Posts: 3,017
Threads: 224
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation:
0
I love my 968 for what it is & don't hate it for what it isn't!
Posts: 1,335
Threads: 59
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation:
0
As the population of California has increased, homes have been built in areas that are prone to wildfire. This is especially true in Southern California. The wild lands that surround these enclaves of homes are filled with vegetation that is highly combustable, such as manzanite and creosote bush. Then there are the imported trees, most notably the eucalyptus that were widely planted in California as a windbreak. Couple that with a three year drought and you have a potential disaster. Most of the year our prevaling winds are out of the west or northwest, coming off of the ocean from areas of high pressure. This keeps the atmoshere reasonably humid and brings the summer fog with it. However, in the late summer, we occasionally get a sift in the wind conditions where the winds come out of the east. The wind shift occurs when a large high pressure dome sets up to the east of us, over the desert. As the wind flow across the desert, the air dries out and becomes superheated. The result is the populated areas in coastal California, as far north as San Francisco exprience "Santa Ana" or "sundowner" winds that are very hot and very dry. Winds flow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. The steeper the pressure gradient the higher the wind speed.
In uninhadited areas wildland fires routinely provide a check on vegetation growth, but in areas close to population centers we tend to fight the fires and not let the natural process control the vegetation. The big fire in LA is burning in an area that last burned 60 years ago, long before there were any homes built out there. So, unfortunately, it was an area that was ripe for a major fire.
Chris Vais
1994 Coupe Midnight Blue Metallic
2015 Audi Allroad Quattro Brilliant Black
2008 Audi A5 Brilliant Black
Posts: 3,017
Threads: 224
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation:
0
<!--quoteo(post=79399:date=Sep 2 2009, 11:20 AM:name=Chris Vais)-->QUOTE (Chris Vais @ Sep 2 2009, 11:20 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->As the population of California has increased, homes have been built in areas that are prone to wildfire. This is especially true in Southern California. The big fire in LA is burning in an area that last burned 60 years ago, long before there were any homes built out there. So, unfortunately, it was an area that was ripe for a major fire.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
A lot of good points Meteorologist Chris
I read a similar point made regarding the rock slides in CA. The article mentioned that at one time they wouldn't dare build on this particular mountain side. But as the demand for homes grew, up the homes went.
I love my 968 for what it is & don't hate it for what it isn't!
Posts: 1,335
Threads: 59
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation:
0
<!--quoteo(post=79412:date=Sep 2 2009, 02:45 PM:name=rhudeboye)-->QUOTE (rhudeboye @ Sep 2 2009, 02:45 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I read a similar point made regarding the rock slides in CA. The article mentioned that at one time they wouldn't dare build on this particular mountain side. But as the demand for homes grew, up the homes went.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unfortunately, also true, although most communities have gotten much better about zoning seismicly unstable hillsides as open space so that they can be built on. That said, there are houses built along the EastBay Hills, within spitting distance of the Hayward fault.
My house is constructed on an engineered fill along the Bay fringe. The foundation is a post tensioned concrete slab. If the Big One ever comes, all I'll likely have to do is change the house number after it finishes floating down the street. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]
Chris Vais
1994 Coupe Midnight Blue Metallic
2015 Audi Allroad Quattro Brilliant Black
2008 Audi A5 Brilliant Black
