suppression costs.[4][5][6][7] Through the end of August 2018, Cal Fire alone spent $432 million on operations.[17] The Mendocino Complex Fire burned more than 459,000 acres (1,860 km2), becoming the largest complex fire in the state's history, with the complex's Ranch Fire surpassing the Thomas Fire and the Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 to become California's single-largest recorded wildfire.[18][19]
Many different factors led to the 2018 California wildfire season becoming so destructive. A combination of an increased amount of natural fuel and compounding atmospheric conditions linked to global warming led to a series of destructive fires. Recent research on wildfires in California, published in August 2018, predicted an increase in the number of wildfires as a consequence of climate change."
The single fire in 1910 was twice as big (3 million acres) with fires covering 3 states and 1 province (BC). The great fire of California 2018 (1.6 million acres) is for the entire season and not 1 event. 2 fires with the same conditions but 1 is linked to global warming and the other was just too long ago for anyone to remember except Wikipedia. I find it really interesting that the media continues with a narrative that all of the earths problems are caused by global warming when instances of similar events have been recorded throughout history. It is this type of environment that makes people skeptical of what is the truth.
"The Great Fire of 1910 (also commonly referred to as the Big Blowup, the Big Burn, or the Devil's Broom fire) was a wildfire in the western United States that burned three million acres (4,700 sq mi; 12,100 km2) in North Idaho and Western Montana, with extensions into Eastern Washington and Southeast British Columbia, in the summer of 1910.[1] The area burned included large parts of the Bitterroot, Cabinet, Clearwater, Coeur d'Alene, Flathead, Kaniksu, Kootenai, Lewis and Clark, Lolo, and St. Joe National Forests.
The fire burned over two days, August 20–21, after strong winds caused numerous smaller fires to combine into a firestorm of unprecedented size. It killed 87 people,[2] mostly firefighters,[3][4] and destroyed numerous manmade structures, including several entire towns. It is believed to be the largest, although not the deadliest, forest fire in U.S. history.[5] The extensive burned area was approximately the size of the state of Connecticut.
In the aftermath of the fire, the U.S. Forest Service received considerable recognition for its firefighting efforts. The outcome was to highlight firefighters as public heroes while raising public awareness of national nature conservation. The fire is often considered a significant impetus in the development of early wildfire prevention and suppression strategies.
A great number of problems contributed to the destruction caused by the Great Fire of 1910. The fire season started early that year because the spring and summer of 1910 were extremely dry[6] and the summer sufficiently hot to have been described as "like no others".[1] The drought resulted in forests that were teeming with dry fuel, which had previously grown up on abundant autumn and winter moisture.[7] Hundreds of fires were ignited by hot cinders flung from locomotives, sparks, lightning, and backfiring crews. By mid-August, there were 1,000 to 3,000 fires burning in Idaho, Montana, and Washington"
2018 California wildfires
"2018 is the most destructive wildfire season on record in California, with a total of 7,579 fires burning an area of 1,667,855 acres (6,749.57 km2), the largest amount of burned acreage recorded in a fire season, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the National Interagency Fire Center, as of November 11.[1][2][3] The fires caused more than $2.975 billion (2018 USD) in damages, including $1.366 billion in fire suppression costs.[4][5][6][7] Through the end of August 2018, Cal Fire alone spent $432 million on operations.[17] The Mendocino Complex Fire burned more than 459,000 acres (1,860 km2), becoming the largest complex fire in the state's history, with the complex's Ranch Fire surpassing the Thomas Fire and the Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 to become California's single-largest recorded wildfire.[18][19]
Many different factors led to the 2018 California wildfire season becoming so destructive. A combination of an increased amount of natural fuel and compounding atmospheric conditions linked to global warming led to a series of destructive fires. Recent research on wildfires in California, published in August 2018, predicted an increase in the number of wildfires as a consequence of climate change."
The single fire in 1910 was twice as big (3 million acres) with fires covering 3 states and 1 province (BC). The great fire of California 2018 (1.6 million acres) is for the entire season and not 1 event. 2 fires with the same conditions but 1 is linked to global warming and the other was just too long ago for anyone to remember except Wikipedia. I find it really interesting that the media continues with a narrative that all of the earths problems are caused by global warming when instances of similar events have been recorded throughout history. It is this type of environment that makes people skeptical of what is the truth.
The Chinchaga Fire, in the Chinchaga River basin of BC and Alberta in 1950 was larger. And The Black Dragon in the Amur River basin in 1987 was even larger. That said, the fire seasons have been getting worse. California's worst fire season coincides with British Columbia's worst fire season, and that has to be worth something.
Stylizer1
SENSimillanaire
Another thing is it is very hard to determine what started the fires. You would think most of them didn't start naturally. Lightning strikes and lava are one thing but the vast majority are started by humans.
LadyStanley
Registered User
@Stylizer1 a number of fires are being suspected as started by utility lines (knocking together for instance). PG&E (NorCal) suspected of starting a number of recent fires and there may be state legislation coming to limit their liability so the company doesn't go bankrupt. With rate payers on the hook for potential payouts, they aren't very happy.
California's Deadliest Fires Could Have Been Mitigated By Prevention
Forbes article on how some prevention might have helped keep fires smaller.
TRUMP WAS RIGHT: Jerry Brown Eased California Logging Rules Back In August
And some rule changes going in place that would ease requirements for permits and temporary roads to allow for logging to thin the forests (private property <300 acres).
But it also goes back to how fires were "fought" in the 1950s - 1970s with heavy suppression at the first sign of trouble. In the 1980s, the scientists (finally) convinced the powers that be that fire is a natural process (especially when started by lightning) that is used to thin out forests, undergrowth and actually is required for some species (including the Sequoia) to open the pine cones and let new trees start growing. So the recent rules have been to let the fires burn, but work to prevent structure loss.
And the issue of so many people moving away from (major) urban areas and "right in the middle" of the wild (canyons filled with scrub, forests, etc.) which makes it so much harder to be able to defend those structures. IIRC, a 100'+ perimeter around a house is needed to better defend it; not all home owners are willing/able to work to keep that much space clear of stuff.
California's Deadliest Fires Could Have Been Mitigated By Prevention
Forbes article on how some prevention might have helped keep fires smaller.
TRUMP WAS RIGHT: Jerry Brown Eased California Logging Rules Back In August
And some rule changes going in place that would ease requirements for permits and temporary roads to allow for logging to thin the forests (private property <300 acres).
But it also goes back to how fires were "fought" in the 1950s - 1970s with heavy suppression at the first sign of trouble. In the 1980s, the scientists (finally) convinced the powers that be that fire is a natural process (especially when started by lightning) that is used to thin out forests, undergrowth and actually is required for some species (including the Sequoia) to open the pine cones and let new trees start growing. So the recent rules have been to let the fires burn, but work to prevent structure loss.
And the issue of so many people moving away from (major) urban areas and "right in the middle" of the wild (canyons filled with scrub, forests, etc.) which makes it so much harder to be able to defend those structures. IIRC, a 100'+ perimeter around a house is needed to better defend it; not all home owners are willing/able to work to keep that much space clear of stuff.
LadyStanley
Registered User
The Big Burn | Season 27 Episode 4 | American Experience
In 1910, over a 36 hour period, the nascent National Forest Service was helpless to stop a fire, now called "The Big Burn", that destroyed an area the size of the state of Connecticut.
As a result of that fire, the NFS declared an out-and-out war on fires, so that for a hundred years, fires were fought and suppressed.
A hundred years later, we can see that it was the wrong thing to do for the forests, many which have a burn through them every couple of decades. So, with no clearing fires, there is sometimes a century of fuel for some of the fires that we've been seeing.
PBS's American Experience on the Big Burn linked above.
In 1910, over a 36 hour period, the nascent National Forest Service was helpless to stop a fire, now called "The Big Burn", that destroyed an area the size of the state of Connecticut.
As a result of that fire, the NFS declared an out-and-out war on fires, so that for a hundred years, fires were fought and suppressed.
A hundred years later, we can see that it was the wrong thing to do for the forests, many which have a burn through them every couple of decades. So, with no clearing fires, there is sometimes a century of fuel for some of the fires that we've been seeing.
PBS's American Experience on the Big Burn linked above.
LadyStanley
Registered User
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