Why are California and some other western states so bad at stopping fires?

Flailing Chicken wrote:

Primo Numero Uno wrote:

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.

I suspect it's a tactic to pin something on Democrat controlled states. See the rhetoric on Chicago.

They'll reject any notion humans are to blame for altering the climate to cause more frequent fires though.

Tell you what, it looks like the cost of a rake at Lowe's is around $10, I will personally donate $100,000 to buy 10,000 rakes if you can find 9,999 people (plus YOU) to go into the mountainous terrain, such as where the LNU Lightning Complex fire started, and rake up all the debris that you believe is causing the problem. The current affected area is around 350,000 acres so that only 35 acres per person. You should be able to knock that out in what... about 2 hours?

Here is an areal view of the terrain that is currently on fire. You and your 9,999 buddies can go find more like this and get to raking. Let me know when you want to start and I'll fund it for you.

*aerial

In Florida, there has been a tremendous amount of building along the coasts, which vastly increases potential hurricane damage. Insurance subsidies prevented insurance costs from limiting building along the coasts and in low-lying areas. Many of those areas are very affluent. On the Gulf Coast in general, many barrier islands, which used to lessen storm forces, have been lost. Moreover, the swamps used to contain floods, but they've mostly been drained for housing projects. Florida building codes have long been inadequate to handle cat 3-5 storms. So, there is actually a lot of blame to go around here.

By housing projects, I meant housing "developments."

Housing projects in those area makes sense to me. Probably don't have to heat them in the winter, one less thing to pay for!

I can't believe idiots like wigins and numero uno are even allowed to post. They should be banned.

Weather is warmer and drier in these fire years (and yes they are happening more frequently). Fuel loads are high, but in California as often as not, these are not fires in areas with harvestable timber, but more like brush fires in the chaparral. Of course the one sided morons here, like wigins, who can't put 2 and 2 together couldn't conceive of that. Of course Trump logic is oh there's a brush fire outside of LA, let's cut the redwoods in Norther California and the Tsongas in Alaska while we're at it. I am so sick you stupid stupid people on this board.

Fires are so hard to put out in california for the same reason that it is one of the most comfortable places to run year round...the humidity rarely gets above 20%

The title of this thread is almost as bad as if it were to read "Why is Florida so bad at stopping hurricanes?"

I live at the base of the Sierra Nevada's in Chico, CA. Almost every day for the past 5 or so years I ride my road or gravel bike up into the foothills and mountains above us. There is a LOT of logging activity and there has been for quite some time now. Sierra Pacific owns a lot of the land and they are actively thinning and clearing. I'm not sure they do much to mitigate the potential of fire though because they leave a ton of leftover brush and debris behind. I also see a lot of contracted companies working around area foothill communities taking out potential fire fuel next to roads and between properties, etc. From my perspective there's a lot more going on up here than most think there is. As many perviously have mentioned though, weather patterns have changed a LOT in the past 10 years or so. Normal winters are VERY rare these days, and it seems there's now a new normal, where we're going months without any rainfall in the middle of our winters. This year for example we didn't receive a drop of rain in February. February is usually our wettest month of the year and it didn't rain once. Whether you like it or not, the changes in climate are having a direct impact on these fires and I'm hopeful it isn't too late to do something about it.

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.

You assume those 16% are actually willing to work. Farms have turned to increased automation and immigrants (legal or otherwise) precisely because most American workers would rather remain on unemployment, find a way to collect disability, or turn to welfare, than do manual labor. I have relatives who deal with this constantly.

And of those willing to work, half won't pass the drug test.

Bad Wigins wrote:

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.

Could not agree more. I'm tired of FEMA paying for houses on the beach to be rebuilt after a hurricane.

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.

For the past five years I've lost thousands of dollars from multiple evacuations, exposed my family to unknown long term cardiopulmonary damage, friends and families have lost everything in various fires, and coworkers have lost lives. I feel kind of dumb now that we just didn't put any of these fires out right away. Thank you for your detailed and well thought out solution.

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.

Rough mountains terrain, and sometimes high wind make it impossible to get the fire under control rapidly. Last year the paradise fire was spreading at a football field in length per second.

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.

Your recommendations are so sharp and well thought out, you've clearly have put lot of thought into this. I'll forward you suggestions to the local fire authorities. Thank you for sharing!

On another topic, Let's Run is such an incredible showcases of the immense stupidity and arrogance of people. The site that keeps on giving!

* your suggestions ...

HC 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.

For the past five years I've lost thousands of dollars from multiple evacuations, exposed my family to unknown long term cardiopulmonary damage, friends and families have lost everything in various fires, and coworkers have lost lives. I feel kind of dumb now that we just didn't put any of these fires out right away. Thank you for your detailed and well thought out solution.

And yet, apparently you keep going back. Maybe you should feel dumb.

In CA's case, more people are moving to areas that have can have fires, thus making the fires easier to start. The largest jumps in population have occurred in inland cities, many of which are forested. "Within the perimeter of recent wildfires (1990-2015), there were 286,000 houses in 2010, compared with 177,000 in 1990." High populations mean a higher propensity for fires to be started in those forested areas. This is the direct human element.

Juice Springsteen wrote:

Why are Florida and some other coastal states so bad at stopping hurricanes?

I know that I am slow, but what does that have to do with wild fires in California?