Active Fires today

[sammyg2]

Climate change!
Heat!
Drought!

No.
Not this time.
These 90 fires cannot be directly attributed to any of the above.

[RWebb]

Let's keep politics and crazy talk out of this thread please

[RWebb]

Ignitions for Fires that damage homes are almost all anthropogenic

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-humans-costly-wildfire-millions-homes.html

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Ignitions for Fires that damage homes are almost all anthropogenic

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-humans-costly-wildfire-millions-homes.html

Not surprising. This year's fires in CA were mostly caused by a very rare dry lightning event. They happen around here about every 30 years or so. There's not much else that can cause them, other then human activity. Most seem to be caused by downed electrical wires, with many also caused by camp fires or fire works. The solution is simple: PG&E should do something about their power lines. Everyone else just needs to not be so stupid. Okay, maybe the solution is not so simple, after all.

[jyl]

https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emops/Pages/RAPTOR.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1ds-a4YRTBYATnxPYNrYhPqIys9_2w_bh9x3otl-6XVdBBkqP9GFb_kmo

Evacuation map
red - go now
yellow - be ready to go on moments notice
green - get yourself ready to go

[sammyg2]

https://thepostmillennial.com/antifa-activist-charged-for-fire-set-in-washington

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

https://thepostmillennial.com/antifa-activist-charged-for-fire-set-in-washington

Hey! Don't upset Webb!

Sure seems weird to me that fires seem to be popping up not far from Portland...
With no thunder and lightening about.

[jyl]

https://www.facebook.com/100871513330688/posts/3294100377341103/?extid=Rv4TjXY3o1ce1FjG&d=n

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office statement about antifa

[jyl]

Some kids of my friends in California were traveling through Oregon in their car, had to change plans due to fires, needa place to stay, wife and friend directed them to come here. But we’re not letting folks stay in our house unless they are in our “Covid bubble”, and we have no idea about these two - 20 year olds, might not even know if they had it. So . . . they’re living in the treehouse! It’s got lights, electricity, fridge, sleeping loft, and even an AC. I guess we’re odd hosts.

[KFC911]

Please stay safe all!

[Sooner or later]

Yes. Be safe. Err on the side of caution.

[fintstone]

As noted/predicted in the past, these will continue until the forests and other areas are better managed. It is not magic, just science...that works wherever practiced. Blaming the climate and other natural causes is like complaining about the weather every time it rains despite not putting a roof on your house. Be safe, but afterwards, demand action on forestry and infrastructure or we will be having the same conversation next year (just like last year).

[onewhippedpuppy]

I read an interesting article a while back about this topic. They contended that the natural cycle of the forest was small fires on a semi-regular basis that generally reduced the amount of fuel available. But today we actively suppress any fires due to development, leading to the fuel simply accumulating. Then boom, something sets it off and we have these massive fires that we can’t control. It’s an interesting perspective.

[vash]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Flew over this yesterday afternoon, just coming into LA.

\
awesome pic!! just awesome. but sad too. very dramatic

[KNS]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I read an interesting article a while back about this topic. They contended that the natural cycle of the forest was small fires on a semi-regular basis that generally reduced the amount of fuel available. But today we actively suppress any fires due to development, leading to the fuel simply accumulating. Then boom, something sets it off and we have these massive fires that we can’t control. It’s an interesting perspective.

I read something similar many years ago. They've tried to simulate natural burn cycles with prescribed burns, managed burns and thinning which is a good idea. The problem is we're so far behind now with built up fuel. There are also vast stands of dead trees (beetles).

In Arizona the Prescott and Coconino Nat. Forests are so unnaturally thick now, they're years behind the curve but you can see areas where they've made progress with thinning and burns.

[upsscott]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Climate change!
Heat!
Drought!

No.
Not this time.
These 90 fires cannot be directly attributed to any of the above.

Speaking for the fires in NorCal, they were started by a freak dry lightning storm a month or so ago. What happened next most definitely has to do with drought, heat, wind, and overgrowth.

[fintstone]

The size of some of the fires are definitely the result of drought, heat, wind, and overgrowth which are all predictable and conditions that happen every few years in the west (As does lightning)...and will continue to do so. Why not assume that and do necessary work to prevent them from getting out of hand? Similarly, repair the energy grid and maintain it. Also, purchase and maintain firefighting equipment and hire/train personnel to operate it.

As far as cause, they have caught people setting some of these fires red-handed...so it is likely that some of these were also set and did not happen to be caught. Ignoring intentional destruction simply encourages it.

[RWebb]

these conditions have not happened in the west during recorded history

nor have this many fires of this size & intensity

[fintstone]

That is just not the case. There are quite a few threads here documenting massive fires that were caused by very similar conditions in 2918 alone (It is hot, dry, windy, etc. in the west a lot of summers). Here is but one:
https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-politics-religion/1012816-california-fires-out-control.html

[RWebb]

I am talking about the aggregate total for the West.

You can easily check this by going to the National Fire Information database.