Unnatural Disasters Comments

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Sat, 27 Nov 2004 03:51:05 -0800

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by: Kurt Schasker

Thu, 15 Jul 2004 15:56:23 -0700

I have read through these 10 comments on this blog, and I can’t help but notice how the writers generally want to do the right thing, but for the most part, don’t know how.

Fire behaviour in the WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) does need more research, but one thing we do know: most structures are lost due to one of two reasons, either 1)The house, or the immediate area, ignites from flying embers, and eventually destroys the house, which in turn 2) Ignites the adjacent house, which is also lost.

For the record, there is no evidence that fuelbreaks, prescribed burns, extra fire personnel, or better water delivery, or any other typically considered tactic, has any effect on the structure survival equation. The only thing that matters is the structure and the immediate vicinity. BTW the immediate vicinity is always considered to be less than 100 feet, and may be as small as 30 feet. We need more research, but we should at least appreciate, and put in practice, what little information we do have.

by: Karen Boren

Fri, 02 Jul 2004 17:24:40 -0700

It’s time to do what’s right for the health of the forest and not what the so-called environmentalists pressure the forest service to do.
And it’s also time to do what’s right for the community and not what’s right for the developer that contributes to our elected officials’ campaigns.
I’ll take the fire threat in the mountains over the crime threat down the hill any and every day of the week.

by: Karen Boren

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 15:50:11 -0700

It’s time to do what’s right for the health of the forest, not what some so-called environmentalist organizations pressure the forest service into doing. It’s also time to do what’s right for the communities in the mountains, and not what’s right for the developer that contributes to our elected officials’ campaigns. I’ve been in Running Springs since 1959 and love it up here. I’d take the fire threat over the crime threat down the hill any and every day of the week.

by: Carol

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 13:28:06 -0700

My family bought a really great cabin on Hook Creek Road at the end of July 03 for vacation use. We always knew that there was a chance of a fire wiping us out, but we also know that there’s a chance of an earthquake leaving us homelesss in our main house down the hill. I think that the Pretzinger article focused on only one resident who was a “blow-hard.”
The only reason this “unatural disaster” didn’t result in a lot of deaths was because there was preparation for an evacuation months before. Imagine the deaths that would have resulted in Cedar Glen alone if everyone had stayed, or gone up to fight the fire. Prevention? Because of this fire, there are now more people and agencies taking the bark beetle infestation seriously and doing something about it, and hopefully it will no longer be politically incorrect to thin out the forest.

by: Cedar

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 13:19:18 -0700

Hey Mike? How many roads out did you have in the Panorama fire? The mountain communities have damn few roads with which to evacuate people. The ONLY reason the Big Bear area was evacuated last Fall was because they feared the fires would cut off all three of our routes off the mountain. Stay and fight when the fire is in the trees over your head? I think not. Stay and fight until there’s no road off the mountain? I think not. Stay and fight so that fire officials have to worry about your safety AS WELL AS your house? I think not. Stay and fight with no electricity or gas service? I think not. My life is more valuable to me than my house. Perhaps you have different priorities?

by: amelia herrmann

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:22:42 -0700

I agree that the environmental groups carry a big responsibility for the dangerous fire situation we faced and still face. And as the fire was spreading, remember when the fire break was made around the city of Big Bear? There was a big outcry by environmentalists about the damage done to the vegetation and natural habitats. Never mind that they were trying to save the city. Also as a comletely burned out victim of the Del Rosa area, we weren’t close to the foothills. What got us was those olive trees lining Del Rosa and 39th street. Neighbors for years compained to the city to get these out. But the mentality seems to always be save a tree at all costs. After the fire, one of our burned out neighbors wanted to remove the partially burnt out tree in front of his yard. It had always caused plumbing problems from the roots and had heavy huge limbs that were always breaking off. The city wouldn’t let him remove it in the past, and after the fire the city still wouldn’t let the debris removal people remove it. We found out that the city controls 4 feet into your property. I also will add that not all people can save their house if they stay. Our neighbor tried to save his house. As the fire came to the olive trees, the wind became so strong he couln’t stand up and then firebombs went thru all our yards. He barely escaped. The wind was a big factor in our disaster.

by: JUDY GRANGER

Wed, 30 Jun 2004 16:27:16 -0700

SIERRA CLUB WANTS TO KNOW WHERE WE CAN VOTE FOR THE IDEA OF 18 MONTH BUILDING MORATORIUM. PLEASE ADVISE ASAP.

by: JUDY GRANGER

Wed, 30 Jun 2004 16:26:00 -0700

by: Mike Lindgren

Tue, 29 Jun 2004 09:31:26 -0700

I fully agree with the personal responsibility argument. I also think that homeowners in the danger areas can substantially improve their chances of saving their homes from wildfires by staying and fighting fires, despite fire and police desires to evacuate residents. My house survived very close calls in both the Panorama and Old fires because I stayed to protect it. In a Santa Ana wind driven fire, fire personnel can’t be everywhere. Neighbors in my area banded together with hoses and shovels and managed to save our neighborhood. Afterwards, a fireman thanked us for the help, saying they were streached too thin on October 25, and had to rely on those who refused to leave their homes. He told me that despite the official position that everyone must evacuate, he and other fire fighters not only needed our help, but would do the same thing we did if their homes were in a similar situation. I now have a 1
and 1/2 inch fire hose with a nozzle and will never evacuate. I might add, for the benefit of those who may take me to task for my refusal to leave, that I accept the risk knowingly and would not blame anyone else for my choice.