Comments on: Life in California: not fun at the moment

By: Diatribical Idiot

Diatribical Idiot — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:48:42 +0000

You have Clinton and Schumer as Senators, and it took you this long to be ashamed?

;)

By: Jeff Alberts

Jeff Alberts — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:40:08 +0000

Haven’t noticed any smoke up here in Seattle. Beautiful clear summer day!

By: Evan Jones

Evan Jones — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:44:01 +0000

By the way, I have just been listening to the news.

I want to personally apologize to California for the criminal destruction of your economy (probably worse than this fire) by a the senior senator from my state.

I am ashamed to be a New Yorker, today.

By: Mike Dubrasich

Mike Dubrasich — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:17:34 +0000

NASA reports it has nothing to do with sun. Sun “normal,” sun spot absence “within a standard deviation.”

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list1021939

Could it be that NASA is mis-using statistics again, a standard deviation for them?

By: Mike Dubrasich

Mike Dubrasich — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:09:53 +0000

Smoke and haze from CA fires reported in Aspen CO today. Previously smoke has reportedly traveled as far as B.C and S. Dakota.

Willamette Valley clear today. Family welcome here, computer for your use. ~9 hr drive from Chico. Must pass through thermal trough sitting on S. Oregon, N. Calif to get here, though.

Local inversions trapping smoke, damping fires. Frequently the inversion lifts in afternoon, releasing smoke and fanning fires. Some of the larger fires are making their own weather with plume events, cyclones. Interesting phenomena from a safe distance. Somewhat horrific close up.

More thunderstorms predicted for western US. Abundance of dry lightning this year, minimal rain associated. Any idea why that might be? Persistant La Nina?

By: KuhnKat

KuhnKat — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 06:18:37 +0000

This is what happens when environ-mentalists block creation and maintenance of fireroads. Block the use of LARGE (see Russian water buffalo) water drops. Block the use of LARGE dozers in many areas. Fight small fires every year until the fuel load creates a firestorm that can’t be put out!!

http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/tech/tech_2.htm

http://www.ussr-airspace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=28_39_38_101&products_id=2225

Either we need to let the fires burn themselves out all the time or invest in something like the above Russian tanker to have the capability to suppress the big ones!! Seeing firefighters and civilians dying because of mis-management is outrageous!!

NOTE: Homes and structures only should be protected if the burns are to be allowed for a return to a somewhat natural cycle. A lot more effort in fire resistant materials and clearings around structures must also be enforced. Many areas clearing is NOT ALLOWED because of eco regulations!!

Sitting in San Francisco enjoying the on-shore breeze and the marine layer (fog).

By: Jim Arndt

Jim Arndt — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:46:44 +0000

please fix help DOH!

By: Jim Arndt

Jim Arndt — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:46:14 +0000

JZ no offense but tropical in SD if 79 in tropical we are closer than that in the OC but you are right that the southern coast is very comfortable right now only 81 today not like the valleys and the inland empire at 100+. Anthony if I can halp in some way there let me know.

By: JZ Smith

JZ Smith — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:42:45 +0000

Ric (14:42) I think they call that a “coastal eddy”. We sometimes get that here and usually means southerly onshore low clouds and wind.

I am in norther San Diego county and the weather here is a bit tropical; high, tropical looking clouds and very little wind (sw @3mph). No smoke at all here, but then we had enough last October.

Tony, when the smoke finally clears, and it will clear quickly with a weather change, the residue will be with you for months. The streets will be dirty from ash, and you should change your car’s airfilter several times over the next few months. Wear a breathing mask (the fancy double-paper ones from the hardware stores… if any are left) anytime you are outside regardless of whether you have asthma.

Good luck and hopefully no more homes will burn.

By: Brian D

Brian D — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:15:38 +0000

I know we have three crews there from MN. 50-60 fighters, maybe more. The threat is very low here, so we are helping you guys out there.

Getting away for awhile is a good idea. Very unhealthy air around there.

By: Ric Werme

Ric Werme — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:42:44 +0000

Here’s a link to some NASA images that have made some news reports.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/fire_and_smoke.html

A HiRes version of most of CA is worth loading:

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/259337main_California_AMO_HI.jpg

There’s an interesting counter clockwise vortex between Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina Is. in the lower right corner.

By: swampie

swampie — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:42:43 +0000

I live on the east side of the 500,000+ acre fire in SE Georgia/NE Florida from last year (which was just one of several that were burning). Y’all gonna be in smoky conditions for awhile.

By: bobonthebellbuoy

bobonthebellbuoy — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:50:49 +0000

Anthony, it’s weird, I spent last weekend working with the B.C. Provincial Fire Control Officer rounding up personnel for California and now I’m reading about it on your wonderful blog. I couldn’t send anyone from the Prine George Fire Centre because we were dealing with a lightning fire bust that started around 100 fires. There were a lot of disappointed people up here. Everyone was willing to go. By the way the Martin Mars bomber has been in California for about a month working out of Lake Shasta. If you get the chance have a look at it, it’s the only one of it’s type left in the world. Good luck and glad we can help.

By: Austin

Austin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:31:00 +0000

I worked in Sierras during some pretty bad fire seasons. I hate to say it but this will not end until this Fall or maybe Sep if its a cold year. You can always hope for a rare TS.

Getting away just for a few days was ALWAYS worth it!!

By: ssridgecrest

ssridgecrest — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:09:41 +0000

Looks a lot like ridgecrest at the moment… man this summer has been rough!

By: Jared

Jared — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:06:41 +0000

I live near Boulder, CO, and we are even getting some haze from your fires the last couple days! I hope conditions improve soon, they certainly can’t get much worse than what you’ve seen the past couple weeks.

By: SteveSadlov

SteveSadlov — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:48:44 +0000

Also related …. I was at a Longs Drugs a couple days ago. They shelves were bare of all 12 hour allergy OTC meds (including the Longs house brand) and 24 hour ones were getting very low. Due to smoke, and, very late blooming of certain flora.

By: Evan Jones

Evan Jones — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:27:09 +0000

anna: . . .

To life!

By: SteveSadlov

SteveSadlov — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:51:52 +0000

I disagree with the comment at the top, there is still quite a bit of smoke over not only the Bay Area but essentially the northern half to two thirds of California. It mixed out momentarily last night, but in the early AM after the wind stopped, it settled right back into a more orderly layer. Also, note that vintners are increasingly worried. First (and as noted some time ago by Anthony) there was the “endless winter” which resulted in a very late leaf out and bloom. And now, due to a combination of the sleepy sun, and since the Solstice, the smoke, fruit is not maturing rapidly enough to be on track. If insolation does not pick up soon, 2008 may be a disastrous vintage.

By: Bill in Vigo

Bill in Vigo — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:39:29 +0000

Dang Anthony,
We went through that here in Alabama last year with the fires in south Georgia and north Florida. For a couple of months we were very bad and the drought kept the fires going. I had to advise my relatives in central Florida to stay home that year as the smoke was so bad.

If there are any health problems get better ac filters and keeeeeeeeep in side or head out to a better clime. Take care of the kiddies for sure.

Best of luck and
God bless,

Bill Derryberry