Wildfire(s) Devestates California

[ANARCHit3cht]

Governor Brown has declared a state of emergency in Lake and Napa counties due to the effects of the explosive 40,000-acre Valley Fire burning in Lake County. Entire communities have been devastated and thousands have been forced to evacuate...

Honestly, its insane. This fire is in my community and it has essentially destroyed the entirety of two whole towns. This fire is the most destructive we've had, and it comes after we just had TWO other fires that were just contained in the last month... It's honestly so devastating. Friends and family are losing their homes, being evacuated. Smoke is thick in the air, ashes are covering the streets. I couldn't even begin to comprehend what I'd do if I lived there--I live too close for comfort as it is. All it takes is a shift in the wind and it could come this way.

On the bright side(if there is one) I am amazed at how well our community is coming together in this tragedy. Businesses are opening up their doors to house people, their lots for RVs and trailers. Donations are flooding in, food, clothes, hygiene products, but the need is just so great. And that's just one of the many fires currently raging through California at the moment, but this one is so close to home that it hits hard. It seems like the whole state is gonna burn to the ground :/

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

I feel that California's drought may be the cause of this. I wonder if these continuous wildfires will be enough to push the Californian government to its limits and collapse.

 

[gimmepie]

I feel that California's drought may be the cause of this. I wonder if these continuous wildfires will be enough to push the Californian government to its limits and collapse.

I don't see that happening. Take it from someone who lives in a country that is constantly ravaged by enormous bush fires. If a string of wildfires is enough to push a state government to collapse, then that government was seriously, seriously flawed.

As for the drought, that probably has something to do with it. Fires tend to spring up more in periods of drought and they tend to have a lot more dry fuel to burn so they get bigger and more ferocious and travel further.

My heart goes out to all those affected by the fires, hopefully there's not been a great loss of life and people will be able to find their feet relatively quickly once the fire has finally been put out.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

I don't see that happening. Take it from someone who lives in a country that is constantly ravaged by enormous bush fires. If a string of wildfires is enough to push a state government to collapse, then that government was seriously, seriously flawed.

The reason I brought it up is because of California's water shortage, due to the drought, that we're forced to use as little water as possible in order to conserve how much water we have left. That means we can't waste too much water to put out wildfires.

 

[gimmepie]

The reason I brought it up is because of California's water shortage, due to the drought, that we're forced to use as little water as possible in order to conserve how much water we have left. That means we can't waste too much water to put out wildfires.

I live in Australia, our entire country is pretty much subjected to that and we almost always have horrible bush fires spring up. I really wouldn't worry about the Californian government's ability to handle it. Worst-case scenario they might need a little bit of help from another state or the federal government.

 

[Klippy]

Pretty wild video was taken of a guy driving THROUGH the fires. It's both awesome (not 'radical, bro' awesome; awe-inspiring awesome) and terrifying what fire is capable of. We go through this often in California, but doesn't mean it's any funner or we're any more used to it.

 

[Livewire]

The drought and the water restrictions only mean that this is going to be the "new normal" for California, which is equal parts pretty sad as it is scary. Either the current weather patterns finally break, or this continues for several years in cycle.

 

[HollyYoshi]

Pretty wild video was taken of a guy driving THROUGH the fires. It's both awesome (not 'radical, bro' awesome; awe-inspiring awesome) and terrifying what fire is capable of. We go through this often in California, but doesn't mean it's any funner or we're any more used to it.

Okay, that would be frightening as hell to go through. Anyway, I hope not too many lives have been lost because of all the fires and my condolences go out to those effected.