LA Wildfires

Nobody listens to what that meddling little shit Musk says. Hundreds of houses are being destroyed and people are dying and he's making political capital out of it. His staggering ignorance of world affairs was exposed when he went to Europe, so people just ignore him now. Even Donald Trump's tired of him and his money. He should go back to stealing other people's ideas and enriching himself in the process.

Wyllow3

Its good to see neighbouring states like Texas (which is also a very high risk state for wildfires) offering and giving help).

And Mexican fire fighters have flown in. I bet they were given a visa quickly 😉

Juniewoonie

What are American houses built of? Are they timber framed? The houses just seemed to crumbled.

Yes Juniewoonie - the houses need to crumble as built in the earthquake zone…. Each to their own.

When I mentionned this to friends who lived next to a humongous eucalyptus tree in Surrey- and others in the Midlands, they seemed very surprised they were massive fire hazards. In the South of France junipers are now banned for this reason, and also because they cause so many strong allergies.

Wyllow3 time will tell.

When people stop planting eucalyptus trees in the middle of housing this sort of thing will become rarer.

Ditto huge swathes of Australia, Portugal and other wildfire flashspots around the world.

Will we hear the broadcast media highlight this? Not a chance. It doesn’t fit the climate change narrative.

Planting a eucalyptus tree next to your house is tantamount to planting a small LPG tank there. Also junipers, no matter how pretty they look.

What are American houses built of? Are they timber framed? The houses just seemed to crumbled.

If you suggested this as a plot for an apocalyptic horror movie people would have said it's too far fetched. It's not even over yet. Some have said for years that Nature will reclaim the planet - think of the deadly floods last Autumn in Valencia, Malaga, Seville. Our climate has been decimated by humanity and Mother Nature is getting her revenge, some might say. I pray for the hundreds of thousands who have lost everything - what on earth will these poor souls do, where will they go? I can't get my head around it all. Absolutely terrifying.

* Gavin Newsom the Governor of California

Its good to see neighbouring states like Texas (which is also a very high risk state for wildfires) offering and giving help).

Gary Newsom is a dork.

I'm not at all sure a Republican state would have run matters any better/are better prepared tbh. This is an overwhelming situation.

Fact check on Trump claims
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czj3yk90kpyo

In terms of states best prepared for climate change and extreme weather its an interesting picture

www.planetizen.com/news/2024/07/130666-20-states-best-and-least-prepared-climate-change-and-extreme-weather

I don’t think the insurance companies wanted to insure them mabon so it wasn’t an option for the homeowners. The companies deemed the risk too high. They run a business and didn’t want to see profit just thrown away so houses just remained ‘uninsurable’.

Anyway as we know, most insurance companies will rent you an umbrella - until it rains.

I have read, and heard on the radio that many of these property owners are uninsured. they are extremely wealthy. I am a 83 year old widow living on a pension, my home is insured, why don't these wealthy people insure their homes?

vivaldi Australia must have a few tips on having firebreaks and clearing away wood and combustible materials… it really isn’t rocket science. And how about improving water storage? The Democrats have failed in California that’s for sure.

I would imagine any administration would want to do that, all will want to look at problems lie deep in drought, supply and uneven distribution,
but I was considering immediate situation support for the thousands without homes (and inadequate insurance), destruction of the infrastructure/power supplies which no state could have predicted.

What measures? Official raindancers?? That's the big big causation factor - no rain for months plus strong winds.
Or will Elon start trying to manipulate the weather -cloud seeding etc?

Wyllow3 well the Democrats were firmly in control of California so not sure how Trump will respond. He might be more of a pragmatist than the Democrats? I imagine Trump will want measures put in place to prevent further fires.

ronib

Biden is still the President so has control of services. Trump can’t enable any action until he’s has been sworn in I imagine? Wyllow3 Additionally there might be some health risks involved in breathing in Californian air at the moment - don’t forget Trump is 79.

My post was based on the reality that Biden can't make large commitments of money and any other federal aid 8 days before a change of administration - and when we don't even know the full scale of the problem. A commitment for aid is what is being asked for.

With the change in climate issues and possibilities of more floods/fires its likely to come up again, ie the need for federal aid when a state is swamped.

NotSpaghetti

Allira

How many of us does not have a packet of almonds or pistachios in the cupboard?

No farmers no food.
No water, no farmers.

I like the slightly rough Spanish and Greek Almonds. I have those in my cupboard - however I do accept that they are still almonds!

Just checked mine from Tesco - produce of USA.

I admit to the assumption that a region near the coast might be well-watered from what I learnt in geography lessons at school. It seems this is not the case there.
Are the farms in the area of the rain shadow?

Biden is still the President so has control of services. Trump can’t enable any action until he’s has been sworn in I imagine? Wyllow3 Additionally there might be some health risks involved in breathing in Californian air at the moment - don’t forget Trump is 79.

Fires continue to rage, and a lot of help is needed as many people have no where to live or clothes or other basics although there is a lot of mutual self help happening. Catch up on
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ce8j1djgvrpt

Time for Trump to stop playing politics blame games - and offer real help. He hasn't even visited (he was pretty quick to visit North Carolina). It shouldn't be "party political".

Allira

How many of us does not have a packet of almonds or pistachios in the cupboard?

No farmers no food.
No water, no farmers.

Or cartons of almond milk?

Allira

How many of us does not have a packet of almonds or pistachios in the cupboard?

No farmers no food.
No water, no farmers.

I like the slightly rough Spanish and Greek Almonds. I have those in my cupboard - however I do accept that they are still almonds!

petra

This is a very good piece on who’s taking all the water.
Mother Jones is an environmental group.

www.motherjones.com/environment/2021/09/california-san-joaquin-valley-drinking-water-dry-wells-almonds-pistachios-groundwater-aquifers/

Water rights is a huge thing in the western US. Up until 5 years ago, it was against the law for us to collect rainwater in my state (not California) because once it hit our roof it was owned by people downstream.

Even now we are limited to 2 50 gallon rain barrels per property.

These laws have been in effect since before we were all states, so they aren't going away any time soon.