LA Wildfires

That is good news!

latest is on this page

edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/fires-los-angeles-california-01-17-25/index.html

good to see they are being tough on crime too.

Feels to me like Newsom is doing a great job

but the rebuilding is massive and I hope will be given federal backing under the new Trump regime - not playing politics.

NotSpaghetti

Allira Newson has already made an executive order to halt this speculation (initially for 3 months).

Good.
They were trying to take advantage of traumatised.people.

www.gov.ca.gov/2025/01/14/governor-newsom-issues-order-to-protect-fire-victims-from-predatory-real-estate-speculators/

Governor Newsom issued an executive order barring opportunist and predatory investors from making unsolicited undervalue offers to families impacted by the firestorms to buy their land, taking advantage by offering fast cash for destroyed property.

Allira Newson has already made an executive order to halt this speculation (initially for 3 months).

Witzend

ronib

The buildings were presumably constructed of wood? Bea65 A contact in insurance suggests that the wooden structures did not stand a chance…. And also that rebuilding costs will be paid out and not the value of the destroyed houses. So 300000 dollars and not 30 million. Interesting.

Isn’t that normal in the case of a house destroyed by fire? You get the cost of rebuilding, not the price of the land, which you still possess - even if it’s been ravaged by fire.

"The speculators are already trying to cheaply buy burnt out plots for future development"

If the plots are freehold and belong to those who have had their homes destroyed then how can speculators buy up burnt out plots?
Unless the plots are leasehold?

Yes, an insurance company will pay for the cost of rebuilding, if householders had insurance, of course.

ronib

The buildings were presumably constructed of wood? Bea65 A contact in insurance suggests that the wooden structures did not stand a chance…. And also that rebuilding costs will be paid out and not the value of the destroyed houses. So 300000 dollars and not 30 million. Interesting.

Isn’t that normal in the case of a house destroyed by fire? You get the cost of rebuilding, not the price of the land, which you still possess - even if it’s been ravaged by fire.

Notspaghetti - you are correct. Several Republicans and Trump have all stated that federal aid should be withheld unless certain conditions were met. It is preposterous.

"The speculators are already trying to cheaply buy burnt out plots for future development"

Oh look "Greasy" Newsom is actually doing his job and protecting the homeowners from speculators.

www.gov.ca.gov/2025/01/14/governor-newsom-issues-order-to-protect-fire-victims-from-predatory-real-estate-speculators/

It's not Newson who's laying down conditions for support though is it?!!

x.com/GavinNewsom/status/1879399523459748169?t=6kLOFqRrFbIxZb2WJzKHHA&s=19

The right will blame anyone and anything other than the oil barons who are ultimately responsible for this devastion of planet and peoples lives

Wyllow3

Has it not occurred his body language was not "happy" but wound up/anxious? From one clip? This title "greasy", btw, is actually straight from the right wing news channel Fox News.

There is a huge disinformation row because of Musk and other posting false claims, politicising what you rightly call a huge tragedy for ordinary people.

The fire systems in California were adequate for anything they had known before. Yes they could have been better, easy to say after the event when we don't know the competing priorities on state funding.

It was hardly Newsrooms fault that in the first week 100mph winds prevented helicopters and other air support for fire fighting or the fires to rage at the speed they did.

Can anyone actually regulate buying up land as speculation in the USA The state? the federal government? I doubt it.

Can't the Trump incoming administration get over itself and work with local states when there are overwhelming emergencies?

The government managed support in North Carolina (because an election was coming up in a swing state )when the hurricane came.
There, too, were inadequacies in outdated systems:
The systems used to understand flood risk and water movement were outdated and ill-prepared for more severe storms and there were gaps in flood protections. There will be more in different states.

It does seem in general that because of climate change there are likely to continue to be events that are beyond what is currently in place. But as long as climate change is denied...

great post Wyllow.. a voice of reason

typo: Newsom, not newsroom, above. As for Musk coming out and blaming the response to the fires on the fact that the Fire chief is a woman, words fail.

Has it not occurred his body language was not "happy" but wound up/anxious? From one clip? This title "greasy", btw, is actually straight from the right wing news channel Fox News.

There is a huge disinformation row because of Musk and other posting false claims, politicising what you rightly call a huge tragedy for ordinary people.

The fire systems in California were adequate for anything they had known before. Yes they could have been better, easy to say after the event when we don't know the competing priorities on state funding.

It was hardly Newsrooms fault that in the first week 100mph winds prevented helicopters and other air support for fire fighting or the fires to rage at the speed they did.

Can anyone actually regulate buying up land as speculation in the USA The state? the federal government? I doubt it.

Can't the Trump incoming administration get over itself and work with local states when there are overwhelming emergencies?

The government managed support in North Carolina (because an election was coming up in a swing state )when the hurricane came.
There, too, were inadequacies in outdated systems:
The systems used to understand flood risk and water movement were outdated and ill-prepared for more severe storms and there were gaps in flood protections. There will be more in different states.

It does seem in general that because of climate change there are likely to continue to be events that are beyond what is currently in place. But as long as climate change is denied...

greasy Newson could not stop smiling when he was being interviewed, showing giddy excitement via his body language. The speculators are already trying to cheaply buy burnt out plots for future development

You have to wonder why so much fire prevention was left undone

Residents who have nothing left have to pay off mortgages, without help and with accruing interest. In many cases Insurance companies have not renewed insurances

There is still huge property tax to pay on the derelict land that is left

Pity help the ordinary people

This is actually from the CA government and is interactive. Ypu can add and remove layers of the map.

www.fire.ca.gov/incidents

The link went live on the 8th but is updating.

I think there are 5 fires actually Wyllow

www.ocregister.com/2025/01/08/map-see-where-the-eaton-hurst-and-palisades-fires-are-burning-in-southern-california/

I know this is an Orange County paper but it's at least local and updates.

☹

Allira yes lots of the houses at least in Anaheim area are haciendas built of wood and thatch based with stone and terracotta tiled roof - inside beautiful tile work.. I really like them and really cool for the high temps but against a fire..and without fire hydrants working correctly..

ronib

The buildings were presumably constructed of wood? Bea65 A contact in insurance suggests that the wooden structures did not stand a chance…. And also that rebuilding costs will be paid out and not the value of the destroyed houses. So 300000 dollars and not 30 million. Interesting.

A lot were timber-framed, I understand.

Allira

Norah

Seems disingenuous to blame uncleared brush or ineffective government for lack of water.

This row of multi million dollar homes, on the seaside, with a road behind thus no vegetation, all burned to the ground.

On the news today firemen were in a long row, sweeping unclear brush away from the area of a new fire.

Of course clearing brush matters.

Every child who has ever been a Boy Scout or Girl Guide learns how to light a camp fire with kindling.
It flares up quickly then the flames move upwards and outwards.

Of course brush removal matters. But brush removal or lack thereof was used to score political points, when in fact there are and were many neighborhoods with no excess brush or vegetation, that was my point.

The buildings were presumably constructed of wood? Bea65 A contact in insurance suggests that the wooden structures did not stand a chance…. And also that rebuilding costs will be paid out and not the value of the destroyed houses. So 300000 dollars and not 30 million. Interesting.

Norah

Seems disingenuous to blame uncleared brush or ineffective government for lack of water.

This row of multi million dollar homes, on the seaside, with a road behind thus no vegetation, all burned to the ground.

Really disturbing to see that although close to the ocean, these properties couldn’t be saved 😢

Norah

Seems disingenuous to blame uncleared brush or ineffective government for lack of water.

This row of multi million dollar homes, on the seaside, with a road behind thus no vegetation, all burned to the ground.

On the news today firemen were in a long row, sweeping unclear brush away from the area of a new fire.

Of course clearing brush matters.

Every child who has ever been a Boy Scout or Girl Guide learns how to light a camp fire with kindling.
It flares up quickly then the flames move upwards and outwards.

Apparently it’s the norm to have a lockbox in Cali, . am told by sis in law they have a one at the door containing passports/ certificates and other important documents should there be a time when they have to leave suddenly - used in the past when earthquakes erupted on a nearby highway and safety measures
were imposed-and just last week when they received a text to evacuate along with 10 million others- sent in error to them
… I really hope and pray for their safety and others if the Santa Ana winds also known as Devil winds, come their way 🙏