I live in the land of FIRES!!! Southern California

[shortrackskater]

Last Monday I was about 5 miles from the start of a HUGE fire that's threatening lots of homes now. I was actually picking up the Bally Jackpot machine that I'm currently working on, the one that "lived" in the house that's for sale at a mere $2.5 million.
I'm not in a hilly area but, from my location, I'm getting the heavier ash as it falls from the plume that's floating over. Hard to see but all the white color on the hood of my truck is ash. From parts of Costa Mesa you can actually see the flames even though the fire is now about 15 miles from here.

[Amechanic]

I have a spare bed if you want to come to the land of the blood sucking mosquitoes..

[Badbaud]

Ya, thanks for all of the smoke.
The Las Vegas Valley is filled with it, could not see the local mountains for 3 days.

[shortrackskater]

Ya, thanks for all of the smoke.
The Las Vegas Valley is filled with it, could not see the local mountains for 3 days.

Sorry! It was started by a crazed man who lived in a cabin out there, probably being supported by us too! 

[dailey]

Here's a view from the other side of the mountain. I woke up at 3:00 am and went out on my front porch to capture the 2nd shot of the fire coming over the ridge.

[Badbaud]

Is it true that for over 20 years Californians were fined if they removed dead under brush because some rodent lived there?

[cowboygames]

No, just taxed for it's welfare housing and medical benefits, lol

[shortrackskater]

Is it true that for over 20 years Californians were fined if they removed dead under brush because some rodent lived there?

Yes!
There's numerous stupid laws here supposed to protect something, like the delta smelt (far North of me) 
One of the problems is that, yes, tree cutting is prohibited in some areas (Laws enacted by unthinking "Nature lovers" who don't really know anything about nature).
Well now there's TOO MUCH growth and lots of dry dead shrubbery along with the weaker trees that didn't survive.  Some of these areas need to burn and, in the past, before all the idiots in California decide they wanted to live with the trees, the fires were a natural occurrence and controlled overgrowth. And some conifers need fire so the seeds can be released for germination.
With that said from the little I know, we get HUGE-ASS fires. And with the thousands of homes now being built in former rural areas, because people are sick and tired of the shitty ass cities, they risk losing everything due to fire.
And THIS fire wasn't caused by "global warming." It was started by an f-ing crazed moron who lived in one of the small houses up there. He's been in trouble before but here in California, EVERYONE is just "sick" or "needs rehabilitation." So I'd bet every slot machine I own that this guy will NEVER too much jail time. He'll be out eventually to burn again.
 

[dailey]

When are people in California going to wise up ? Seems that instead of mandating solar panels for all new construction, they should take a close look at building code improvements for homes built in high fire hazard areas. Improvements that can make a house much more fire resistant so that a few burning embers don't take out a whole neighborhood. Things like fire & ember proof attic vents and fire resistant windows. Fire resistant roofs is already mandatory. This along with greater brush clearance could prevent a lot of property damage. I know the likely excuse is going to be that this will increase the price of new homes, but I say this is the cost of living in these areas.

Maybe the natural solution will be when nobody will be able to get insurance because all the insurance companies have left the state. No insurance, no mortgage loan. New home construction stops.

[shortrackskater]

 

[jay]

My stepdaughter has been hiking the Pacific Coast Trail.
That is from the border of Mexico to Vancouver Canada.
Expected to take 5+ months.

She just got through the Mohave desert and was geographically level with SanFrancisco but further east when she had to cut her trip short.
Plan B was then to go to Vancouver and hike south for a while. Hopefully by the time she got there the fires would only be a memory but the BC (British Columbia) through Washington corridor is also full of fires so that got nixed over the weekend and we drove down to Seattle to pick her up.

Planned communities should have better spacing and if they back on to the 100acre woods (Winnie the pooh reference) then there should be a fire break, or moat carved out at some point to prevent the community from burning down, but there are also a lot of other places. SanFrancisco still being one that could burn to the ground again.