Members Joseph Hanna Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 Coming home from a friends place in Malibu last night and saw the start of what is now a brutal brush fire. Conditions today are horrid for containment.. high winds 80 mph gusts and continued dry. Malibu is on fire. If you've ever been through one of these you know how devastating it is. Please cross your fingers or toes or whatever you cross for luck as this looks like a bad one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 I even feel bad for the folks at right wing ivory tower fortress, Pepperdine. Who I really feel for is all the jackrabbits and coyotes and snakes and things in the Santa Monica mountains. The wind just hit the LBC in the last 5 or 10 minutes and it's really gusting hard... You can see the dust -- and no doubt smoke -- shimmering in waves in the air... it's like animated smog... only a lot more ominous. Wow... I just heard one of our squarish city-mandated rolling trash cans trying to roll down the alley... it must have clumped over about four times before stopping. I don't think I've ever seen/heard one roll when it was on its side before. Red wind, as Raymond Chandler called it. When I was a kid, growing up mid-century in Santa Ana, the preferred term was Santana winds... but I guess we got 'anglicized' someplace along the way. I noticed in the 70s that all the newscasters seemed to be under orders to enunciate two distinct words. As the rows of Eucalyptus trees the orchard growers had planted alongside the narrow two lane roads that criss-crossed Orange and Riverside counties were sawed down to make room for 4, 6, and finally 8 lane urban thoroughfares, the Santanas (if you will) got increasingly brutal. On the flip side, we often welcomed the Santanas back then because the day or two following would be -- along with the period immediately after a good rain -- one of the few times you could see blue sky. It might have been a lot more country then but the smog could be insane. (Not completely unrelated to the "smudge pots" the growers would put out on frosty nights to warm up their orange orchards... on crisp winter mornings, you'd see scores of thin fingers of dirty black smoke rising into the air from the orchards and the smog would be even worse for a few days. They were finally outlawed -- but only after other methods of warming the orchards were developed. Of course, before long, they were gone, too, and all there were in their place were condos and paperboard MacMansions.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 Riverside checking in... we're getting hammered, as we do pretty much every year. No fires out here (at least not yet), so I'm thankful for that. But the SoCA area sustained winds are pretty bad today - they recorded a 108 MPH gust at Whitaker peak. I don't think we've had it quite that bad, but I'd estimate we're getting 85 MPH gusts. We've got a few downed tree limbs, lots of blowing dust, and I have a bit of roof damage to a patio overhang on the studio... nothing to bad (yet), but I can't get out and repair it in these winds, and it could get worse before it gets better... Hang on kids - this is going to be a bad one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 I've got my windows closed but I can feel the smoke in the back of my throat... It's a bad feeling. You can't get away from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 It's strong, gusty winds and smoky here in the SF Valley. Fires in Malibu and Castaic. It's dry and super windy, not good combinations for fires. Damn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raymar Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 Last thursday I drove from the 134 up through Topanga Canyon down to PCH for the view while listening to an old Hearts of Space tape I made a few years ago then stopped off at the pier for a bit. It was ultra sunny and the air was clean. The wind and fire didn't waste any time today. Malibu is a nice place but its subject to fires and floods like Laguna Canyon. Right now the fire is at zero containment. The winds are supposed to be at their worst tomorrow. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GY Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 Who I really feel for is all the jackrabbits and coyotes and snakes and things in the Santa Monica mountains. Me too. I think they might live at a "higher" level. Our common sense has all but been bread out of us. I respect the fact that they don't have a chance to get on here and piss and moan about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted October 21, 2007 Members Share Posted October 21, 2007 There's two major fires here in San Diego area. The southern-most fire near Tecate has burned 2500 acres, and is still raging... and the "witches creek" fire near Ramona has already burned 3000 acres. I'm about 40 miles to the west of the witches creek fire, and we've got solid smoke covering the sky. This has shades of the major fire a few years back where we lost over 2500 homes in our area. The wind is blowing so hard, they're unable to use aircraft to fight the fire. Both fires are at 0% containment. Yeow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 I can see the haze and smell it from here in the South Bay. Not good. I remember every bad Malibu fire season since I was a kid. It's like (really unfortunate) clockwork. It also means landslides and occasional closures of PCH next spring... goes hand in hand. Anyway, here's hoping they start getting it under control ASAP. It's pretty ugly. They're calling it 0% contained still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Sayers Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 Unfortunately those Aussie Eucalyptus trees require fire to survive, the fire opens their seeds and the tree can recover from fire. The Aboriginals have been burning them for 40 thousand years. Eucalyptus also drop branches continuously so the ground is covered in fuel. It was a bad mistake to plant them throughout your residential areas. You should classify it as a weed IMO and turn them into hardwood floors. Plant a US native instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 Unfortunately those Aussie Eucalyptus trees require fire to survive, the fire opens their seeds and the tree can recover from fire. The Aboriginals have been burning them for 40 thousand years. Eucalyptus also drop branches continuously so the ground is covered in fuel.It was a bad mistake to plant them throughout your residential areas. You should classify it as a weed IMO and turn them into hardwood floors. Plant a US native instead. is that what irony is? i so want to live in socal one day but the fires, landslides, and to some extent earthquakes makes me think a 6-12mo rental there would be nice one year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 'Twas a very tough drive back home in a class C motor home from Yucca Valley today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I wouldn't have wanted to have to do that drive Dak. Glad you made it back okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 I wouldn't have wanted to have to do that drive Dak. Glad you made it back okay. Wouldn't have if it wasn't a necessity. I had a co-gig with Somebody's Son out there in Yucca Valley last night and because I had the use of the motor home we decided to pool with some of the people so there weren't so many vehicles on the road. The wind started kicking up very shortly after we quit playing and blew pretty hard sporadically through the night, died down for our pack up and really started blowing about an hour after we got on the road. It was really screaming by the time we got to Beaumont and damned fortunate the wind was a following wind instead of a cross wind. Even then, going down the canyon to Moreno Valley on the 60 shortly after coming off the 10 was a sumbitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2180 Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 I was coming back from Santa Barbara to LA in the late 70's and saw a Malibu fire, I though there had been an atomic bomb hit on LA. The news doesn't do those things justice at all, it really isn't as big and scary on the tv as in person. It would be interesting to see where all you west coasters live on google earth. Some of those houses in LA are just perverted grandiose, there is a place going for 70 million in the hills of Malibu, I hope it isn't in flames now. I find it interesting to see how the wealthy folks make homes. Also check-out Zillow.com. for crib prices and details, if so inclined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Joseph Hanna Posted October 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 i so want to live in socal one day but the fires, landslides, and to some extent earthquakes makes me think a 6-12mo rental there would be nice one year. Anyone who hasn't had the chance to live in southern California but wants to should...despite all the "troubles" it is one of the greatest spots on Earth. That said you can flee from fires and you can anticipate mudslides but you should fear above all earthquakes...you can't hide from em, you never know when they're coming and they are just plain scary. Still......you'll never regret living in this most beautiful beautiful place. Hurry before they lock the doors!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2180 Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 Wow, I just saw this on another web site, I've only seen this place from satellite pictures and learned of it's legend, now gone, very sad. Flames consumed Malibu's landmark Castle Kashan, a fortress-like hilltop home with turrets and arched windows. Chunks of brick fell from the exterior of the burning structure overlooking the coast. The house was not directly in the fire's path, but powerful winds carried embers to the building, fire inspector Rick Dominguez said. Castle Kashan is owned by Lilly Lawrence, a Malibu philanthropist. Daniel Collins, who has been staying at Castle Kashan for a few months, said he woke to thick smoke and "flames licking the windows." "It was pretty intense," he told CNN. "And we were probably in this house for an hour or so watching this and finally they got us out of there. By the time we left, the castle was engulfed in flames." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2180 Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 I just found this, I had no idea from satellite it looked like this, very artsy(was). I hope Lilly is doing well, on edit, I just saw she is ok and watched the whole thing go-up in flames. http://www.malibucastlekashan.com/photos.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 Still......you'll never regret living in this most beautiful beautiful place. Hurry before they lock the doors!! i think the problem might be is that it really isnt the right place to raise children, and i dont think my wife would like it all that well... and im not sure i would want to leave. been out there a bunch. usually dont want to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted October 22, 2007 Moderators Share Posted October 22, 2007 San Diego is on fire. Seven separate wildfires. The drive into work this morning was scary... lights out in many places. Wind blowing ash through the streets. I'm coughing and my eyes are like beets. And this is on the coast. Of course the wind is blowing in this direction. I'm in a modern office building right now and the ventilation system isn't making a dent. Hack. Let's pray we can get a handle on this soon. It's about to jump west of I-15. Not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 Wow, The fire HAS jumped the 15 N in San Diego... Parts of Rancho Bernardo are on fire, homes are burning... people being evacuated... the 15 closed from the 78 to the 56. They have NO control of the fire, can't use helicopters because of wind speed, and have NO IDEA how this is going to end up... except they're already calling this the worst fire we've EVER SEEN. I'm about 10 miles from the Rancho Bernardo fire area. They just announced my home is now in an evacuation area... SO see you later. Please, those who care to, pray for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members daklander Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 Yeah, I just spoke with my neighbor who got turned around due to the freeway being closed.Best of luck to all in the fire areas. So far we're ok here in Temecula but there's apparently a fire now in the Rainbow area and that's close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 We could use a monsoon right about now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 They just announced my home is now in an evacuation area...SO see you later. Please, those who care to, pray for us! Best wishes to you and yours Michael. Remember, stuff can always be replaced/rebuilt. People can't. Keep your head up and your spirits high. I wish you luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphajerk Posted October 22, 2007 Members Share Posted October 22, 2007 my aunt and uncle had to evacuate at 4am this morning in San Diego. went to my cousins house which is apparently safe [for now], not telling if their house will burn or what. they loaded up the car with what they could and headed out. my other cousin is up near malibu and she is keeping her kids home from school today but doesnt need to evac but can smell/see the smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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