Author Topic: Californeys Burnin (Read 1283 times)

Fla._Deadheader · « **on:** September 29, 2005, 04:36:16 pm »

LA Area is burning houses and over 17000 acres. Reporter is REALLY upset about those 'spensive homes.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2005, 04:40:26 pm »

Yeah I see that. And Vermont is worried about out door furnaces.

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2005, 04:42:33 pm »

Don't most of Vermonts air go to Europe

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #3 on:** September 29, 2005, 05:01:15 pm »

Probably, by hitch hiking the jet stream.

Cedarman · « **Reply #4 on:** September 29, 2005, 05:31:19 pm »

If you build your home in a tinderbox, shouldn't you expect to get toasted?

thedeeredude · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2005, 05:50:23 pm »

If ya can't take the heat, move to Michigan eh?

beenthere · « **Reply #6 on:** September 29, 2005, 07:43:20 pm »

Toasted? Like blown away on the Gulf Coast? I think in spite of the risk, they (we) will build.

Chet · « **Reply #7 on:** September 29, 2005, 08:48:53 pm »

We got a call from da brother-in-law in Agora Hills. They were evacuated at 3:30 AM this morning.

BW_Williams · « **Reply #8 on:** September 30, 2005, 12:15:59 am »

Every area has thier own things to deal with, I believe I'll stay here and fight forest fires and pray for a ton of snow this year. Heads up on the Santa Anas, my Californy bros.

crtreedude · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2005, 06:16:44 am »

When we were moving down here several well meaning friends tried to talk to us about it, warning us about the dangers. We have danque fever, malaria - neither the particularly leathal types - not even as bad as the flu usually. We also have more than our share of poison snakes, about 7 active volcanos, ripe tides, earthquakes and of course people who don't speak English.

I made a habit of before visiting one of my friends research what threats they had in their backyard - just so I could share the doomsayer experience. They stop pestering me when I would talk about:

1. Forest Fires - We don't have them on this side, we are a RAIN FOREST!
2. Blizzards - we don't even get snow.
3. Killer Volcanos - active volcanos don't bother me - Mt Rainer does.
4. Violent crime - not much down here except in San Jose.
5. Ice Storms - no ice, no sleet, nothing even close to it. We have ice in our beverages though?
6. Massive Earthquakes - we are always getting earthquakes, but we build for them (rebar - both directions - and the blocks filled in with concret) The roofs are light. During an earthquake, nothing much happens. I prefer lots of small ones.
7. Dear ticks / Lyme Disease - deer are rare enough down here to be protected. (But if a certain buck doesn't stop rubbing his antlers on one of my trees....)

We do have some issues - like landslides - just don't build there dummy is the attitude. You could get squashed by a giant tree. and of course, there is the giant boa to consider.

I think we ignore our own threats and wonder "why would anyone live there?" It would be interesting to see risk analysis (general) of the USA.

DonE911 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 30, 2005, 07:44:12 am »

Everyone has their own threats I guess.....

When I agreed to move here I knew what threats I was getting away from and what threats I was willing to fight.

No Hurricanes
No high heat... it wont be 85 at Christmas*
No violent crime
No significant drug problem
No gun control freaks
No overpopulation issues

Now there is some snow here and there is no ability to deal with it... county is closed if we get an inch or more.
There are some tornado's here, but same with FL
Fire's could be a real risk since there is so many wooded acres.
Heavy rains wash out the roads and such.
If the power goes out it could be a while before it comes back

Everyone has their own problems.... The foks in CA are used to the fires for the most part... they will rebuild whatever burns so it can burn again in a few years. Hurricane victims will eventually loose the homes that they rebuild.

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #11 on:** September 30, 2005, 07:59:34 am »

I just find it Ironic, that the left coast, with the Enviro Wackos, will allow timber to burn (not necessarily so in this case), rather than harvest it and control their own destiny, sort of.

DonE911 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 30, 2005, 08:02:29 am »

Eviro-wacko's

They would rather it burn and take the house and kids with it than they would cut it down. I bet you wont see any of them out there replanting the tree's either..... no lawyer required to plant a tree.

BW_Williams · « **Reply #13 on:** September 30, 2005, 09:50:43 am »

You Don't find too many Envir-wackos fightin' fire either.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #14 on:** September 30, 2005, 09:57:53 am »

Reminds me of the environmentalist stint that happened in 1995 when 5000 acres of forest blew down and had to be salvaged. They were claiming the last vestage of old growth in New Brunswick was being slaughtered, when it was being cleaned up. 'Save the Christmas* Mountains' was the theme.

Water under the bridge and long forgotten now.

OneWithWood · « **Reply #15 on:** September 30, 2005, 09:59:21 am »

The thing that disturbs me the most is that misinformed people build mega-zillion dollar homes in harms way, refuse to landscape in a manner that minimizes risk and then surprise, surprise, the place burns to the ground. The government is compelled to raid funds from forestry management initiatives to protect the properties and the situation compounds. Meanwhile insurance companies raise premiums accross the board to pay for the damages.
The scenario for houses on the coasts is very similar, just replace burns down with floods and forestry management initiatives with wetlands initiatives.
Burns my butt, it does

I relinguish the soap box.

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #16 on:** September 30, 2005, 10:51:15 am »

You are so correct OnewithWood. Here in Oregon we have been getting lots of the Southern Calif. folks moving here and bringing their style of thought. The fires have cause the small woodlands owners to suffer higher fees in the form of timber tax and such. DanG. it!

Gilman · « **Reply #17 on:** September 30, 2005, 01:04:28 pm »

We have the Cali's moving to WA too. What I can't stand is the southwest adobe stucco style house on a lake, with fir trees in the yard. Ugh it looks awful.

crtreedude · « **Reply #18 on:** September 30, 2005, 03:09:26 pm »

Californians move here too at times. They start asking where they can find wild blueberries, wild salmon, etc. They are very disappointed. I often wonder what they think "third world" means?

I had a couple come down, comment in a critical way what we are doing (I am not a purist, I raise trees for profit AND for the environment) and rail against Bush. I just told them there are a lot of things I don't understand, but I am planting trees.

This year we are almost over 30,000 trees. They haven't planted one yet.

Oh well, I think I'll go plant a few more trees....

DanG · « **Reply #19 on:** September 30, 2005, 10:51:04 pm »

Those wackos don't care if the house burns down, just like these down here don't care if it washes away. The INSURANCE will take care of it. All that does is to increase insurance rates for all of us. I think it is time to take it away from the Government, and let the insurance industry determine their own risks. If someone wants to build a $3million home on the beach, let the premiums be $300,000 per year. If they don't like that, let them go build in CAllyforny!

crtreedude · « **Reply #20 on:** October 01, 2005, 07:16:17 am »

DanG,

I couldn't agree more. I caught a quick blurb that the insurance companies are facing a real financial problem. Now, that doesn't both me regarding the insurance companies - but it does mean they will be harder on a feller who's house burned down. They will have sharper pencils to try to save a few bucks, because all the bucks went for those in high risk areas.

Somewhere along the way, people have lost the idea that if services are given to them, then they aren't available for someone else. If I drive like a lunatic and wreck my car, I might have been paying for insurance, but the pot is only so deep. Insurance for things that we couldn't have predicted is one thing - insurance for something that we KNOW is going to happen is another.

The other thing is that if you put up a house, that isn't the only investment. There are roads, levies, powerlines, etc. to provide for those homes. There isn't insurance on those - those are called you and me who pony up to replace them when disaster strikes.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #21 on:** October 01, 2005, 08:28:32 am »

I agree with Dang on the insurance also. Not long ago ( a couple years) some idiot decides to build a new house down on the flood plain of the river. He had to sign a waiver with the Power Corporation against damage from flooding and I dought the insurance company will insure him. I know they won't insure your house if the oil tank is more than 10 years old, so what competant insurance company is gonna insure a house in a frequently flooded area. Our government up here isn't as forthcoming with disaster relief, we do well to get the army to help flooded towns. In fact in the flood of '87 at Perth it was the US army that came to their aid and the Canadian army in Gagetown was a laughing stock. In 1997 when Winnepeg was flooded they made Dang sure the army was there to help. Gagetown is only 140 miles from Perth ('87 flood) and it's over 2000 miles away from Winnepeg, Monitoba.

sawguy21 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 01, 2005, 09:00:33 am »

There recently was a peat bog fire at the mouth of the Fraser river near Vancouver B.C. It was started accidently by crews who were attempting to drain the swamp because some maroon threatened to sue the regional district if his farm flooded. Well GOOD MORNING

That bog on the flood plain was around a long time before his farm and the GVRD sure didn't put it there.
I once asked an insurance adjuster if they covered stupidity after a particularily bone headed stunt by one of our drivers. He replied "Oh sure, all the time."

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Author Topic: Californeys Burnin (Read 1283 times)