The fires were not only predicted and predictable, as most fires in California are, but much of the subsequent damage was preventable with better leadership, management, and stewardship. Statistics suggest that humans, mainly the homeless, start half the wildfires. And terrorism can't be ruled out, either.
Powerlines in California except on Federal lands only are permitted six foot clearance. That is why there are problems. Just about everywhere else has about a football field sized Clearance. That is one of the biggest reasons
That’s the correct point of inquiry. The media is reporting on the California wildfires like the landscape just spontaneously combusts. Something has to trigger a fire and as you sadly report, it’s typically human caused. The wildfires way up north in Canada were tragic and fouling the air in the eastern US. MSM acted like the fires were ignited by global warming. This type of reporting is maddening. There were arsonists in the middle of the Canadian wilderness starting fires. It would not surprise me if there were arsonists behind the Pallisades Fire in California. Maybe it was crazy nihilistic folks or someone taking revenge on the wealthy who lived there. But the endless big media chatter about global warming and the fires is not helpful news reporting.
Actually, in the LA basin and the San Gabriel mountains, the chaparral is almost literally waiting to combust, as John McPhee explains in the linked 1988 article. Even if there were no arson at all (and of course there is some of that), there would be fires.
There hasn't been a "natural" fire in CA for years. Mostly arson. However, the DEW boogeyman is much like the 5G boogeyman. Great for clickbait for the gullible.
It is now coming out that Newsom shutdown Nation Guard volunteer firefighting unit. 150 strong, charity funded and projected to grow to 1,000 when he shut them down in 2020. They could have been deployed in hours to the most recent fires. Why? CA FD Union objections?
News reporters aren’t very curious indeed. There have been several arsonists caught already. Winter fires in CA? The Pravda media WANTS fire disasters (and hopefully mudslides!) to prove climate change. There is conspiracy when there are too many coincidences.
Good analysis Sharyl, as always. Given the geoengineering experiments conducted with our tax dollars for the last 70 years, all bets are off as to exact causes of all the fires (and hurricanes)
The importance of controlled burns and mixed age stands to promote forest health as well as to protect against catastrophic crown fires has been well known for decades. Who is in charge of the forest policy in California? Do they not actually know about this? Have they educated the legislature about this at all?
I’m assuming you’re relatively young because while you mentioned the human factor, you didn’t actually mention human factors. For decades in California and elsewhere, human caused fires happened from general carelessness and generally from people not used to living in fire risk areas. Such as, welding something outdoors, a trailer chain hitting the pavement causing sparks to fly, a train with seized up bearings going down the tracks, the cigarette flicked out the window, an unattended burn barrel, mower blades sparking off rocks, kids playing with matches in a field, glass lying in a field on a hot sunny day (that one happened on our property!). Add to all this—a dry windy day. These and more are the true definition of ‘the human factor’ in causing these types of fires.
Stop, please. There is an elephant in the room. And it is a DEW - directed energy weapon. It has been used on every city slated to be a “smart city” in the world.
Check out Americaunwon on Substack and IG. She has great info on the California incompetence concerning fires.
Forest mismanagement has wide reaching consequences now that it’s finally happened in Southern California….Northern California has been on fire every summer for 20 years due to these bull$hit policies.
The fires were not only predicted and predictable, as most fires in California are, but much of the subsequent damage was preventable with better leadership, management, and stewardship. Statistics suggest that humans, mainly the homeless, start half the wildfires. And terrorism can't be ruled out, either.
Powerlines in California except on Federal lands only are permitted six foot clearance. That is why there are problems. Just about everywhere else has about a football field sized Clearance. That is one of the biggest reasons
Use federal standards and the problem fades away.
That’s the correct point of inquiry. The media is reporting on the California wildfires like the landscape just spontaneously combusts. Something has to trigger a fire and as you sadly report, it’s typically human caused. The wildfires way up north in Canada were tragic and fouling the air in the eastern US. MSM acted like the fires were ignited by global warming. This type of reporting is maddening. There were arsonists in the middle of the Canadian wilderness starting fires. It would not surprise me if there were arsonists behind the Pallisades Fire in California. Maybe it was crazy nihilistic folks or someone taking revenge on the wealthy who lived there. But the endless big media chatter about global warming and the fires is not helpful news reporting.
100% agree.
Actually, in the LA basin and the San Gabriel mountains, the chaparral is almost literally waiting to combust, as John McPhee explains in the linked 1988 article. Even if there were no arson at all (and of course there is some of that), there would be fires.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1988/09/26/los-angeles-against-the-mountains-i
Look into burn patterns — these are not natural fires. Do research on DEW.
There hasn't been a "natural" fire in CA for years. Mostly arson. However, the DEW boogeyman is much like the 5G boogeyman. Great for clickbait for the gullible.
Then explain why autos melted next to trees still standing? Too many anomalies.
Only if you don't understand fires.
CA fires are mostly preventable. Arson is huge and always under reported. There is a reason.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1988/09/26/los-angeles-against-the-mountains-i
5G is no conspiracy
Agree 100%.
It is now coming out that Newsom shutdown Nation Guard volunteer firefighting unit. 150 strong, charity funded and projected to grow to 1,000 when he shut them down in 2020. They could have been deployed in hours to the most recent fires. Why? CA FD Union objections?
100%. I read about that in the Washington Free Beacon. He’s the most awful governor…
I live in CA in a high fire area, used to live in So. Cal. There is much more to the story.
News reporters aren’t very curious indeed. There have been several arsonists caught already. Winter fires in CA? The Pravda media WANTS fire disasters (and hopefully mudslides!) to prove climate change. There is conspiracy when there are too many coincidences.
California has forced power companies to focus on green energy to the exclusion of maintaining the “old” system. Forget Green energy end of story.
California needs leadership, not posturing ideologues.
Good analysis Sharyl, as always. Given the geoengineering experiments conducted with our tax dollars for the last 70 years, all bets are off as to exact causes of all the fires (and hurricanes)
The importance of controlled burns and mixed age stands to promote forest health as well as to protect against catastrophic crown fires has been well known for decades. Who is in charge of the forest policy in California? Do they not actually know about this? Have they educated the legislature about this at all?
Good point, but in this case, it's chaparral more than forest. Kind of different.
I’m assuming you’re relatively young because while you mentioned the human factor, you didn’t actually mention human factors. For decades in California and elsewhere, human caused fires happened from general carelessness and generally from people not used to living in fire risk areas. Such as, welding something outdoors, a trailer chain hitting the pavement causing sparks to fly, a train with seized up bearings going down the tracks, the cigarette flicked out the window, an unattended burn barrel, mower blades sparking off rocks, kids playing with matches in a field, glass lying in a field on a hot sunny day (that one happened on our property!). Add to all this—a dry windy day. These and more are the true definition of ‘the human factor’ in causing these types of fires.
Stop, please. There is an elephant in the room. And it is a DEW - directed energy weapon. It has been used on every city slated to be a “smart city” in the world.
Check out Americaunwon on Substack and IG. She has great info on the California incompetence concerning fires.
Forest mismanagement has wide reaching consequences now that it’s finally happened in Southern California….Northern California has been on fire every summer for 20 years due to these bull$hit policies.
I can’t have a campfire in my backyard because of global warming
What a profound and well written article. Brava to Sharyl