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Bo Zarts

(26,465 posts)

6. There is an old axiom in wildland fire fighting: "Wind changes everything."

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Wed Jan 8, 2025, 09:59 AM

Jan 2025

Santa Ana winds put that axiom on steroids. Strong downslope desert winds undergo compression, which generates heat. So you get "double drying" .. drying from heat and drying from high velocity winds. Any little spark .. ANY LITTLE SPARK .. can start a catastrophic wildfire.

Some winds in the area of the Palisades fire have been clocked at almost 100 mph. You cannot fight fire in that kind of wind. You cannot fly helicopters in that kind of wind. You cannot fly tanker aircraft in that kind of wind.

Palisades has grown from 1200 acres to almost 3000 acres in the past 12 hours. And there are numerous other significant fire starts in the area (Woodley, Hurst, and Eaton fires) upwind of Palisades.

Another old saying in wildland fire fighting is "F.E.A.R." - fuck everything and run. There are over 25 evacuation orders (Level 3 - GO!) in the area of Palisades.

Wind changes everything. F.E.A.R.!

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Highlight:

Fast-moving fires in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena and Sylmar burn homes; gusts of up to 99 mph reported [View all] riversedge Jan 2025 OP

This is my view of the #eatoncanyonfire in Los Angeles county. The strong winds completely blew out my power, riversedge Jan 2025 #1

It was the horrific Marshall Fire December 30, 2021 between Boulder and Lafayette, CO with similar hlthe2b Jan 2025 #2

From my brother in North Hollywood. Listen to this wind. That's what is driving these fires. riversedge Jan 2025 #3

Wow berniesandersmittens Jan 2025 #8

This is all I've thought about NJCher Jan 2025 #4

What started the fire? Unladen Swallow Jan 2025 #5

They are talking about the Santa Ana Wind even though they usually come in the fall, September October question everything Jan 2025 #19

There is an old axiom in wildland fire fighting: "Wind changes everything." Bo Zarts Jan 2025 #6

....Early Wednesday morning, evacuation orders expanded well into Malibu, creeping into the same area riversedge Jan 2025 #7

So horrid Sequoia Jan 2025 #16

omg! look at these palm trees, swaying in the wind and on FIRE!! riversedge Jan 2025 #9

Of course, people, pets, homes, wildlife, and trees. But I've Never seen a Palm Tree on fire before! : ( electric_blue68 Jan 2025 #20

Who had winter wildfires on their bingo card? IronLionZion Jan 2025 #10

🚨🇺🇸 "OMG OMG" "That's a million dollar house - more - OMG" This is Malibu - one of the wealthiest affluent places o riversedge Jan 2025 #11

Faux Weather announced it will carry the briefing at 8 am PST nitpicked Jan 2025 #12

May it NOT resemble the Oakland 1991 firestorm nitpicked Jan 2025 #13

At the 8 am PST press conference they just announced two fatalities in the EATON LauraInLA Jan 2025 #14

My nephew is about 15 miles from the fire Marthe48 Jan 2025 #15

Devastating images question everything Jan 2025 #17

Every year RussBLib Jan 2025 #18

20 people arrested for looting tonekat Jan 2025 #21