Yes, voters will have to support improvements. You would think they would see the need. Building codes can be improved. Leadership helps.
When your home is destroyed and you move to temporary housing what happens to your voter registration? Do you still vote? Pay mortgage?
What happens to the value of a building lot in a fire zone? Up or down?
Are you buying or selling?
No, you keep in touch with the weather service(s). For example, the National Weather Service. Southern California Edison clearly did not shut down enough lines.
They call this a LIFE THREATENING AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDSTORM. An EXTREME RISK demanding immediate action…By tomorrow (Tuesday) morning the HRRR model predicts 50-60 mph winds over the mountains north of LA. These winds strengthen during the day, reaching 70 mph over the hills by 4 PM…Ominously, the crazy strong NE winds are predicted to descend to lower elevations overnight, particularly near Malibu… Folks, this wind event has the potential to produce major wildfires, and as a result, Southern California Edison is planning massive power shut-offs the next day.
DB2
I was thinking about the rebuilding process. There will be shortages and high prices, causing delays. In addition the many permits and regulations suggest that these homes won’t be rebuilt for 3-5 years.
Home rentals and extended stay hotels should do well.
DB2
In addition, when the heat energy in a combustible material reaches its ignition point, it will combust… Without an ember or “flame”.
This is a primary component of “crown fires”, in which adjacent tree crowns “instantly combust” due to the temperature reach the ignition point of the leaves, branches, etc.
. 4 Elements of the Fire Tetrahedron
The fire tetrahedron is a concept used to explain the four key elements needed for a fire to ignite and sustain itself. This concept builds off of the fire triangle by introducing a fourth element called the chemical chain reaction. This addition highlights the continuous, self-sustaining nature of fire.1 Here is each element broken down:
Fuel: Any combustible material, including solid, liquid, or gas, serves as fuel. Without fuel, a fire cannot burn, which is why removing it or letting it run out extinguishes the fire.
Heat: Heat raises fuel to its ignition point, initiating combustion. Sources like friction or sparks provide sufficient heat, while suppression methods like water reduce the temperature below the ignition point.
Oxygen: Fire relies on oxygen or another oxidizing agent to sustain combustion. Depriving a fire of oxygen, using tools like fire blankets or extinguishers effectively smothers it.
Chemical Chain Reaction: This reaction occurs when heat from the initial ignition breaks molecular bonds in the fuel, releasing reactive free radicals. These free radicals then interact with oxygen, creating new molecules and more heat. The additional heat continues to break down more fuel molecules, releasing further free radicals and sustaining the fire. }
If I understand correctly, a blast furnace functions by providing sufficient O2 to speed up combustion to increase energy release, generating higher temperatures.
The Santa Ana winds force feed O2, and after a bit, the fire reaches a “self sustaining” temperature, in which adjacent structures “instantly combust”.
Ie, all buildings must be at least 100m from combustible materials. 
ralph
Over regulation and incompetence all around.
CA residents are getting a wake up call.
This exact thing happened in LA in 2018. Several months ago, insurance company pulled out. There were zero lessons learnt.
This is not to dunk on a bad situation but the state and local government is stupid.
Fire Retardant Gels
WSJ today says fire retardant gel is effective to protect property. Is sprayed on with a garden hose. Can be washed off by power wash.
BarricadeII seems to be best known product. https://firegel.com/ Barricade is a Florida company apparently not publicly traded. (Other products are available on Amazon.)
MSDS is here: https://firegel.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Firegel-MSDS.pdf
BARRICADE II CONTAINS SUPERABSORBENT POLYMER, USED IN BABY DIAPERS, SUSPENDED IN VEGETABLE OIL. THE
VEGETABLE OIL IS COMMONLY USED FOR HOME COOKING AND IS THE OIL IN SALAD DRESSINGS. THE OTHER COMPONENTS
OF BARRICADE II ARE TWO STABLIZERS, THE FIRST BEING AN EMULSIFIER IN CHOCOLATE, THE SECOND A THICKENER IN
SALAD DRESSINGS.
Superabsorbant polymer is probably crosslinked polyacrylate. Appears to be an invert emulsion using a non-ionic surfactant as emulsifier. (Article says NPE nonylphenol ethoxylate non-ionic surfactant is not used. It is an eye irritant. Thought to be estrogenic and toxic to fish. Sorbitan monooleate ethoxylate Tweens are more likely.) Emulsified water appears to be the protective agent.
The red stuff they drop on fires is Phoschek P-30. The active is ammonium polyphosphate plus red iron oxide for identification. It’s a fertilizer. It was invented by Monsanto.
Phoschek is now made by ICL (Israeli Chemicals Limited) who acquired Monsanto’s phosphate business. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phos-Chek
There are also intumescent coatings. They swell and create an insulating layer when exposed to fire. They are rated for flamespread by Underwriters Labs. Usually used as interior paints. If exposed to fire the insulating layer must be removed but substrate is protected. They are available at most paint stores.
My survive big fire plan for house in Hollywood Hills counts on retardant gel for a few spots of exposed wood at the house, gorgeous 1923 iron and wood garage and front doors. The generator squirters are in place. I tested it out and it was extremely effective and quick to apply, and not very hard to clean off (took some close attention and some vigorous swabbing of gunk out of deep cracks),
I recommend strongly.
d fb
Agreed. Building codes likely will be revised. Insurance may take a while. People have to decide whether to rebuild and where. And finally they put together plans and realize what the cost is likely to be. Takes a while. And no schools and no students has to be a concern.
No, but you do take action when you need to. Hospitals and essential services need backup power that will run for an extended period.
Sure it is. I have never heard you say a single word about the Insurance problem in Florida. Which has been going on for years. Why aren’t you going on a rant about that?
A pretty good argument can be made that many of these homes should not be rebuilt.
I think y’all are missing the forest for the trees. The underlying problem that is largely unsolvable is that American infrastructure and the distribution of the population evolved under a climate that is changing much faster and more severely than anyone predicted.
I think CA, FL, AZ, and soon TX are overbuilt for the climate emerging over the next few decades. Much of the private insurance industry has already figured this out as companies begin to pull out for cost reasons. This means that statistically, the value of the development in these states is far too high for the risks to that development imposed by a changing climate. Simple math and economics.
There will soon be a whooshing sound caused by folks leaving these states for places with a dependable water supply and where their homes are unlikely to burn down or flood.
Over the rest of the century, it wouldn’t surprise me if Americans migrate in large numbers to places like Canada and Greenland regardless of whether republicans forcibly annex these lands. There may not be a choice.
The state and local governments are stupid. If you’re going to rant about stupidity, you’ve got to get your grammar sorted out.
Nothing much in this disaster has to do due to climate change. California had two or three wet years followed by a dry year. Nothing unusual there. Then winds came out of the desert.
As has been discussed here before there is a problem with what is called the wildland-urban interface (WUI) – developed areas that meet or intermingle with undeveloped land. In California it is estimated that a quarter of the population now live in the WUI.
DB2
Last year was a very wet year so it wasn’t followed by a dry year. All of their reservoirs are full. Historically the fire season runs, in Southern California, From May to October. So with last year being very wet, and it not even being fire season, I am not sure you can say this isn’t due to climate change.
GCC plays a minor role in this latest disaster. It turned up the volume, and we absolutely need to know that the volume will keep cranking up.
The big problem in Southern California, especially greater coastal Los Angeles and the communities on the west and southern downslopes of the surrounding mountains and high hills, is the absurd use of unprotected wood construction, and of architectural styles that are simply not suited to the location.
The “devil winds” that we call Santanas in Los Angele, will increase in power and come more frequently, and that simply cannot be stopped. But outlawing construction of homes that are not sufficiently resistant is crucial. Also, homes and other constructions need to be safely back from the chaparral downslopes, and should have what would basically be a layered defense, buying time for evacuations of people and the preparation the structures to withstand the onset of the wind blasted furnace heat (e.g. spraying vulnerable external surfaces with fireproofing heat insulating spray foam). This is utterly doable, but is not cheap nor free nor popular (except after the fact when such structures are highly admired).
People wanted the California dream and for many it turned nightmare.
d fb
Depends on where you are in CA. Northern CA (where most of the reservoir capacity sits) has had a fairly average rainfall so far this year. (BTW our rainfall is usually thought of on a July - June year) Southern CA has had almost no rain at all.
So two things are true at the same time. Our reservoirs are near their average levels for this time of year AND parts of the state are very dry with far less than average rainfall for this rain year.
—Peter
Your right Peter and I was wrong. I thought they had a lot of rain this year but it looks like they have been in drought lately. Last Spring was very wet though.
https://ktla.com/news/recent-storm-brought-impressive-rain-totals-to-southern-california/
Sorry Bob, I understand what you were trying to say now.
When since Gaia’s birth has climate stopped changing?
The Captain
Bob Marshall, founder of the technology firm Whisker Labs, told the New York Times that his company’s power grid sensors detected problems with power lines near the locations where wildfires started in the L.A. area. Marshall said the grid “clearly was stressed” leading up to the fires, although he cautioned that doesn’t necessarily mean the fires were caused by power lines.
Southern California Edison said in a filing with the California Public Utilities Commission Thursday night that its preliminary analysis of electrical circuits for the energized transmission lines near the Eaton Fire showed “no interruptions or electrical or operational anomalies until more than one hour after the reported start time of the fire.”
“To date, no fire agency has suggested that SCE’s electric facilities were involved in the ignition or requested the removal and retention of any SCE equipment,” the company said in the filing.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/la-fires-cause-arson-power-20025016.php
