California firefighters warn of "apocalyptic" threat

[Roon]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California fire officials have warned that one of the biggest of the wildfires they are fighting could be on the verge of taking an "apocalyptic" turn if it spreads to "a deadline" of diseased and highly flammable trees in the San Bernardino Mountains.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031029/325/ecj2u.html

[Flubadubya]

Mother nature didn't like the recall election...

Look out Ah-nold... God's just getting it all nice and ready for you! Hah!!

[qanda]

1. Scary stuff

eom

[PartyPooper]

2. I thought it ALREADY was an "apocalyptic threat".

To date, 16+ dead (including a firefighter!)...more than 2,000 homes destroyed...over 600,000 acres. And, God only knows how much livestock and wildlife has been killled, too.

This is a real tragedy NOW!

:-(

[proud patriot]

3. Please lord protect the Sierra Nevada Wilderness

:scared:

[duvinnie]

4. scary!

Most fires out west, even major ones, are usually winding down after a week.
This time seems to be different. Keep praying for things to change, soon.

[neverforget]

5. Don't worry. The Last Action Hero will stop the flames with his

movie star charisma and bodybuilder looks.

[shance]

6. Would that be Ann Coulter?

whew....glad to know I can feel some confidence there.

[neverforget]

7. She could with the bile she spews forth!

:evilgrin:

[Polemonium]

8. Fairly apocalyptic now, latest maps -

Fire fighters have done an incredible job working 48+ hours straight saving thousands of homes that by all rights should have gone up in smoke. But this is a long way from over.






Many structures lost in Cedar Glenn now too



My folks live in Running Springs, Friends all over the mountain, most of our stuff in storage up there.

[htuttle]

10. That's the first time I've ever seen a cry for help in a map legend

On the last map, from what looks like the rimoftheworld community website:

"IT IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING DIFFICULT TO MANAGE ALL OF THE SPOT INFORMATION. *THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED GENERAL IN NATURE.*"

Isn't that something. I have this vision of some poor person stuck near a bank of phones and radios, trying to take down reports of where the fire is and mark it on a map.

DIDN'T WE ALL PAY FOR A BUNCH OF SATELLITES OR SOMETHING?

Why isn't there any coordination for something like this? Where's FEMA? Wouldn't that be something right up their alley? Are they in Iraq, too?

[no_arbusto]

12. What's really scary

There is a VERY sophisticated system for mapping wildfires in CA. The fire departments actually have mobile labs that look like offices with multiple computers, internet access, and plotters to print maps. Guys in the field also use GPS units and tablet PCs. These labs have been used many times to successfully map and predict the path of fires. I was fortunate enough to see some of this technology this past summer. I met a lot of the people who coordinate these efforts as well. The fact that they cannot keep up with this means a lot.

[Polemonium]

20. hard to improve on maps

First, the function of the maps is simply to inform those thousands of us that are wondering "was my house lost yet". They have no impact on the fire fighting effort, and maps used for those purposes are undoubtedly better.

Second, there is too much smoke to allow aerial photos or satellite imagery to be very effective at aiding the map making. Further, many satellites can record thermal wavelengths which would be effective at showing where fires are and how hot. However, those thermal images have to be shifted to actual points on the ground so you know where the hot spots are in relation to everything else. You generally need quite a few ground control points for spatial accuracy that would improve on the map being provided. Ground control points would be easiest to identify by identifying known locations on the ground, again most of these are obscured by smoke, so you would be looking for known areas that have a recognizable heat signature in a known area. Ok this could be done, but it would cost a ton of money and would need to be done repeatedly day in day out. All this to create a map that is simply telling folks whether they have lost their house. While, I'd love to see this, I'm happier knowing that all available resources are going into actually stopping the fire.

Third, the apology in the legend is largely a result of an earlier version of this map that overstated the fire in one neighborhood. Imagine creating a map where thousands of people are either encouraged or thrown into despair (I'm surprised the legend apology isn't longer - nerdy map makers are not used to that kind of responsibility when it comes to maps).

[FlemingsGhost]

9. Rome is burning...

eom

[TheZoo]

11. My company has an office in San Diego

They opened up today after 2 days. The minute I heard they were opened, I emailed all of my friends there. Fortunately, their homes are far away from the fires, and the office wasn't in danger. A few of them were talking about how the ranches were herding their horses as far away as possible.

The skies over Las Vegas were very strange today. It looked like there was a storm coming over the mountains - I could barely see them, and the whole day was overcast. The worst part was that before the winds really started picking up, it smelled like a BBQ, or a campfire that had gone out.

My thoughts and prayers to Californians, both animal and vegetable.

[corarose]

13. I can't look at it on the TV

It makes you feel so sad.

[TheZoo]

16. I gave up on watching it on TV

I feel so sad about the horrible things happening over there.

There's a NASA sponsered site that shows the planet from the satellite point of view - http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/

Even that doesn't look good :-(

[flamingyouth]

14. Three different women I know in San Diego

Lost everything - their homes, all of their clothes, their mementos. I just found this out today, and I've been so heartbroken for them. They all live in different areas down there, but so many homes have been lost, I can't keep it straight anymore. I'd agree that we're well into the apocalyptic stage already.

[devilgrrl]

15. This is going sound cold...

I've notice that the areas effected the most are predominately GOP strongholds.

Even so, this is complete tragedy and I feel awful for everyone. :cry: I have to see what I have around here to contribute, clothes, and other stuff.

Has anyone heard from Lazarus or Haele? I hope they're okay. :scared:

[slinkerwink]

17. *sigh*

That's just horrible.

[Nottingham]

18. It is so sad! I hope it stops soon

:bounce:

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

19. Here in Los Angeles the air is bad

My friend just evacuated Big Bear.
I blame Ahhnold.
So Cal is in bad shape.

[PartyPooper]

21. Why do you think Arnold evacuated to D.C.?

He simply wanted some 'fresh air'!

:eyes:

[Karenina]

22. The map on this thread is very useful

Thanks to the poster.