Patterico's Pontifications

10/21/2007

California Fires

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 10:46 pm



California is besieged by wildfires. Locally, the fires are burning primarily in Malibu. Malibu is about 35 miles away as the crow flies, but we can smell the smoke in our house tonight. Perversely, the pollution made the sunset beautiful.

We live in a canyon area ourselves, and hope the Santa Ana winds don’t endanger us. Friday night, the back yard of the house immediately next door caught fire while we were returning home from work. We still have no idea why, and our neighbors appear to be out of town, so they probably don’t even know yet that their back yard was on fire. Thank goodness a neighbor saw the smoke and called the fire department — and put it out before the firemen even arrived.

22 Responses to “California Fires”

  1. I see now there is a big fire near Castaic.

    I’ve driven down I-5 probably 15 times over the last 4 decades when there were huge fires burning in those mountains. Its something you never get used to.

    wls (fb8809)

  2. I remember seeing the 1994 Malibu fire start. I was riding my bike along the beach north of the Santa Monica pier and all of a sudden a huge mushroom cloud of smoke rose over the mountains. I watched the fire for about three days from my 10th floor apartment in Marina Del Rey. That fire was only a few months after the Northridge earthquake. Quite a Year.

    Perfect Sense (b6ec8c)

  3. Lets put all those tree huggers on these fires lets make the eco-wackos put out these fires lets put all the leaders of these varoius eco-wacko groups on these fires let them put the fires out

    krazy kagu (a6e311)

  4. I remember the ’94 fire as well. After it was extinguished my family and I drove up the PCH to examine the damage. It was quite a sad sight.

    I was in Glendale yesterday for the conservative radio Town Hall event and you could see a ridiculous amount of smoking moving east from Malibu. Very distressing sight, indeed.

    H2U (81b7bd)

  5. In 1994, there was so much ash it “snowed” in West LA. There were several inches of mostly white ash for two days.

    dave (0606c0)

  6. I was living in Anaheim during the ’94 fires. I remember one fool on the coucil in Laguna Beach who fought putting a water tank at the top of the bluff was homeless from the fires for the lack of the very water tank he fought against. That is the definition of a fool.

    PCD (b47ba5)

  7. Got my wife kids and Gospel. WHat else do you need?

    Tom (15bc17)

  8. Hey, your post (I see written at 10:46) really pissed me off! All night last night (no sleep) and all day today I’ve watched within nearly spitting distance of the Castaic fire. We were under mandatory evacuation (we didn’t leave) as were thousands of others (far less impacted than we) here in Castaic. When I wasn’t buzzing around the property wondering & worrying, I had the TV on only to see repeated scenes from Malibu… I hate to tell you but the fires in Southern California were NOT primarily in Malibu!!! Believe me, the scene out here was just as scary as what was playing out in Malibu.

    Things seem to be getting under control now…

    Susan (9f803b)

  9. Sorry, didn’t know when I wrote it . . .

    Patterico (9a0499)

  10. Re: Sunsets…
    Talked to an associate in central AZ today who remarked that the sunsets there have been spectacular for two days.
    Our pain, their beauty.

    Another Drew (8018ee)

  11. Does anyone know if the Castaic fires have burned up Hasley Canyon?

    tonya (f595d8)

  12. Fires have burned up & down & all around Hasley Canyon… that’s where I live… in fact, last night was the worst… lots of home literally encircled by flames & saved by firefighters. I think two homes have been lost. Finally, only now, things seem to be OK, though fires are still burning.

    Sorry, didn’t know when I wrote it . . . That’s OK, Patterico! It seems that when it comes to covering local news, the local TV stations are no better at providing a complete & true picture than the LA times is. And don’t even get me started on their endless inane blathering chatter…

    Susan (9f803b)

  13. Does anyone know the conditions in San Diego Country Estates near Ramona?

    Bill (8584e6)

  14. Ex-pat Yank sitting here in New Zealand, trying to keep track of what’s burning where – now they say it’s in Topanga Canyon. I’ve got old friends there; anyone know how extensive it is in that area?

    nonny (dfdf7e)

  15. Just trying to find out something about the areas of Ramona? I have a nephew, Carrol Douglas Lane who lives on Dartolo Rd in Ramona. Have tried to reach them by cell and e-mail no response. I am worried. Thank you for this space available for people like me.

    elizabeth vendrick (5f6be6)

  16. Elizabeth Vendrick,

    I was told by a cell phone company employee that many of the Southern California towers are out and cell phone service in some areas has been severely disrupted. That may explain why you haven’t been able to reach your nephew by cell phone.

    I hope he’s fine and you hear from him soon.

    DRJ (970b3a)

  17. This Time article provides some interesting
    The Fire This Time

    thoughts on the causes of huge fires such as this one and what can be done to prevent them.

    Bill Winters (11866c)

  18. wow wild fires are crazy! yikes! soo scary i don’t knows what to do! yikeawumbas! we need many many more fire fighters so control this stuff, and fire highdrantes in the middle of woods ya know? bye guys!

    rachel (d275b4)

  19. Hi This Is Barney, BJ, and Chrissy! This website blows! what is the point of it? well.. BYE!

    chrissy (d275b4)

  20. 8==========================D

    mike (d275b4)

  21. Surely chrissy has to be someone doing a parody of a true California grade-A moron… she can’t be THAT retarded… can she?

    chrissy, if you’re a real person and actually said that… there’s no point in this website for you. This is a place with different opinions talk about what is happening, serious things, and have fun debating each other.

    I realize TMZ.com is s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g your intellectual capabilities almost to the breaking point… so might I suggest Yahoo! Games, in particular the checkers part?

    Christoph (92b8f7)

  22. *where people with

    Christoph (92b8f7)


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