Do they still have fire watches in fire towers? Are helicopters patrolling looking for fires? I don't get why they don't put them out right away, before they become a problem.
Do they still have fire watches in fire towers? Are helicopters patrolling looking for fires? I don't get why they don't put them out right away, before they become a problem.
Perhaps you can study the terrain and understand also the wind patterns.
Easy for you to look all the way across Iowa into Nebraska and see if a corn field is on fire.
Fires are a part of the ecosystem. Plants have evolved because of fires. Native grasses burn the top but the roots survive. Redwood bark is so thick it is fire resistant and many species the pine cones only open after a fire. You actually don’t want to suppress fire here, and forest management is increasing control burns and thinning the forest. The forest will regenerate and have greater diversity.
The issue is the 70+ years of fire suppression has created a dangerous environment. Rather than natural low intensity fires that crawl along the ground the underbrush fuels high intensity crown fires. These are devestating and destroy the forest.
Are you from Vermont or some tiny eastern state? Perhaps you don't understand how vast the western states and their wildlands are.
Fires typically are started by lightning strikes. Storm systems tend to start fires all over the place, and when conditions favor quick-spreading fires there's not a damn thing you can do to stop them from growing. You can send in a crew of parajumpers but if it's big they can't contain it.
There should not be wildland firefighting. If you build your house in fire-prone wildland you are a rich moron and if your house burns down you had it coming you fool! No different than building in a flood plain. Let the fires burn and let the fools flee and build a new house with their riches somewhere else.
put it out right away wrote:
Do they still have fire watches in fire towers? Are helicopters patrolling looking for fires? I don't get why they don't put them out right away, before they become a problem.
The squirrels don't reliably pull the fire alarms. Sad but true.
The area is vast, the winds whip the fire into an inferno quickly, and it is very difficult to mobilize and transport firefighters and equipment to the right place.
put it out right away wrote:
Do they still have fire watches in fire towers? Are helicopters patrolling looking for fires? I don't get why they don't put them out right away, before they become a problem.
You win idiot of the day award.
Congrats!
https://ktla.com/news/california/california-hit-by-nearly-11000-lightning-strikes-in-past-72-hours-some-sparking-brush-fires/I'm a Nor Cal resident and I can say there were over 1,000 lightning strikes from the storm on Monday, and hundreds of fires that started as a result. They are scattered over hundreds of miles of backcountry and about 10 of the past 13 winters have been well below average rainfall here (including the most recent). Conditions are dry. Oh yeah, and we haven't been cleaning our floors according to the commander in chief.
Seattle Grey Hair wrote:
The squirrels don't reliably pull the fire alarms. Sad but true.
They would, if fire alarms would be provided.
It's a political conspiracy
These fires we are talking about are usually caused by humans. The deadliest and most destructive ones like 2018 Thomas, 2017 Camp ,and 2017 Tubbs were all caused by sparks from faulty utility lines. 2003 Cedar in San Diego was caused by a lost man in the woods who started a brush fire to signal for help.
Other causes are from cars, cigarettes, or campers. Combine this with extremely dry and strong winds and there you go.
put it out right away wrote:
Do they still have fire watches in fire towers? Are helicopters patrolling looking for fires? I don't get why they don't put them out right away, before they become a problem.
Its like everything else in California we have massively mismanaged our forests. They are now essentially a powderkeg for these massive fires that are difficult to contain.
It is also hilarious to me that we are importing fire fighters from as far as Australia. Maybe we could have taught some of the 16% unemployed in the state to dig ditches to earn their keep in preparation of what is now an annual issue.
Primo Numero Uno wrote:
Maybe we could have taught some of the 16% unemployed in the state to dig ditches to earn their keep in preparation of what is now an annual issue.
Or inmates.
Bureau of Land Management wrote:
Primo Numero Uno wrote:
Maybe we could have taught some of the 16% unemployed in the state to dig ditches to earn their keep in preparation of what is now an annual issue.
Or inmates.
Inmates are used in CA. A problem now is COVID.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/22/us/california-wildfires-prisoners.htmlWhy are Florida and some other coastal states so bad at stopping hurricanes?
Juice Springsteen wrote:
Why are Florida and some other coastal states so bad at stopping hurricanes?
Can't the beach patrol watch them? I don't get it, why they don't stop the hurricanes before they become a problem.
Primo Numero Uno wrote:
put it out right away wrote:
Do they still have fire watches in fire towers? Are helicopters patrolling looking for fires? I don't get why they don't put them out right away, before they become a problem.
Its like everything else in California we have massively mismanaged our forests. They are now essentially a powderkeg for these massive fires that are difficult to contain.
It is also hilarious to me that we are importing fire fighters from as far as Australia. Maybe we could have taught some of the 16% unemployed in the state to dig ditches to earn their keep in preparation of what is now an annual issue.
Man you people are thick! Do you morons all just repeat everything the brain damaged infant in the White House says? Mismanaged forests? Please tell me you are not really this stupid.
Flailing Chicken wrote:
Man you people are thick! Do you morons all just repeat everything the brain damaged infant in the White House says? Mismanaged forests? Please tell me you are not really this stupid.
There is just a little raking necessary. If Trump would have time he would do it himself, I am sure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWcBOgNZHMYLuv2Run wrote:
Inmates are used in CA. A problem now is COVID.
Yes, in addition to causing car accidents and pneumonia, the covid19-84 virus is now starting forest fires.
Juice Springsteen wrote:
Why are Florida and some other coastal states so bad at stopping hurricanes?
They watch them ahead of time and issue evacuation orders as appropriate. They build seawalls to alleviate flooding.
With fires, no one knows when these lightning strikes storms will occur. Weather report just says 5% chance of rain every day, maybe some thunderstorms. One day we'll make the rain chance 10 so it looks like we aren't just copy and pasting. If California took the money from the billionaires and spent it on a fleet of fire fighting helicopters, it would go a long way.