As Wildfires Move In Big Sur Residents Are Ordered To Leave

This morning, the Governor mentioned the section WEST of Hwy 1 was to be evacuated.
I found that to be a bit odd, since in a lot of areas roughly five to twenty feet west of Hwy 1 is the Pacific Ocean.

Excellent report.

Update: As of seven this morning we have cloudless blue skies and I cannot see any smoke from Big Sur (which is visible from my front window). Hopefully the fire is contained.

However it is difficult to work up much sympathy for the selfish sorts who think that they have the right to live in an ecologically sensitive and fire prone region at the expense of tax payers throughout the nation.

The native plants that live in these hills are "pyrogenic" meaning that they MUST have fire in order to germinate. To add to the problem dummies have filled the hills with non native species such as Eucalyptus (what we call "napalm trees" for the way they burn) and Kentucky blue grass (which turns brown in the summer unlike native species) which is the primary "igniter" for many fires.

A significant portion of the cost of protecting the selfish people who choose to live in this dangerous environment is passed on to the Federal taxpayers.

@ lensman67
Excellent report.

Update: As of seven this morning we have cloudless blue skies and I cannot see any smoke from Big Sur (which is visible from my front window). Hopefully the fire is contained.

However it is difficult to work up much sympathy for the selfish sorts who think that they have the right to live in an ecologically sensitive and fire prone region at the expense of tax payers throughout the nation.

The native plants that live in these hills are "pyrogenic" meaning that they MUST have fire in order to germinate. To add to the problem dummies have filled the hills with non native species such as Eucalyptus (what we call "napalm trees" for the way they burn) and Kentucky blue grass (which turns brown in the summer unlike native species) which is the primary "igniter" for many fires.

A significant portion of the cost of protecting the selfish people who choose to live in this dangerous environment is passed on to the Federal taxpayers.

Almost exactly what my brother Dan has said who lives near L.A.
He has no sympathy for those who haven't enough sense not to build in those areas in the first place and even less sympathy for those who rebuild.

@ Cynthia T. [Picasso]
Almost exactly what my brother Dan has said who lives near L.A.
He has no sympathy for those who haven't enough sense not to build in those areas in the first place and even less sympathy for those who rebuild.

What part of "dangerous fire area" don't these people understand?

I feel sorry for the brave fire fighters and peace officers who must risk their lives in order to save the lives, and property, of these self centered cry babies.

For thousands of years before the white man arrived the local Indians burned the hills every few years in order to insure the health of the plants and wildlife in them (and to improve their own hunting). They understood how to live "with" nature instead of "against" it.

@ lensman67
What part of "dangerous fire area" don't these people understand?

I feel sorry for the brave fire fighters and peace officers who must risk their lives in order to save the lives, and property, of these self centered cry babies.

For thousands of years before the white man arrived the local Indians burned the hills every few years in order to insure the health of the plants and wildlife in them (and to improve their own hunting). They understood how to live "with" nature instead of "against" it.

The Congress should enact a law and prevent them from building homes at that area.

I don't see that they will ever pass a law to prevent building in those areas as it boils down to a free country and $$$$$$$$$.

People build in flood area that get flooded over and over and over etc. Even if their homes are totally destroyed they build there again. The insurance companies should do what they do for people who live in areas that are known to flood. They can't get flood insurance. The same should be done in those areas where their are fire dangers. No fire insurance when the fires are due to "nature" or in other words man's stupidity.

@ Cynthia T. [Picasso]
I don't see that they will ever pass a law to prevent building in those areas as it boils down to a free country and $$$$$$$$$.

People build in flood area that get flooded over and over and over etc. Even if their homes are totally destroyed they build there again. The insurance companies should do what they do for people who live in areas that are known to flood. They can't get flood insurance. The same should be done in those areas where their are fire dangers. No fire insurance when the fires are due to "nature" or in other words man's stupidity.

I agree!

@ Chris V. (cgull)
The Congress should enact a law and prevent them from building homes at that area.

Alas, not only has Congress NOT enacted such laws, they have voted to provide FEDERAL tax support for insurance and fire fighting programs meaning that people in other states are SUBSIDIZING Californians to live in dangerous areas.

While it is allegedly a "free country" and people can live where they choose (unless the zoning laws say they cannot) that does not mean that Californians should be free to pick the pockets of the people in the "fly over states" in order to protect them from the consequences of their dumb, and selfish, decisions.

@ lensman67
Alas, not only has Congress NOT enacted such laws, they have voted to provide FEDERAL tax support for insurance and fire fighting programs meaning that people in other states are SUBSIDIZING Californians to live in dangerous areas.

While it is allegedly a "free country" and people can live where they choose (unless the zoning laws say they cannot) that does not mean that Californians should be free to pick the pockets of the people in the "fly over states" in order to protect them from the consequences of their dumb, and selfish, decisions.

That is why those who chose to build in known flood areas and fire areas should do so at their own risk and not ask the tax payers to subsidize their foolishness.