Three new fires in San San Bernardino.Mountains (San Bernardino.pulls firefighters from Malibu)

SB Fire & Wind Coverage Blog ^ | 10/22/2007 11:15 AM | Jason Pesick

[coloradan]

That means cutting trees, controlled burns, and (yes!) grazing to remove fine-stemmed fuels. With proper management, evil corporations and right-thinking people can be brought in to make money on two out of those three fuel removal processes.

You don't think you can auction off the right to start controlled burns?

[dragnet2]

Do you have any idea what it would cost to clear all the brush in the hundreds of square miles of remote, rugged, steep Southern California region?

It would cost billions, and take an army of hundreds of thousands, all armed with weed eaters and machetes, and it would take them 20 years to do it.

And then when done, it would all grow back in a year or two.

LOL!

[Mike Darancette]

Some don’t realize the size of the super rugged topography, and what erratic strong winds can do.

2 miles from my house is roadless wilderness. Stright up and down.

[444Flyer]

We live in an area that isn’t a hot zone. We have asked friends who are being evacuated in San Diego to come out to stay with us. (East and upwind from San Diego.) Unfortunately, the freeway on the way out here is closed in the direction they need to go. This is really sad.

[BlazingArizona]

California has more acreage of steep, super rugged geography than many states have land. Many of these areas are totally inaccessible for most equipment, even for those on foot, add in very strong winds, with embers that can travel at 60 plus miles per hour, for *miles* into neighborhoods and other areas, that are far from the fires...

The problem is chaparral, the brush that grows naturally on southern California hillsides. It rains there every February. The chaparral grows fast, blooms, then dries out. By midsummer, it's tinder dry, but the humid marine westerlies prevent it from burning. Every October, when the hot dry wind comes in from the desert, the chaparral catches even if you just think about oxidation.

This winter when it rains again, all the burned-over areas are going to turn into mud and wash away, carrying the unburned remainder of the houses into the Pacific. Real estate developers and fresh chaparral take root in the mud as soon as the rain stops, and the cycle begins again.

[poobear]

Yes, they have transportation. They were awakened at 3 AM and evacuated the area at 4 AM. They have their vehicle maybe two. They have 4 small dogs and all area motel/hotels out of harms way aren’t accepting pets. I spoke to my mother in law and now the phones are working. (cell and car phones)

It is a mess. I found an RV/luxury bus rental place in San Diego for them but cannot communicate at this time.

We’ll pray for a Miracle.

[Avoiding_Sulla]

Are you one of those people who will ignore good suggestions simply because they make you seem short-sighted?

Carry Okie suggested introducing goats for the rugged terrain and you simply ignored it.

Better for you, you think, for you to prove you’re narrow minded and stubborn rather than work with anyone who intrudes on your preconceived notions. In this instance your preconceived notion appears to be “nothing can be done!” and you’re gonna stick by it. WHY? Is your pride on the line or what?

Our society is crumbling because too many people refuse to reform whatever is causing the crumbling around them. So even good solutions, like introducing mountain goats and sheep in this instance are ignored.

[dragnet2]

2 miles from my house is roadless wilderness. Straight up and down.

I know...Some have visions of a perfect world, where endless rugged wilderness can all be managed...

Not going to happen.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See This:

From LATimes:

Los Angeles Times 10-22-07 Fires
Map of the Southern California fires
www.latimes.com

[Carry_Okie]

Do you have any idea what it would cost to clear all the brush in the hundreds of square miles of remote, rugged, steep Southern California region?

Tough. My family came to El Cajon five generations ago. I have a very good idea what the situation is.

It would cost billions, and take an army of hundreds of thousands, all armed with weed eaters and machetes, and it would take them 20 years to do it.

Only a total moron or a socialist bent on playing games (but I repeat myself) would do it that way.

And then when done, it would all grow back in a year or two.

You must be the former.

[poobear]

Thanks 444Flyer. We are just waiting for any word from them. Communications quit at around noon (EST). It is not looking good for their home. They have two relatively young children and I’m just hoping they can find a place to rest tonight.

Let me know of any details that the network news might miss.

Thanks in advance, FReeper in Florida.

[Carry_Okie]

I know...Some have visions of a perfect world, where endless rugged wilderness can all be managed...

I see that you ignored the numbers too. I have slopes on my property that are nearly vertical. They get thinned and weeded, sometimes on the end of a rope. The local botanists call it the cleanest property on the entire Central Coast.

Not going to happen.

Only if folks like you get your way.

[dragnet2]

Go ahead and feel free to try every year to manage millions of acres of rugged, steep, inaccessible brush lands.

Cut loose several million goats, or just spay it all with agent orange.

I give up here.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Where do they live, poobear?

[utahagen]

Wow. Sorry about what your family is going through.

[Carry_Okie]

Go ahead and feel free to try every year to manage millions of acres of rugged, steep, inaccessible brush lands.

I'd love to.

Cut loose several million goats, or just spay it all with agent orange.

Your agenda is becoming apparent.

[444Flyer]

Thank you for the update. The news has been pretty shoddy. They keep focusing on Malibu while it seems the rest of SO CAL is burning. North County Times is running updated reports, but I’m getting most of my news from their blogs. I live in North County and just found out the reason we can’t get hold of some friends in Del Mar is because they have been evacuated. We can’t get through on the cell.

[poobear]

http://www.infospace.com/_1_CVGUOE03BG86V9__info.elink/kevmap2/mapresults.htm?lat=33.047101&long=-117.052701%20&matchqual=street&matchpass=street%20&QA=13024%20Olmeda%20Court%20%20%20&QC=San%20Diego%20%20%20&QS=ca%20%20%20&QZ=92128%20%20%20&QO=us%20%20%20&scale=3%20%20&mapsrc=http://baymwsrender12.bay.prod.mappoint.net/render-30/getmap.aspx?key=9558DB1AEF666255F793%20&scaleO=3%20&QN=&QF=%20&otmplPrev=kevmap2/mapresults.htm

Here. Just refresh the map if you don’t get a picture. or zoom in or out.

E of San Diego, NW of Poway, Just E of Escondido Pkwy. In other words right in the middle of things I think.

[444Flyer]

Prayers going out for their home escape any harm! Flames are no match for the living God.

[Inspectorette]

Any threat to Camp Pendleton?

Sorry it took so long to reply - been on the phone with the daughter. Her husband just got home from MCRD-San Diego. They have friends stationed at Camp P, who live right outside the main gate in Oceanside.

It's not too bad right now in Oceanside, but as you probably know, Camp P is huge. Some of the inland areas are very susceptible to fire. Haven't heard anything yet, am praying that nothing happens there.