CA Wildfires

[asterroc]

If you haven't been following the news about the wildfires around LA and south-western California, the satellite photo below tells the picture pretty well.



Note that the fires are producing the white smoke that looks nearly like rain clouds. I believe the tan streaks off of Mexico are sand and dirt being blown by the winds. Red spots are where the fire is currently burning. If you click on the image, you'll get a higher res version from NASA, and if you pick "250m pixel size" you'll get the highest available.

If you live in SoCal, expect asthma and allergy problems. Apparently most of the soot particles are small enough that they'll go right through normal dust masks. If you have birds, get them out of the region, North or East, if you can.

Comments

half a million people displaced.

[dirkcjelli.livejournal.com]

Pity we're wasting the National Guard in Iraq, huh?

Re: half a million people displaced.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

I wonder what percent of them are rich and famous, weren't there a lot of mansions threatened or already consumed?

Re: half a million people displaced.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

And for some context, New Orleans proper was also half a million prior to Katrina (and estimated at a third of a million now), and the greater New Orleans metro area was 1.4 million then (and 1.2 million now). (source: Wikipedia)

Re: half a million people displaced.

[dirkcjelli.livejournal.com]

Certainly comparable with Katrina, though I'm assuming it won't be quite so bad.

New Orleans had a lot of wealthy people as well...

Re: half a million people displaced.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm guessing the amount of property damage won't be as bad for this fire as it was for Katrina. Plus, even if it were, most homeowners' insurance covers fire, but NOT flood w/o separate flood insurance, so homeowners will be better off here. And I feel like the average income of people in SoCal is better than pre-Katrina New Orleans.

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

Ayup, when I look in the SW direction, there's distinct brown tinge to the horizon...

This isn't the first time I've seen fires in my rough vicinity -- first time so big from so far away, though.

My cousin-in-laws had to evacuate. Hope all's going to get better soon...

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

When I spent a summer in Tucson AZ, there was a fire in the National Saguaro Forest to the East. It was strange how even though it was tens of miles away, I could see it glowing at night. The smoke wasn't particularly visible, it wasn't near any residences, and it was being watched/contained by the parks department / fire departments, so it wasn't quite as scary.

[tiurin.livejournal.com]

It's the tan streaks- the size, and that they show up on satellite- that amaze me.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

y'think I'm right, that they're just dust and dirt blowing off the deserts down there? I'm not great on my geography...

[weirdlilfaechld.livejournal.com]

I can unfortunately repeat the warning at the end of your post for Southern Nevada. Birdies and I are staying indoors with the full-spectrum light and the filter. Even Prada and Elvis are unhappy outside and stay out for a short as possible (unless Prada sees her squeaky ball, at which point her brain turns off, but that's besides the point). No sunlight for them for a while, unfortunately. Just too bad that the mountains around the Las Vegas valley keep rain clouds out but can't keep the dust out, and then we wait for about a month after it's gone for a good storm to clear everything out...

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Got an AC or air filter? That would help. :-\

[weirdlilfaechld.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I even stated in my comment that it was on :-P

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Oh duh, missed that! :-P

[demigoth.livejournal.com]

Dale has perfect timing...a night or two ago, he said, apparently out of the blue, "let's move to California."

I don't think he reads the news much. Plus, earthquakes, and trading one overcrowded/overpriced coastal area for another.