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Why Los Angeles was unprepared for this fire
The Washington Post ^ | January 11, 2025 9:50 AM EST | Anna Phillips, Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Evan Halper, Joshua Partlow

Posted on 01/11/2025 10:25:36 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

In Los Angeles’s chaparral-covered ecosystem, wildfires in the mountains are an annual ritual. But when those fires leaped into residential neighborhoods earlier this week, killing at least 11 people and destroying thousands of homes, the city suddenly found itself in survival mode.

A critical question became why the largest city in California, a state that has spent years fortifying itself against wildfires, couldn’t stop the fires this time. State regulations required residents in high-risk neighborhoods to create vegetation-free buffers around their homes. California had invested billions of dollars to reduce the amount of woody fuel for fires to burn. It boasted the largest firefighting force in the nation.

Yet within a few days, decades-old communities and beloved landmarks were gone, and residents are left asking why.

Experts said several key factors — including urban sprawl, a resistance to clearing vegetation around homes, and a water system that’s not designed to combat multiple major blazes at once — left L.A. exposed to disaster. As climate change fuels record heat, leaving the hillsides primed for wildfires to grow swiftly into massive conflagrations, these factors led to catastrophe.

“There was a lot that could have and should have been done,” said Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of Oregon-based Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology. “Decades before we knew about climate change, we knew this kind of urban sprawl was a big risk.”

Sprawling risk

The planning flaws that exacerbated the wildfires have long plagued Southern California. The two communities decimated by fires, Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, were built decades ago at the foothills of mountains that frequently burn. Dotted with single-family homes lining narrow, winding streets, they are difficult to defend and difficult to evacuate.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: annaphillips; california; evanhalper; joshuapartlow; mollyhennessyfiske
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Because they do not know how important having competent people in place to handle things is.

Most of political leaders have never had an actual "produce something" job. They tend to be lawyers or academics of some sort. They talk but have no idea how to produce. So when they hire they look at everything except qualification for actually doing the job.

But the jobs they are hiring for have actual real world requirements. And if you do not have competent people in those positions when the emergency arrives, and it always does, they have no idea how to handle it.

And I am sorry if this hurts people's feelings but statistically the most competent person to handle it will be a straight white male. Because that is the majority of the work force in this country. Just the way it is. And if you are looking for leadership, older straight white male.

Does this mean that a minority sodomite female can NOT do the job? No. But it means that the most qualified person probably does not slot into all of those categories.

Reality is reality and you just have to deal with it.

41 posted on 01/11/2025 11:42:37 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
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To: JusPasenThru; All

“Climate change” is a deflection. That way no one is held accountable.


42 posted on 01/11/2025 11:45:35 AM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common anymore.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

As climate change fuels record heat
...................................

BALONEY!!!!!


43 posted on 01/11/2025 11:49:27 AM PST by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: MAGA2017

It’s noon in LA and 63 degrees (F).

Climate change, which is not even claimed to be even 2 degrees warmer earth surface temperature in the past 144 years, has absolutely ZERO to do with these fires. Nothing.

It’s a slap in the face that they bring it up.

They only do so for religious reasons. Climate change is a major tenet of their religion they wish to force upon us through the government.


44 posted on 01/11/2025 11:49:51 AM PST by unlearner (Still not tired of winning.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
You have to admit the MSM is good at making up believable fiction to cover for bad leftist policies that, in this case, were fatal. They could paper over anything.
45 posted on 01/11/2025 12:01:05 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Inept and downright criminal negligence by democrat leadership.


46 posted on 01/11/2025 12:06:58 PM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Well, climate change came in the fourth paragraph.

Completely invalidating anything in this drivel.

If "climate change" was such a big threat why didn't the RATS give us a better real-time solution? Instead they gave us the 69th Fighting Faggots Fire Brigade...

47 posted on 01/11/2025 12:23:29 PM PST by CurlyDave (I helped vote the felon into power.)
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To: CurlyDave

With limp hoses.


48 posted on 01/11/2025 12:44:06 PM PST by Kudsman (Hey,, Democrat,,leave them kids alone!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

They were prepared. They had already cancelled insurance for many. That’s top notch preparation.


49 posted on 01/11/2025 12:46:13 PM PST by Bulwyf
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To: Fresh Wind

Looks like the old Chicago projects

LA has new idea?.


50 posted on 01/11/2025 1:44:52 PM PST by Vaduz
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

51 posted on 01/11/2025 2:33:28 PM PST by Dick Bachert (=)
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To: Vaduz

Actually that was Russia.


52 posted on 01/11/2025 2:38:29 PM PST by Fresh Wind (Kamala defines herself in 4 words..."Nothing comes to mind.")
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To: Fresh Wind

Looks the same from 70’s in Chicago may be the same plans who knows?.


53 posted on 01/11/2025 2:49:52 PM PST by Vaduz
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Democrats. Single word answer.


54 posted on 01/11/2025 2:54:54 PM PST by CodeToad (Rule #1: The elites want you dead.)
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To: JusPasenThru

“If climate change is blamed, I turn them off.”

Ditto. As Scott Adams said, stipulate that climate change is an actual thing, which it isn’t, but pretend that it is. The disaster would be no less than it is. There were no preparations.

California has Santa Ana wind events every year.

On Jan. 2, Mayor Jemima was warned the Santa Anas would be especially bad this year. She did not prepare. She left the country.

Mayor had cut almost $20 million from the Fire Department budget. (She had proposed cutting three times that much.)

Two years ago, LA Fire Department equipment had been donated to Ukraine. (Ironic that the majority of those who lost homes have an extreme pro-Ukraine mindset. How’s that working out for them?)

At least 100 firemen had been fired for refusing the vaccine.

When FDNY, maybe the best fire department in the world, offered assistance and crews, Mayor said, “No.”

When Oregon sent 60 trucks to help, they were stopped in Sacramento for ‘emissions testing.’ “’They likely won’t pass inspection and won’t be able to help’, per an Oregon firefighter.”

Newsom diverted water to save a fish so there was insufficient water to fight any major fire(s).

Water supply reservoirs were dry — never replenished, so there was no water for hydrants.

TPTB advised residents to boil water before drinking. 1. No water. 2. No power to boil.

In error, TPTB broadcasted screeching emergency cell alerts to evacuate immediately — TO EVERYONE. At least TWICE. Had to walk that back. (Perhaps the crack lesbian team could bone up on technology re how to target specific areas.)

The mayor told people, if they wanted more information, to go to “URL”. Not Earl. URL. (Again — completely ignorant re technology.)


55 posted on 01/11/2025 3:02:37 PM PST by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

It took four losers at the Washington Compost to write this screed?

I’ll tell you what caused the LA calamity in one word.

Liberalism!


56 posted on 01/11/2025 3:10:27 PM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (Russia? China? Democrats and RINOs are the biggest threat to the survival of America.)
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To: MAGA2017

i stopped at “California had invested BILLIONS of dollars to reduce the amount of woody fuel for fires to burn”


57 posted on 01/11/2025 6:22:50 PM PST by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Californians consistently vote for unqualified people with a (D) next to their name and no real work experience. Then these losers bring in all their buddies who check the “right” boxes.


58 posted on 01/12/2025 7:07:17 AM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.)
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