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

[sds71]

The FBI is seeking information that leads to the identity of a UAS pilot whose drone collided with a “super scooper” airplane conducting fire suppression operations at the #PalisadesFire near Malibu, California. Details & and how to contact the FBI here:https://fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/palisades-drone-collision

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878892641883967629

 

[Donswife48]

Well, this didn't take long. First lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison.

MSN

 

[Donswife48]

Another arsonist arrested. He admitted to starting a brush fire on Friday.

MSN

 

[Cryptic]

It's a convection effect caused by the landscape, then? I think I'd been assuming it was seasonal.

Yes, its landscape driven, but there is a season where they are more likely to occur as well.

Heated air rises from the deserts (Mojave in the case of LA, Anza Borrego in the case of San Diego). The air then cools, and "falls down" cooler side of the coastal mountains.

But wait, there is more.... SOCAL's coastal geography is very jumbled with mountain ranges, sub mountain ranges, valleys, and mesas.

All this means that some parts of the LA area and the San Diego area can get them far more often that other nearby areas. For example, winds are channeled down valleys etc. But other nearby areas rarely get them as the winds pass over / around them due to other geological quirks.

 

[JennieM]

Legal complaint filed against electric company over Eaton Fire​

A law firm has filed a complaint against Southern California Edison Company (SCE) claiming there is "evidence" the Eaton Fire was ignited because of negligence.

A statement from law firm Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian says it believes the Eaton Fire was ignited because of SCE’s "failure to de-energize its overhead wires which traverse Eaton Canyon - despite a red flag PDS wind warning issued by the national weather service the day before the ignition of the fire".

It bases its claim on its own investigation, discussions with various consultants, the public statements of SCE, and video evidence of the fire’s origin.

The origins of the wildfires are currently under investigation.

On Friday, SCE said LA fire authorities were investigating whether its infrastructure was involved in the ignition of the Hurst Fire.

LA braces for renewed high winds as three wildfires continue to burn

LA City mayor Karen Bass says "urgent preparations" are being made, with winds expected to peak on Tuesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

40 min ago

SoCal Edison blamed in a lawsuit for starting one of the Los Angeles fires​

From CNN's David Goldman
Southern California Edison, the electrical utility for Los Angeles, has been sued for its alleged role in starting one of the raging Los Angeles fires that have collectively killed at least 24 people and displaced tens of thousands.

Jeremy Gursey, whose house in the Altadena neighborhood was destroyed in the Eaton Fire, claimed in a lawsuit filed in LA County Superior Court Monday SCE was responsible for starting the fire – an allegation SCE has repeatedly denied.

Local officials also said Monday they still have not determined the cause of the fires, although they are investigating an electrical transmission tower in Eaton Canyon as the possible origin site of the Eaton Fire, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Read more about the lawsuit here.

https://edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/los-angeles-wildfires-palisades-eaton-california-01-13-25-hnk/index.html

 

[arielilane]

A man looks for belongings in the remains of his home in Altadena, California.Nearly a week has passed since the year's first wildfire embers were swept through the air over Los Angeles by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds.Live updates on the fires: https://bit.ly/4hauxGo

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878888506879353276

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/live-news/southern-california-wildfires/1733392

 

[OddOneOut]

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

JMO as I don't have a link. There is a place where there is an abandoned community. I think it is in Pennsylvania and has been abandoned for many years. The reason no one lives there is because of a fire that went underground and is still burning in the peat under the topsoil. It can reemerge at anytime and anywhere in that area. There is no way to put it out completely.

 

[JennieM]

45 min ago

12 professional sports organizations in LA will donate more than $8 million to fire victims​

From CNN’s Natasha Chen
Twelve professional sports organizations across Los Angeles have pledged “a combined donation of more than $8 million” to fire victim and those battling the fires, according to a joint statement from the teams.

The donations will come from the Angel City FC, the Angels, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Ducks, Galaxy, Kings, LAFC, Lakers, Rams, and Sparks.

The money will go to various agency and response organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, according to the statement.

“Together and individually, the sports franchises of Los Angeles recognize the importance of being present for the communities who have supported them so strongly,” the joint statement said.

https://edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/los-angeles-wildfires-palisades-eaton-california-01-13-25-hnk/index.html

 

[Cryptic]

Well, this didn't take long. First lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison.

Bankrupting the company is not going to help California in the long run. California is lawsuit country, but I think either the government or the courts are going to intervene.

 

[Herat]

JMO as I don't have a link. There is a place where there is an abandoned community. I think it is in Pennsylvania and has been abandoned for many years. The reason no one lives there is because of a fire that went underground and is still burning in the peat under the topsoil. It can reemerge at anytime and anywhere in that area. There is no way to put it out completely.

Is this the one that's associated with the abandoned coal mines?

Centralia, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There is precious little topsoil in the area of the NYE fire in that region and the ground is largely dry and baked from the sun. There is no subsoil of any note to smolder.

 

[OddOneOut]

Is this the one that's associated with the abandoned coal mines?

There is precious little topsoil in the area of the NYE fire in that region and the ground is largely dry and baked from the sun. There is no subsoil of any note to smolder.

It could be.

 

[PrairieWind]

Bankrupting the company is not going to help California in the long run. California is lawsuit country, but I think either the government or the courts are going to intervene.

I suspect that the purpose of filing this quickly is get subpoena and discovery powers to conduct their own investigation.

 

[mickey2942]

This whole area looks like after nuclear attack

Yeah. I am not so sure that is "great". Probably a significant amount of smoke damage in the home, and contents.

 

[slowpoke]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878882840492044401

 

[Cryptic]

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.

Fireworks in SOCAL are complicated by people sneaking in illegal, commercial grade, fire works from Mexico. Then, there is Santa Ana's traditional and famous (at least locally) fireworks wars.

I used to live in Santana. My personal contribution to the night was sane. The locals, however, were very protective of their tradition and some went insane:

 

[Herat]

View attachment 557430

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878882840492044401

Don't recall seeing a warning like that before

Looks like this kind of warning was first started for hurricane warnings, for Tornado warnings in the Midwest, but now has extended to wildfires.

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/particularly-dangerous-situations-socal-wildfires/

 

[Herat]

Fireworks in SOCAL are complicated by people sneaking in illegal, commercial grade, fire works from Mexico. Then, there is Santa Ana's traditional and famous (at least locally) fireworks wars.

I used to live in Santana. My personal contribution to the night was sane. The locals, however, were very protective of their tradition and some went insane:

It looks as though these Santa Ana fireworks wars were going on around July 4th holiday in 2017. That's just insanity.

 

[Dotta]

Yeah. I am not so sure that is "great". Probably a significant amount of smoke damage in the home, and contents.

Maybe others could rebuild their houses the way this man did with his fireproof one.

After all,
with climate changes, fires might be constant menace in this part of the world.
Imagine building your house from the scratch every few years

This guy tried at least to minimize the damage.
I don't get the criticism

JMO

 

[Friday Fan]

Don't recall seeing a warning like that before

Looks like this kind of warning was first started for hurricane warnings, for Tornado warnings in the Midwest, but now has extended to wildfires.

https://ktla.com/news/california/wildfires/particularly-dangerous-situations-socal-wildfires/

We've had them in Texas for quite some time. (At least 20 years) Red Flag Warnings. And we usually just get grass fires here.

 

[Herat]

Maybe others could rebuild their houses the way this man did with his fireproof one.

After all,
with climate changes, fires might be constant menace in this part of the world.
Imagine building your house from the scratch every few years

This guy tried at least to minimize the damage.
I don't get the criticism

JMO

I'm sure there will emerge a market for building more fire-proof home like his. Reportedly his home cost $9 million to build and was worth an estimated $14.9 million prior to the fire.

However, it's cost that really determines what is feasible. In the southern California market, a $1 millon home is not a luxury home. It is a starter home in areas with desirable schools and low crime. The number of homeowners that have been dropped by their home insurances for fire coverage is astonishing, and will clearly increase despite the moratorium imposed. You then need to come up with some means to finance all this construction, without a home to sell, with additional renter expenses, possibly without a job or a car.

The median home price in Altadena for December 2024 was $1,374,846
The median home price in Pacific Palisades for December 2024 was $3,462,178
The median home price in Encino, Ca was between $1.2 and $3.4 million, depending on price.

I was interested in the story of the fellow who saved his Pacific Palisade home by installing lawn sprinkler on his roof, and placed strategically around the home aiming at the vulernable eaves and siding. Sounds interesting, but where is everyone going to get water from to water their roofs?