evangilder
"Shooter"
Ah, the fire season is upon us here in So Cal. The temperature was about 100 F at 6:00 PM with winds in the 50-60 MPH gust range. The Santa Ana winds blow off the desert, hot and dry. Like standing in front of a hairdryer.
Cough, Gasp, Wheeze...
- Thread starter evangilder
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Erich
the old Sage
ah that looks suspiciously familiar Eric. Any idea of the cause ? heard a very small blurp on the local tele today on this
they have full crews workin on this correct ?
they have full crews workin on this correct ?
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- #3
evangilder
"Shooter"
I haven't heard a cause yet, but it is in the same spot as one that happened last night. They had air crews working during the night on that blaze, which is very unusual. I would say it is suspicious since it is the second one in the same area.
Erich
the old Sage
yes that sounds man made to me. And the Santa Annas can rip through your area. Remember many years ago staying in north Pasadena with the dry hills to the north on fire and the winds were terrible. Great vacation ................ puke
Nonskimmer
Captain
Just what the neighbourhood needs. Fire bugs. 
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- #6
evangilder
"Shooter"
The fire season usually begins about mid-october, so it's a bit early this year. The Santa Anas always come roaring through the Conejo Valley because we have a lot of canyons where the winds get accelerated. Fortunately, we are fairly sheltered from the fires, but we still get the smoke and ash. It was worse in thousand oaks, where the ash fell down so much it looked like snow!
Erich
the old Sage
October ? interesting. ours starts in May and ends when the rains hit usually in mid-November. gotta run.....
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- #8
evangilder
"Shooter"
Yep, October is when everything has had a chance to get dried out from the summer and the brush becomes like tinder.
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
I remember doin some training down in Panama, and it was so dry that we ended up starting a pretty damn big fire that just about wiped us out... It went up so fast from the gunfire, that one minute it was funny, "hehe look we started a fire.." to "OMFG........." in like 30 seconds...
Couple of teammates got singed alittle bit....
Couple of teammates got singed alittle bit....
syscom3
Pacific Historian
I live in northeastern Orange County (near Anaheim stadium) and it was 102F under my patio cover at 4:00PM. Damn hot and damn dry.
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- #11
evangilder
"Shooter"
You guys usually get it hotter out there for some reason, syscom.
Do you remember the fires last October? We had a family weekend at Disneyland that weekend and it was miserable with all the smoke and ash.
Do you remember the fires last October? We had a family weekend at Disneyland that weekend and it was miserable with all the smoke and ash.
syscom3
Pacific Historian
I remember it well. The ash plume from the fires went right over OC. We ended up with about 1/4" of ash. All day long had a eery orange glow to it. The sun was a deep red, and you could look right at it without problem. All the local childrens and adults sports scheduled for the weekend were cancelled.
Evan, my wife is from Indonesia, and said it reminded her of when a volcano erupted near her home. I found that amusing.
Evan, my wife is from Indonesia, and said it reminded her of when a volcano erupted near her home. I found that amusing.
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
Did u guys know that the only way a Pine tree can germinate its pine cones is for fire to break them open????
syscom3
Pacific Historian
les, yes. many native tree's to California can only germinate when there is a fire to crack open the shell.
Most of the fires here are really bad cause nature likes to have lots of little fires to clear away the brush. We suppress the fires and end up with a lot of fuel to burn when it does happen.
Most of the fires here are really bad cause nature likes to have lots of little fires to clear away the brush. We suppress the fires and end up with a lot of fuel to burn when it does happen.
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- #15
evangilder
"Shooter"
Yep, I did know that. We don't have many pines in Southern California though. It's mostly just brush that gets lush and green during the winter rains and then gets tinder dry by september/october. All it takes is a small spark, like the fire you guys had in Panama. The stuff goes up fast. I took a fire science class years ago for arson investiagtion. I got to see some amazing things that fire can do, yet when I saw one of these mountains on fire with flames hundreds of feet high, I was awe-struck.
It kinda was like a volcano, I guess. Raining ash and smoke suck!
It kinda was like a volcano, I guess. Raining ash and smoke suck!
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- #16
evangilder
"Shooter"
***UPDATE***
I leave the house at 5:15AM and it was clear and starry at my house. I was thinking that things were getting better, until I got down the road toward the freeway. Bright orange glow and the flames are cresting that hill. Multiple communities are being evacuated, Bell Canyon, Box Canyon, Old Agoura, Lindero Canyon and Oak Park. These areas all have a lot of homes threatened right now.
As I neared work, I found that the area I work in is the staging area for fire crews. I kid you not, I saw at least 150 fire trucks along the road and parking lot here in Calabasas. I have never seen this many fire trucks in my life. I wish I had grabbed my camera before I left for work now. This is unreal!
I will be safe here at work and our house is well clear of the firelines, so I am not in any danger. Getting home might be a challenge this afternoon as the fire is between work and home. Now if these winds stay down, we should see some progress.
I would like to express my appreciation to fire crews and to Canada (YES, Canada!). They provide us with aircraft called "Super Scoopers" that can grab water while flying to dump on the fires. We should see some significant aerial activity today.
I leave the house at 5:15AM and it was clear and starry at my house. I was thinking that things were getting better, until I got down the road toward the freeway. Bright orange glow and the flames are cresting that hill. Multiple communities are being evacuated, Bell Canyon, Box Canyon, Old Agoura, Lindero Canyon and Oak Park. These areas all have a lot of homes threatened right now.
As I neared work, I found that the area I work in is the staging area for fire crews. I kid you not, I saw at least 150 fire trucks along the road and parking lot here in Calabasas. I have never seen this many fire trucks in my life. I wish I had grabbed my camera before I left for work now. This is unreal!
I will be safe here at work and our house is well clear of the firelines, so I am not in any danger. Getting home might be a challenge this afternoon as the fire is between work and home. Now if these winds stay down, we should see some progress.
I would like to express my appreciation to fire crews and to Canada (YES, Canada!). They provide us with aircraft called "Super Scoopers" that can grab water while flying to dump on the fires. We should see some significant aerial activity today.
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- #17
evangilder
"Shooter"
The fireline is 15 miles long, from Rocky Peak to Oak Park! The fire crews are gearing up. 1,300 firefighters, 5 heavy lift and 5 medium helicopters are now airborne and 4 fixed wing aircraft are also taking off. Roads nearby are all closed or closing as they ready them to roll the trucks. The very present smell of smoke is now in the building and ash is falling like snow outside.
My inlaws have been evacuated (mandatory), as have several of my coworkers.
My inlaws have been evacuated (mandatory), as have several of my coworkers.
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
Damn dude, thank God ur outta the way...
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- #19
evangilder
"Shooter"
For now. It was at 7,000 acres this morning (about 6 AM) and has grown to over 17,000 acres as of about 1 hour ago. We are looking at a possible evacuation from work in the next couple of hours. It figures, it will probably be about the time I go home anyway. Just enough to jack up the commute!
I thought they were getting a handle on it a few hours ago, started seeing white smoke, meaning they were getting a handle on it. But just 20-30 minutes ago, fresh black smoke started coming up just north of here. The winds are picking up as well. Keep your fingers crossed, its getting worse and will be for a bit.
The firefighters have been doing heroic efforts to save homes and we have had firehawk helos (firefighting blackhawks) back and forth over the office all day. Been one hell of an air show!
I thought they were getting a handle on it a few hours ago, started seeing white smoke, meaning they were getting a handle on it. But just 20-30 minutes ago, fresh black smoke started coming up just north of here. The winds are picking up as well. Keep your fingers crossed, its getting worse and will be for a bit.
The firefighters have been doing heroic efforts to save homes and we have had firehawk helos (firefighting blackhawks) back and forth over the office all day. Been one hell of an air show!
Good luck Eric, at least your house is not in the way of the fire(s) at the moment.