LA County Fires / Palisades Fire

[barbk]

The local reservoirs were not full. Try that on for starters before you start mentioning the Owens Valley or Lake Mead.

The local reservoirs generally need rain to fill. Rain that hasn't much fallen in 8 months. You can build all the reservoirs you want...but this is still basically a desert.

 

[Karen-W]

Physics. Physics is hard. For hydrants to have water pressure, there has to be water in the piping. As the water gets used up, more water needs to be pumped uphill (or flow downhill) to refill hydrants. Water systems are not designed for maximum flow to last indefinitely from many hydrants simultaneously.

Furthermore, unless you're willing to see more firefighters put at serious risk for their lives, there is a serious limit to active firefighting in the midst of windblown fires like those in the Palisades or Alhambra.

The reports of the empty fire hydrants were coming out within 4-5 hours of the fire's ignition. Exactly how long do you think the water should flow before physics kicks in and makes the hydrants run dry? I understand what the excuse and the physics of the situation is. The point is that the water supply was too low to feed the pipes for even a few hours.

And, I'm sure next you'll be pointing out how there were homeowners sucking water from the pipes by trying to hose down their own homes - and that's certainly a problem. There are many factors that could have prevented that from happening, but I won't bore you with those except to say that, having lived through more than a few droughts in both California & Oregon, it was pretty common knowledge to not waste water when the weather was dry. If your house wasn't on fire, you didn't have any business hosing it down in the hopes you might prevent it from catching fire.

 

[bladesofgorey]

One of my oldest friends works (or, I guess worked) right next to the Eaton fire location, and even though he's safe in the Long Beach area now the air quality around he and his wife (who has health issues) is feeling oppressive.

 

[Karen-W]

The local reservoirs generally need rain to fill. Rain that hasn't much fallen in 8 months. You can build all the reservoirs you want...but this is still basically a desert.

The reservoirs are built to hold water for the dry years and do NOT evaporate in a matter of a mere eight months. It takes YEARS of drought for the reservoirs to run dry when they are properly utilized. Dry spells are the norm for LA. The past two years, LA has had well above the average rainfall.

x.com

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[Vagabond]

The local reservoirs generally need rain to fill. Rain that hasn't much fallen in 8 months. You can build all the reservoirs you want...but this is still basically a desert.

Whoa! This is not how it works in Los Angeles, and it hasn't been for a very long time. Local runoff is insufficient. Those reservoirs draw water mostly from the Central Valley, Colorado River, Owens Valley, and Mono Lake Basin, and most of that water has to be shared with other communities or is subject to various restrictions.

William Mulholland - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Karen-W]

The Kenneth Fire that broke out in the West Hills (the one that everyone in LA County mistakenly got an evacuation alert for earlier today) appears to have been caused by arson.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1877546965900112366

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The Kenneth Fire that broke out in the West Hills (the one that everyone in LA County mistakenly got an evacuation alert for earlier today) appears to have been caused by arson.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1877546965900112366

I’m wondering how many of them were. I understand how it spreads but I don’t understand how it’s starting because in LA it’s freezing .. well.. by my standards it’s freezing .. probably not for most other people lol. I don’t understand how these are starting and I don’t see that being addressed.

 

[Karen-W]

I’m wondering how many of them were. I understand how it spreads but I don’t understand how it’s starting because in LA it’s freezing .. well..l by my standards it’s freezing ..l probably not for most other people lol I don’t understand how these are starting and I don’t see that being addressed.

Not sure about the Eaton or Palisades fires, but I saw a tweet last night from someone in your area about the Sunset Fire who said that they were positive it was either arson or a homeless person because there aren't any powerlines up in Runyon Canyon - it's all chaparral & woodland park area.

 

[Coco]

I've been wondering this, too.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Not sure about the Eaton or Palisades fires, but I saw a tweet last night from someone in your area about the Sunset Fire who said that they were positive it was either arson or a homeless person because there aren't any powerlines up in Runyon Canyon - it's all chaparral & woodland park area.

Yes, that’s what I’ve heard about the one by me as well. The exact same information.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Not sure about the Eaton or Palisades fires, but I saw a tweet last night from someone in your area about the Sunset Fire who said that they were positive it was either arson or a homeless person because there aren't any powerlines up in Runyon Canyon - it's all chaparral & woodland park area.

It’s so sad back in the 90s I had friends that lived at the base of Runyon Canyon and also further east by the Hollywood sign. Almost everybody I know hikes Runyon Canyon all year long. I don’t think anyone’s going up there for a while now.

 

[Judy]

I’m wondering how many of them were. I understand how it spreads but I don’t understand how it’s starting because in LA it’s freezing .. well.. by my standards it’s freezing .. probably not for most other people lol. I don’t understand how these are starting and I don’t see that being addressed.

Fire can happen anytime if conditions are good for it. Hurricane winds would be a disaster with that.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Fire can happen anytime if conditions are good for it. Hurricane winds would be a disaster with that.

I’m just wondering what is igniting them. I just been thinking about it. It’s not nearly hot enough at all or sunny enough for them just to start by themselves…. And not enough heat. It’s been quite a cold winter for LA so far. And yes, I understand the wind but I’m wondering what is sparking them. Cigarettes? Downed powerlines? Arson

 

[Judy]

I’m just wondering what is igniting them. I just been thinking about it. It’s not nearly hot enough at all or sunny enough for them just to start by themselves…. And not enough heat. It’s been quite a cold winter for LA so far. And yes, I understand the wind but I’m wondering what is sparking them. Cigarettes? Downed powerlines? Arson.

It’ll probably take a long time to find out .. however these experts do it. Perhaps they’ll never find out though.

 

[Judy]

Hmmm .. Canadian CL-415 Super Scoopers from Quebe are already there. I have no idea what a Super Scooper is btw.

Canadian CL-415 Super Scoopers already there from Quebec.

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I’ve never thought about the way planes dropped water .. I just knew they did.

 

[peibeck]

Honestly, I don't think that anything that comes out of any city official or department spokesperson's mouth right now, in the immediate aftermath, when they're clearly CYAing like mad can be trusted.


There is zero excuse for the hydrants having no water pressure. None. These people who are attempting to explain away their incompetence need to take ownership & responsibility for their colossal screw-up. More Truman, less toddler, please.

None of what I discussed in my post was in quotes from the mayor or a city official. And I would assume that ABC verified their content about about the budget before publishing the article. Otherwise they could have said 'public official stated xxx about the budget cuts but ABC has not been able to independently verify this statement.'

As for your second paragraph about holding politicians to account for incompetence, I'd say it definitely belongs in PI, but that it's got to also be one of the most ironic things I've ever seen you post.

 

[Judy]

More detailed explanation .. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250109-five-images-that-explain-why-the-la-fires-spread-so-fast

Along with pictures etc etc and a very clear explanation of how fast it can spread from embers.

 

[Karen-W]

More detailed explanation .. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250109-five-images-that-explain-why-the-la-fires-spread-so-fast

Yeah, no. Climate change (their 5th & final "reason") is not a factor here, no matter how much the BBC or any other left-leaning media outlet continues to peddle this bunk. If you're going to share an article about this at least have the good sense to vet the articles and dismiss any that are trying to horn climate change into this discussion.

 

[skatfan]

deleted post

 

[YukiNieve]

My mind boggles when trying to imagine (1) the event that would precipitate an actual evacuation order for nearly ten million people across all of Los Angeles County and (2) how it would even be feasible for everyone to comply with the order.

I am in LA County now for an essential trip and my phone rang an emergency tone with this message as I was catching a Lyft. And the above was exactly my thought - where are we all supposed to go?

 

[miffy]

Please try to keep politics out of this thread or take it to PI.

 

[TOADS]

I’m just wondering what is igniting them. I just been thinking about it. It’s not nearly hot enough at all or sunny enough for them just to start by themselves…. And not enough heat. It’s been quite a cold winter for LA so far. And yes, I understand the wind but I’m wondering what is sparking them. Cigarettes? Downed powerlines? Arson

There are documented cases where broken glass can start a fire in direct sun. If the glass is the right shape and right angle to the sun, it can act as a magnifying glass and start a fire in a patch of dry glass.

 

[Karen-W]

In case anyone thinks that the looters are just innocent, down-on-their-luck people who can make use of whatever they salvage from the ruins...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1877416652725203322

KTLA's reporter states at the beginning of the report that she verified with the police the presence of large looting gangs appearing in some neighborhoods.

 

[Orm Irian]

There are documented cases where broken glass can start a fire in direct sun. If the glass is the right shape and right angle to the sun, it can act as a magnifying glass and start a fire in a patch of dry glass.

Yep. Also things like angle grinders and farm equipment being used when they shouldn't (there's always someone who thinks a total fire ban only applies to other people). Or barbeques. There was even a bushfire here in Australia recently that started because a farm machine - I think a harvester of some sort? - had a mechanical failure and an overheated part dropped onto the crop and set it alight, and it just took off.

With the high winds around LA at the moment, it's also possible that the fires themselves are starting other fires, with sparks or burning embers being carried from one site to another and sparking new blazes. We see that a fair bit here too. It's a nightmare.

 

[Buzz]

Just saw a video of firefighters saving a horse. Amazing that with all they are dealing with they took time to save an innocent animal.

Canada has hundreds of firefighters and other resources ready to deploy to California to help.

Ontario ready to deploy more than 150 firefighters to California, Ford calls situation 'devastating'

More than 150 Ontario firefighters are standing by and ready to be deployed to California as the state battles unprecedented wildfires, which have displaced more than 100,000 residents and left five people dead.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Alberta to send helicopters, water bombers to help fight Los Angeles wildfires, says premier

Alberta will join several other Canadian provinces that have stepped up to help battle the raging wildfires in Los Angeles, California.

calgaryherald.com

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/quebec-british-columbia-wildfires-los-angeles-1.7426060

 

[BittyBug]

Thank you, Canada.

 

[Rafter]

Devastating what is going on in LA. My family and I spent 6 weeks in LA last summer. We rented a relative’s house in Venice Beach. Loved every minute of it - the lifestyle is amazing there (beach, biking, hiking, shopping). My kids did sports camps at UCLA (which is beautiful). Drove to Malibu many times.

It’s just surreal to see the images now.

One thing I will say is it was very dry there. In the just over 6 weeks we were there, it did not rain one time. Not once.

 

[Vagabond]

Private firefighters protected a Hollywood talent manager’s home. Why are people so mad?

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/private-firefighters-hollywood-20025075.php

It should go without saying why people are mad, but the article does answer the question. SMH.

 

[AnnM]

With the high winds around LA at the moment, it's also possible that the fires themselves are starting other fires, with sparks or burning embers being carried from one site to another and sparking new blazes. We see that a fair bit here too. It's a nightmare.

I've always heard that embers can be carried up to about a mile in Santa Ana wind conditions.

 

[allezfred]

Private firefighters…….