Fires in Southern California

[canuck_pa]

As the devastating fires continue the burn uncontrolled in Southern California, my thoughts and prayers go out to all members and their families in the area to be safe and well.

 

[B_Swimming Lad]

Just a question; Do you guys in the US ever hear about stuff that happens over here like the Summer floods??. I only wondered cus them fires have been headline news over here the last couple of days.

 

[D_Martin van Burden]

Deej and me are hanging out in the mountains and, thank goodness, it's still relatively clear up here. Closest I've been to the fires was day before yesterday at Venice Beach. Number of fires has increased to 10. It's a state of federal emergency around here, and, supposedly, federal resources are on the way.

 

[D_Martin van Burden]

@Swimming Lad: It depends on your news outlet. Domestic, 24-hour news channels may give a blip here and there through cycling the same sets of stories all day, but it's easy to miss. More progressive outlets like AlterNet or even the world sections of Digg might give more sustained coverage.

 

[Not_Punny]

News coverage... how about SMOKE coverage?!!

(Luckily, I'm away from the worst of it )

PS: Thank you for your kind thoughts, canuck_pa -- very kind of you. ;-)

 

[Strontium]

Fires. Global warming. Carbon dioxide build-up. Privately owned cars. Not poetic at all

 

[SpeedoGuy]

The latest infrared imagery of the California/Nevada region from the MODIS active fire mapping satellite in low orbit can be seen at:

http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/activefiremaps.php?op=maps&rCode=cgb

Pick the jpeg or pdf image and you'll be able to clearly track the movement of fire hotspots detected over the last 24 hours or so. There are about 4 satellite passes each day.

Fire News from the National Fire Center at:

National Interagency Fire Center

 

[camper joe]

Just a question; Do you guys in the US ever hear about stuff that happens over here like the Summer floods??. I only wondered cus them fires have been headline news over here the last couple of days.

Yes, I did hear about the floods. But the average American probably hasn't a clue.

 

[kalipygian]

Just a question; Do you guys in the US ever hear about stuff that happens over here like the Summer floods??. I only wondered cus them fires have been headline news over here the last couple of days.

Public Radio carries several hours daily of BBC World Service, I hear a lot more British news than Canadian or Mexican.

 

[DonkeyPants]

Just a question; Do you guys in the US ever hear about stuff that happens over here like the Summer floods??. I only wondered cus them fires have been headline news over here the last couple of days.

Nope.

FYI Most of our international news is packaged in "around the world in 60 seconds" so as to not scare viewers away. Unless your news centers somehow around us, most American's don't care.

 

[DonkeyPants]

As the devastating fires continue the burn uncontrolled in Southern California, my thoughts and prayers go out to all members and their families in the area to be safe and well.

Thank you for the kind words and sentiments but please no more people praying for me!! :biggrin1:

 

[Principessa]

As the devastating fires continue the burn uncontrolled in Southern California, my thoughts and prayers go out to all members and their families in the area to be safe and well.

As do mine. I can't imagine how awful it is to have over half a million people have to flee their homes on a moments notice because of these fires.

Just a question; Do you guys in the US ever hear about stuff that happens over here like the Summer floods? Yes, we do. Since being a member here, I pay more attention to such things and wonder how various members are doing. I only wondered cus them fires have been headline news over here the last couple of days.

California has 3 seasons earthquake, mudslide; and brushfire. :frown1: It's the magnitude and intensity of these fires which is odd and apparently newsworthy even across the pond. Thus far over 575,000 Californians have had to vacate their homes. That's about 80,000 more people than live in the entire state of Wyoming!

The latest infrared imagery of the California/Nevada region from the MODIS active fire mapping satellite in low orbit can be seen at:

http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/activefiremaps.php?op=maps&rCode=cgb
Pick the jpeg or pdf image and you'll be able to clearly track the movement of fire hotspots detected over the last 24 hours or so. There are about 4 satellite passes each day. Fire News from the National Fire Center at:National Interagency Fire Center

Thanks for the great links! :smile:

FYI: Most of our international news is packaged in "around the world in 60 seconds" so as to not scare viewers away. Unless your news centers somehow around us, most American's don't care.

Bitter much? Speak for yourself DonkeyPants I actually make an effort to get world news online. Though truth be told it probably has more to do with my being nosey than particularly learned.:tongue: When I hear about natural disasters like floods in England, earthquakes in Turkey or Pakistan and the increasingly more common tsunamis which hit southeast Asia. I do care; and when able I always give to the organizations designed to help the survivors.

 

[Guy-jin]

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I actually have a cough just from being outside for a short while waiting for the bus tonight! I'm just fortunate to live in Los Angeles itself, where the fires don't reach. Still a very threatening looking sky, though.

 

[canuck_pa]

I have relatives that live in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains (Glendora). So far I believe they're not in any danger. I was their once during fire season. The neighbouring mountain was on fire and we were told to be prepared to leave at a moments notice. It was very freightening.

Swimming Lad, we get fairly good coverage of news in Britain up here in Canada. I guess that comes from being part of the Commonwealth. I heard about the floods this passed summer.

 

[DonkeyPants]

Bitter much? Speak for yourself DonkeyPants I actually make an effort to get world news online. Though truth be told it probably has more to do with my being nosey than particularly learned.:tongue: When I hear about natural disasters like floods in England, earthquakes in Turkey or Pakistan and the increasingly more common tsunamis which hit southeast Asia. I do care; and when able I always give to the organizations designed to help the survivors.

Good for you, but you're missing the point. You have to be a "nosey" American and make the effort to get international news online because it's hard to find on TV because most American's don't care. You should consider yourself exceptional -- as in exception to the rule. :smile:

 

[SpeedoGuy]

Just a question; Do you guys in the US ever hear about stuff that happens over here like the Summer floods??. I only wondered cus them fires have been headline news over here the last couple of days.

I watch. I care.

I'm a meteorologist by trade (with speciality in wildfires and other disasters). I track weather patterns around the globe with an eye toward anticipating demands for relief resources. Most of the time my foreign observation is directed toward Canada/Mexico but earlier this year I was asked to travel to Australia to help with the wildfire season there.

 

[b.c.]

As I watched this evening's news reports of the California fires and of people standing before their burnt out homes, having lost most everything they had, I felt an overpowering sense of great sadness for them...because I know exactly what that feels like.

Our hearts go out to the victims of this disaster, as we watch with jaded eye and all too familiar skepticism the visits by certain "heads of state", in photo ops, promising what they're going to do.

They'll promise you much, now... but in time will forget about you... if you let them. Don't you ever give them the opportunity.

It will be awhile. But the hurt will pass.

 

[Willy_the_Wonka]

Our hearts go out to the victims of this disaster, as we watch with jaded eye and all too familiar skepticism the visits by certain "heads of state", in photo ops, promising what they're going to do.

They'll promise you much, now... but in time will forget about you... if you let them. Don't you ever give them the opportunity.

As if we needed them and their entourage to fly in and glad-hand each other, only for them to say "this is an unprecedented terrible tragedy," etc etc etc.

I was in the Laguna Beach fires in 1993. Three ways in and out of town. Two were blocked. At one point smoke was everywhere and you didn't know what was going on.

 

[DC_DEEP]

I watch. I care.

I'm a meteorologist by trade (with speciality in wildfires and other disasters). I track weather patterns around the globe with an eye toward anticipating demands for relief resources. Most of the time my foreign observation is directed toward Canada/Mexico but earlier this year I was asked to travel to Australia to help with the wildfire season there.

Do you personally know Jim Cantore? Will ya introduce me to him? :biggrin1: Just kidding, of course.

I have a cousin who lives in San Diego, and was worried about her, so I sent an email. She says they are fine, but have to stay indoors because of the smoke and ash. I checked the maps from the link above, and the last time I checked it, her house was not in immediate danger (she's near Balboa Park, and the fires were to the north, and to the southeast).

When I was stationed at Camp Pendleton (1985 - 89), I don't remember which year it was, but one of those years, we had especially intense Santa Ana winds, and lots of wildfires. The smoke was bad, the ash fall was horrible. Headquarters decided that we all needed to be put on fire teams, so we got a 30-minute crash course in firefighting, then got assigned to teams. My team was on alert a couple of times, but fortunately, we never got sent in for front-line firefighting.

 

[Not_Punny]

The latest infrared imagery of the California/Nevada region from the MODIS active fire mapping satellite in low orbit can be seen at:

Wildfire Maps - Remote Sensing Applications Center

Pick the jpeg or pdf image and you'll be able to clearly track the movement of fire hotspots detected over the last 24 hours or so. There are about 4 satellite passes each day.

Fire News from the National Fire Center at:

National Interagency Fire Center

Waaaaay cool links, speedoguy -- I've bookmarked them!! Thanks. :wink: