Natural disasters and escaping with your life...

[activpop]

I took the term undergrowth as what you normally find in dense forest. There was vegetation in and around these residential areas, but everything still burned. It is a horrible tragedy, a perfect storm. I can't imagine the  impossible task of firefighting in those winds. Clean up, rebuilding, starting over. I have no words. There is so much more to the picture...somethings have to change.

[Pressureangle]

I just arrived home last night from 3 day drive from El Paso to S. FL. I lost count of the CA licence plates headed East. Motorhomes, vans, cars wrapped up like Bedouin Camels. I doubt they'll be going back.

[Gmc28]

On 1/9/2025 at 4:50 PM, activpop said:

I was referring to methods, although fireproof materials need to be in the mix. For instance, why are cedar roofs even allowed? If we continue to build like we do now, this will keep happening. One house on a street ignites, and it goes from house to house to house. Methods and architecture needs to be changed for every rebuild, and that can only be regulated by municipalities.  This might not happen overnight, but the climate has definitely changed and it makes these events more intense. If we don't change how we build, this will be a rinse and repeat possibly every few years.

We're in the fire biz (3 planes on the current fire), but I grew up in the woods with a cedar roof.  Needed to replace it, and was just too cheap to get it done until some winter storm damage finally helped force the issue, and it's all metal now.  i'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to replace that roof.   we're not in high risk area, but have had some big ones not too far away in the last decade.  Those cedar shakes from the roof, i'd use them for kindling in the wood stove whenever we'd get removed shakes after doing some repair or trim work, and literally just a little paper and a match and that stuff lit off and burned so easy.  crazy.  Now I have to remove my favorite cedar tree next to the house, that would go up like a torch...

And then there's the issue of US homes (in the NW) vs so many old world homes that still stand after hundreds of years.  "When in Rome" is the thing, and I live in a timber rich area (and actually in the forest), so there's all that great building material right at hand, but it has always seemed at least less-than-ideal to build homes that you know won't survive like something built of longer lasting materials (and as it happens, fire proof/resistant).

[p6x]

8 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

We're in the fire biz (3 planes on the current fire), but I grew up in the woods with a cedar roof.  Needed to replace it, and was just too cheap to get it done until some winter storm damage finally helped force the issue, and it's all metal now.  i'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to replace that roof.   we're not in high risk area, but have had some big ones not too far away in the last decade.  Those cedar shakes from the roof, i'd use them for kindling in the wood stove whenever we'd get removed shakes after doing some repair or trim work, and literally just a little paper and a match and that stuff lit off and burned so easy.  crazy.  Now I have to remove my favorite cedar tree next to the house, that would go up like a torch...

And then there's the issue of US homes (in the NW) vs so many old world homes that still stand after hundreds of years.  "When in Rome" is the thing, and I live in a timber rich area (and actually in the forest), so there's all that great building material right at hand, but it has always seemed at least less-than-ideal to build homes that you know won't survive like something built of longer lasting materials (and as it happens, fire proof/resistant).

I finished reading a report that owners of rental appartment in LA have increased their rate to capitalize on the disarray of those who have lost everything in the fire; because why not make money during these exceptional circumstances, by adding insult to injury.

Mind you, the same happened here when we got bunch of refugees from Louisiana after Harvey...

 

[audiomick]

7 minutes ago, p6x said:

because why not make money during these exceptional circumstances, by adding insult to injury.

Mind you, the same happened here when we got bunch of refugees from Louisiana after Harvey...

 

Yeah, capitalism is the only way to go.

[p6x]

13 hours ago, audiomick said:

Yeah, capitalism is the only way to go.

They also need to cope with looters, including some smarty pants that disguise themselves in firemen to blend in.

I am really curious to understand how they are going to recover.

I just learned that even if your house has burned down completely, you still need to pay 2/3rd of your property taxes. The land is what has the most value. I was naive enough to think that because the main usage of that land, was for you to live on it, if you have no more construction, then the land would serve no purpose, especially in this kind of catastrophe, because you have lost all viability power/water/communication. Then there is the valuation of the land itself. Are people going to even want to rebuild?

 

[p6x]

We spoke about losing all the precious memories you had accumulated over the years. The photos, the videos.

I watched a few videos of artists who have lost all their art in the fire.

As a guitar player, I have a lot of guitars and amplifiers and music related gear in my house. Including gear that is no longer made, or very limited editions. It's insured of course, but cannot be replaced.

All my books, especially those that I brought from overseas, which are not published anymore.

Last, all one's precious motorcycles, even if they can be replaced, but the vintage stuff is always full of one's emotions. I treat my machines as if they were living things. They have a soul, and they are bringing a lot of joy and emotions.

I would not want to be put in the front of a decision to leave them behind.

[audiomick]

@p6x all of that, without doubt. I wouldn't even like lose what is in my wardrobe. Trivial stuff, but I dread the thought.