CA - Pacific Palisades - 30,000 People Ordered to Evacuate From L.A. Wildfires #2

[Trino]

Talk about "Haves vs Have-nots" as weatlthy hire private fire-fighters. Reality is if someone has the $$$, of course, they are going to use them to save their property. Just how it is.

 

[arielilane]

@BrianEntin

Latest from Mandeville Canyon near Brentwood — firefighters keeping an eye on hotspots and on the defensive ahead of high winds.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878888936388595892

 

[Herat]

"Trash tycoon reveals how
'miracle' Malibu house survived wildfires when everyone else's burned.

View attachment 557374

The property was designed to withstand earthquakes and features ultra-sturdy construction,
including stucco and stone walls,
a fireproof roof, and pilings driven 50 feet into bedrock to withstand the pounding surf below.

'I thought,
If we ever have an earthquake,
this would be the last thing to go.

I honestly didn't think that if we had a fire,
this would be the last thing to go.
The architecture is pretty nice.
But the stucco and fireproof roof are real nice'.

The fireproof design appears to have proved its worth
turning into a fortress against flames.

Remarkably,
Steiner's home seemed to emerge as the improbable lone survivor.

'People started contacting me, saying,
Your house is all over the news',
Steiner said.



View attachment 557378

One home appears to be standing alone, untouched,
amidst a sea of smoldering ruins in the Palisades fire in Malibu, California."

Trash tycoon reveals how his 'miracle' Malibu house survived wildfires

A $9 million Malibu mansion miraculously survived the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, standing untouched amid the ashes of neighboring homes.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It even made a headline in my country in Europe

"He designed a fireproof house.
This is what it looks like after a fire in the USA."

View attachment 557379

Zaprojektował ognioodporny dom. Tak wygląda po pożarze w USA

Los Angeles od ubiegłego tygodnia zmaga się z najgorszą w historii tego regionu serią pożarów. Ogień zmusił tysiące mieszkańców do ewakuacji i zniszczył domy. Jednak pośród ruin stoi praktycznie nietknięta...

finanse.wp.pl

It may be still standing, but it might have to be stripped down to the studs to get rid of everything contaminated with smoke and the toxic burned chemicals from fires.

Sometimes, it's better to have the place burn down and start all over again, anew.

 

[knla]

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/instacart-joins-growing-list-of-businesses-offering-a-helping-hand-to-socal-wildfire-victims-first-responders/

Los Angeles area WMCA's have identified food and toiletry items that fire victims need. Instacart will deliver them for free if you purchase them at their site.

 

[knla]

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/heres-how-to-help-those-impacted-by-the-wildfires-across-southern-california/

Links to organizations that are helping fire victims.

 

[Dotta]

It may be still standing, but it might have to be stripped down to the studs to get rid of everything contaminated with smoke and the toxic burned chemicals from fires.

Sometimes, it's better to have the place burn down and start all over again, anew.

This whole area looks like after nuclear attack

 

[PrairieWind]

The Los Angeles fires may have been a reignition of a blaze that began on New Year’s Eve due to residents setting off fireworks.

An analysis by the Washington Post found that the blaze began on part of the Temescal Ridge in the Santa Monica Mountains, a place where an earlier fire had been ignited and put out.

Satellite imagery shows that 20 minutes after the Palisades fire began last Tuesday, the outline of the smoke matched with the burn scar from the previous blaze.

California wildfires may have been started by NYE fireworks

The Los Angeles fires may have been a reignition of a blaze that began on New Year’s Eve due to residents setting off fireworks.

www.telegraph.co.uk

I'm a bit confused by this:
"Satellite imagery shows that 20 minutes after the Palisades fire began last Tuesday, the outline of the smoke matched with the burn scar from the previous blaze." I don't understand.

Is this an attempt to lay the blame for this on the fire department?
There is reference to comments by FBI and ATF, so that will be able to be followed up on.

 

[Herat]

I'm a bit confused by this:
"Satellite imagery shows that 20 minutes after the Palisades fire began last Tuesday, the outline of the smoke matched with the burn scar from the previous blaze." I don't understand.

Is this an attempt to lay the blame for this on the fire department?
There is reference to comments by FBI and ATF, so that will be able to be followed up on.

I think there is hint of blaming. It is a valid line of questioning, but my thoughts are that it is a different ingnition.

I'd like to know if there were any cameras that could photograph who else had been up to that level on the trail that day or even the prior evening.

 

[SouthAussie]

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/instacart-joins-growing-list-of-businesses-offering-a-helping-hand-to-socal-wildfire-victims-first-responders/

Los Angeles area WMCA's have identified food and toiletry items that fire victims need. Instacart will deliver them for free if you purchase them at their site.

And there is a link within your link ... a comprehensive list of help available for affected people. Updated regularly.

Eg:
Gyms that are offering showers, electrical outlets and wifi regardless of membership
Restauarants offering free meals
Uber and Lyft offering free rides to shelters
AirBnB offering free temporary housing
Phone companies offering free services
Free transportation on all buses and trains

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/these-resources-are-available-for-socal-wildfire-victims-first-responders/

 

[Elley Mae]

"The utilities, understandably, shut off power because they were worried the lines that carry energy were going to be blown down and spark additional fires," President Joe Biden said at a Thursday briefing. "But when it did that, it cut off the ability to pump the water."

Water pressure, overuse caused Pacific Palisades hydrants to fail during fire fight: officials

No air support meant immense pressure on the hydrant system - which simply was not designed for the volume of fire we're seeing in Los Angeles.

abc7news.com

 

[SouthAussie]

The Los Angeles fires may have been a reignition of a blaze that began on New Year’s Eve due to residents setting off fireworks.

An analysis by the Washington Post found that the blaze began on part of the Temescal Ridge in the Santa Monica Mountains, a place where an earlier fire had been ignited and put out.

Satellite imagery shows that 20 minutes after the Palisades fire began last Tuesday, the outline of the smoke matched with the burn scar from the previous blaze.

California wildfires may have been started by NYE fireworks

The Los Angeles fires may have been a reignition of a blaze that began on New Year’s Eve due to residents setting off fireworks.

www.telegraph.co.uk

That would be an awfully long time before the same fire reignited, if it was related.

I know our crews monitor bushfire locations once the fire is out. Flying over for the next 24 hours or so. Just to be sure.

As I stated previously, we had a bushfire close to my house two days before Christmas. Once they were able to control it then extinguish it, we could hear the aircraft circling overhead at different times during the entire next day - just checking there was no smoldering anywhere.

imo

 

[browneyes]

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/instacart-joins-growing-list-of-businesses-offering-a-helping-hand-to-socal-wildfire-victims-first-responders/

Los Angeles area WMCA's have identified food and toiletry items that fire victims need. Instacart will deliver them for free if you purchase them at their site.

What address can we send it to, or is it just for locals?

 

[Herat]

That would be an awfully long time before the same fire reignited, if it was related.

I know our crews monitor bushfire locations once the fire is out. Flying over for the next 24 hours or so. Just to be sure.

As I stated previously, we had a bushfire close to my house two days before Christmas. Once they were able to control it then extinguish it, we could hear the aircraft circling overhead at different times during the entire next day - just checking there was no smoldering anywhere.

imo

It would seem prudent that if you have a Red Flag alert and know you are getting high winds, that someone in the LAFD would be reviewing all resent brush fire activities in at-risk areas. At least have someone checking them out daily by drone or such. I guess "recent" meaning every site in the last 2 weeks to a month before to have someone watching them.

On the other hand, I just wonder if someone associated with the original illegal fireworks fire might have gone back up there a week later to check to see how much damage was done and if they had left any incriminating evidence. I would hate to think someone would deliberately re-set the fire.

 

[seasideForest]

This is fascinating - and thank you for the extra detail. I hadn't seen the part about the burn scar. The two guys who led authorities to this site have been on SM.

Smoldering roots is how it's being referred to in MSM, as one of the hypotheses.

This sparked the usual conversation at my house (get rid of all sales of fireworks and invest money in drone task forces to find firework law violators).

It was the most massive year of fireworks that I can ever remember, this year. And they are of course illegal - and the places that do have the drone tax forces had way fewer fireworks. There are still nearby locales (to Los Angeles) where selling fireworks is legal. The entire state should ban all of them.

Gosh, I sound old and cranky there - but it's been tough watching things burn this week.

No, not old and cranky! Sensible.

Fireworks cause all sorts of problems, even where they are legal (or legal for a few days like at New Year's). They terrify and confuse wildlife and pets, not to mention various vulnerable groups of people. They cause pollution (as if the world doesn't have enough already thru numerous activities that are harder to end e.g. driving motor vehicles, manufacturing etc ) and improper usage can start fires, maybe proper usage can too, idk.

If they were even just part of the cause of these huge LA fires, then it is high time discussions are had and awareness raised.

The topic comes up every year in Germany approaching New Year's. Private fireworks haven't been banned yet over New Year's, but at least awareness has been raised and fireworks banned within those historic town centres deemed particularly conducive to catching fire (wooden roofs) and quick spreading (narrow streets with buildings set in a row (adjoining walls) with zero space between).

MOO

 

[arielilane]

@BrianEntin

Group of formerly incarcerated firefighters going out onto the line of the Palisades fire.They all did their time and told me this is their “second chance.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878905058068480374

 

[seasideForest]

That would be an awfully long time before the same fire reignited, if it was related.

I know our crews monitor bushfire locations once the fire is out. Flying over for the next 24 hours or so. Just to be sure.

As I stated previously, we had a bushfire close to my house two days before Christmas. Once they were able to control it then extinguish it, we could hear the aircraft circling overhead at different times during the entire next day - just checking there was no smoldering anywhere.

imo

Is it that long though?

Last year it was reported that Canadian forest fires continued smoldering under the snow - all winter. These are called 'zombie fires'. If they can continue under the snow, what could happen in places where there isn't snow and the accompanying temperature drop?

2024 wildfire season: Canada fights against "zombie fires" that survived underground from 2023

Last year, over 230,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Canada. The 2023 fire season in Canada was catastrophic for large parts of the North American continent, with smoke reaching as far Florida. 2024 could be worse still.

www.ctif.org

Note: I'm not a science genius so I may be missing something. But just putting the information out for mbrs with better scientific understanding.

 

[knla]

What address can we send it to, or is it just for locals?

You have to do it through instacart. I was fixing to place an order and I saw their offer. Through the app or Instacart.com.
There are different YMCA's you can choose from and you can pick from the items shown that they need. Then Instacart will deliver it to them.

 

[Herat]

The Washington Post has the article about the NYE fire at Temescal Ridge in Pacific Palisades, and it is EXTREMELY informative:

The burn scar from that fire is larger than I would have thought and appears to be very close to the houses, including the one where the observant owner called in both that fire and the first smoke from the Palisades Fire. Three to four acres seems like a lot. I had thought it was much smaller.

"Shortly after midnight on Jan. 1, firefighters responded to the fire northeast of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. It initially covered three to four acres of heavy brush and had a slow rate of spread. Winds were relatively light, and helicopters were able to make water drops. Four camp crews were dispatched, and firefighters were in place to defend at least one home.
Still, with almost ideal conditions, it took about four hours to contain the blaze. At 4:46 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that the fire was contained and that mop-up operations would continue “to ensure no flare-ups.”

This is the areas as seen on the Google map, roughly in the center of the image. I note that the trails to that region are much shorter than coming up the ridge, the trail is coming off of what is (ironically) called Split Rock Fire Road.

Pacific Palisades · Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA

www.google.com

A hiker was on the trail in the region of the burn scar at 9 am on Jan 7, approximately 1.5 hours before the adjacent neighbor saw the smoke and called 911.

"Friday, fire officials, arson investigators, ATF and the FBI converged in the hillside neighborhoods near the Skull Rock Trailhead, close to the site of the earlier fire. ATF officials knocked on the doors of the powerless, pink-retardant-covered homes that were still standing, asking residents about what they saw, what they thought might have caused it.

D. H. [name abbreviated by me] said he was hiking around 9 a.m. Tuesday near Skull Rock at the base of the burn scar and faintly smelled smoke, but it disappeared on his way back down the trail.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/01/12/palisades-fire-origin-new-years-eve-fire/

 

[Herat]

Is it that long though?

Last year it was reported that Canadian forest fires continued smoldering under the snow - all winter. These are called 'zombie fires'. If they can continue under the snow, what could happen in places where there isn't snow and the accompanying temperature drop?

2024 wildfire season: Canada fights against "zombie fires" that survived underground from 2023

Last year, over 230,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Canada. The 2023 fire season in Canada was catastrophic for large parts of the North American continent, with smoke reaching as far Florida. 2024 could be worse still.

www.ctif.org

Note: I'm not a science genius so I may be missing something. But just putting the information out for mbrs with better scientific understanding.

I think it also depends on what kind of fuel the embers are residing in. I can understand heavy, pitch-laden evergreen timber smoldering under the snow for quite some time. The brush in the California hills areas has fairly shallow roots, depending on how old it is, and I think the degree of dryness would favor immediate burnout rather than just smoldering for a week.

But I am not a firefighter or a forestry expert.

 

[Herat]

The Washington Post has the article about the NYE fire at Temescal Ridge in Pacific Palisades.

The burn scar from that fire is larger than I would have thought and appears to be very close to the houses, including the one where the observant owner called in both that fire and the first smoke from the Palisades Fire. Three to four acres seems like a lot. I had thought it was much smaller.

"Shortly after midnight on Jan. 1, firefighters responded to the fire northeast of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. It initially covered three to four acres of heavy brush and had a slow rate of spread. Winds were relatively light, and helicopters were able to make water drops. Four camp crews were dispatched, and firefighters were in place to defend at least one home.
Still, with almost ideal conditions, it took about four hours to contain the blaze. At 4:46 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department reported that the fire was contained and that mop-up operations would continue “to ensure no flare-ups.”

This is the areas as seen on the Google map, roughly in the center of the image. I note that the trails to that region are much shorter than coming up the ridge, the trail is coming off of what is (ironically) called Split Rock Fire Road.

Pacific Palisades · Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA

www.google.com

A hiker was on the trail in the region of the burn scar at 9 am on Jan 7, approximately 1.5 hours before the adjacent neighbor saw the smoke and called 911.

"Friday, fire officials, arson investigators, ATF and the FBI converged in the hillside neighborhoods near the Skull Rock Trailhead, close to the site of the earlier fire. ATF officials knocked on the doors of the powerless, pink-retardant-covered homes that were still standing, asking residents about what they saw, what they thought might have caused it.

D. H. [name abbreviated by me] said he was hiking around 9 a.m. Tuesday near Skull Rock at the base of the burn scar and faintly smelled smoke, but it disappeared on his way back down the trail.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/01/12/palisades-fire-origin-new-years-eve-fire/

From the Googe street map of the area, I also see power poles with powerlines over some of the brushy open space near the Topanga Park water tower, just north of the burn scar.

It looks to me that LAFD had fairly good access to the NYE fire area, with paved streets and city water lines within about 100 ft of the area, with good acess on the Skull Rock Fire Road. There would have been no problem in watching most of this region, either by trucks or by drones. The Washington Post article notes there were helicopter water drops on the NYE fire along with 4 camp crews, so that would have been about 62 firefighters.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

I do note that there are a lot of tall palms trees planted in this general neighborhood, both in some of the huge yards and in lines along the street. As these are the tallest things around, they must have been a huge hazard in a windy fire, by themselves.