One Reported Dead In Valley Fire

The Press Democrat ^ | 9/14/2015 | Mary Callahan

[freebilly]

The 1991 Oakland Hills fire, which consumed 2,900 structures, would likely still rank No. 1.

Four members of a Cal Fire helicopter crew were burned Saturday when they were overrun by flames in the initial attack and are recovering at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Berlant said two had been moved out of the burn unit.

The fire consumed the beloved Harbin Hot Springs, where few buildings were left standing Monday, and damaged cooling towers, communication equipment and power distribution lines at The Geysers geothermal energy complex. The project’s main operator, Houston-based Calpine, generates about 60 percent of the electricity needs for the North Coast from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon line.

At least 19,000 people have been evacuated from their homes across the three counties.

[freebilly]

For those folks who saw an video of someone escaping the fire and called him an idiot and a fool for waiting so long, you have no clue. The speed with which this fire went from zero to 50,000 acres was unlike anything that veteran firefighters of 35 years have ever seen. This fire overran 4 firefighters right at the get go and just gathered momentum. In 3 days it's grown to about 70,000 acres. We're lucky there's just been one fatality so far....

[IYAS9YAS]

My wife has family there. They got out in time, and as of yesterday, the fire hadn't taken their home, but it did come within a few hundred feet of their property. They got lucky.

People were releasing horses and other pets from neighboring properties where the owners weren't home. At least they'd get a chance to run, versus burning alive in a barn.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

It’s been said the fire in Lake County was 400 acres on Saturday and grew to 50,000 acres by Sunday.

I lived in the Santa Barbara years ago, and the speed of the spread of this fire blows my mind.

The national evening news last night (either ABC or CBS) said the California drought has caused the driest conditions in 500 years. Wow.

[freebilly]

Lots of animals being treated for burns by local vets, they are lucky to have survived.

[q_an_a]

There is not a single story about a mentally ill person shooting folks that does not include ‘Were is the gun reform.” on the other hand there has never been a fire story that begins with call to reform of the Forest Service or the BLM. Nobody every calls the Sierra Club the cause of the death or injury to fire fighters - why is that? They call the NRA the problem with guns. Greens should be called out for the destruction of land that could be managed with better policies.

[The Westerner]

So heartbreakingly true! Dr Bill Wattenburg, the voice of science and reason on KGO, called them eco-nazis. Bill's longrunning show was cancelled during Obama’s rule. He often spoke of the insane policies of the lefties which was to leave nature to its own devices, i.e., not conduct controlled burns. BTW, weather down here in SoCal is unlike any I've experienced: humid like a NYC summer day, brief rain showers that do not drop the humidity unlike NYC summer storms. I believe our weather is cycling through some sort of pattern as yet unidentified by real scientists.

[vette6387]

Latest weather report, it’s raining in the fire area as this is being written:

http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/USCA0156:1:US

So for those of you who came up with this “This is God’s punishment,” I’d say He’s had second thoughts!

[freebilly]

It rained pretty well since about 10am. Just about stopped now. Should deinitely help.