I've been wondering what's up with all the huge wild fires lately in California and australia etc. We know how to effectively prevent or limmit wild fires. Ever since I was a little kid I knew about fire ditches, preventative burning etc. Why are these things not practised, especially in high risk areas? I just saw an observatory in danger of being engulfed by the flames, why on earth would they let the forrest come so close to such an important building? They know it's going to burn sooner or later. It's kind of like how in the US (tornado risk) they build these light prefab (cardboard origami) houses, while in Europe (no tornado risk) we build stone bunkers. What is up with this, it confuses me to no end.

Me too.

But we did the same: after a big hail (hailstones with 6 cm diameter), we replaced the destroyed roof with a weaker one....

Quote: Original post by Kirl
I've been wondering what's up with all the huge wild fires lately in California and australia etc. We know how to effectively prevent or limmit wild fires. Ever since I was a little kid I knew about fire ditches, preventative burning etc. Why are these things not practised, especially in high risk areas?

They are practiced.

Without the existing practices the situation would be much worse.

There are wildfires every single year in susceptible areas. The exact locations of the wildfires vary of course, but statistically they are very predictable. Governments have annual budgets for wildfires.

Most wildfires simply don't make the news. People don't really care about the fires unless they are close to a city or affect recreation areas.

Perhaps now that you are aware of it, you will start to notice that wildfires are an annual occurrence.

Quote: I just saw an observatory in danger of being engulfed by the flames, why on earth would they let the forrest come so close to such an important building? They know it's going to burn sooner or later.

It has to be built somewhere. Really it was just a good photo op. An alternative story is "Environmentalists decry government deforestation for science project".

You build a building where it makes the most sense.

Quote: It's kind of like how in the US (tornado risk) they build these light prefab (cardboard origami) houses, while in Europe (no tornado risk) we build stone bunkers.

What is up with this, it confuses me to no end.

That is a horrible generalization.

The so-called "Tornado Alley" covers over a half million square kilometers and touches nine states (or more depending on how it is classified). It contains hundreds of cities, including several state capitols. Of course there are prefab buildings among those few million structures.

The news doesn't show pictures of the solid buildings or those with only mild damage because it doesn't attract eyeballs.

Quote: Original post by Kirl
We know how to effectively prevent or limmit wild fires. Ever since I was a little kid I knew about fire ditches,

Right now I'm getting charred bits of bark rained down on me from a fire 25Km away so its not always a practical solution.

Quote: Original post by Kirl
preventative burning etc.

Controlled burns are hard to organize since most people don't want fire near their homes due to the smoke and risk it will go out of control.

Quote: Original post by Kirl
I've been wondering what's up with all the huge wild fires lately in California and australia etc. We know how to effectively prevent or limmit wild fires. Ever since I was a little kid I knew about fire ditches, preventative burning etc. Why are these things not practised, especially in high risk areas?

I just saw an observatory in danger of being engulfed by the flames, why on earth would they let the forrest come so close to such an important building? They know it's going to burn sooner or later.


It's kind of like how in the US (tornado risk) they build these light prefab (cardboard origami) houses, while in Europe (no tornado risk) we build stone bunkers.

What is up with this, it confuses me to no end.

People are idiots and will save a buck today so they can buy a bigger TV, and ignore that they are risking their lives next year.


Best example of stupid home construction is along the Hurricane zones. Most of the damage done to houses in hurricanes can be traced back to a few things. The biggest that I've seen pointed out in any reports is the lack, or improper use of hurricane tie straps. Theses are cheap steel bands that are nailed over the rafters for the roof, and then down onto the stud wall. This securely locks them in place and increases the max wind load by about 50 times or so.

But they're like $2 a piece or something. God that is expensive! You might spend an extra $100 to $500 on your house! But then again the roof isn't going to pull off in high wind and slam into your neighbor's house, potentially ruining both.


Remember, it isn't "That" the wind is blowing, it is "What" the wind is blowing.


But also, fire ditches aren't perfect. I've seen embers from a firestorm whip across a 1km wide gravel pit and start secondary fires on the other side. But I will say that home design really should change. A Sodded/Embanked house, that is one with 4-5 feet of natural soil around the walls and possibly over the roof makes a home that is not only easier to fire proof, but you can make them tornado proof as well.



And don't even get me started on people that looked at the Mississippi flood plane and said "Hey! Lets build a house here! Soil is great for crops!".
Yeah, it is great for crops because it floods with 5+ feet of silted water every spring,... At least build mini islands above the high water mark people!

Quote: Original post by szecs
But we did the same: after a big hail (hailstones with 6 cm diameter), we replaced the destroyed roof with a weaker one....

It's a matter of cost/benefit. It was probably decided that it would be cheaper to build a cheapish roof and replace it every time there's a big hail storm, than to build a really strong one (which, due to the added weight, might mean the whole structure has to be rebuilt).

Not all fires are man-made. You'd be surprised of how destructive Mother Nature can be to herself. All it takes is a lack of rain and a single thunderbolt and you have an instant recipe for disaster. Couple that with dry air and a decent breeze and you have a spreading wildfire.

Also, as frob said. They do practice preventative measures and yes the fires would be a lot different if they didn't do this. But something as simple as a hiking trip can spark a forest fire. Unless every single person takes full precaution there is no way to prevent man-made wildfires and even then you will still have your natural fires.

It's best not to worry about it too much and just let the firefighters do their jobs, and get out of the way. And of course take great precaution in your activities and think how it will impact your local environment in the short term and in the long term.

"It's kind of like how in the US (tornado risk) they build these light prefab (cardboard origami) houses, while in Europe (no tornado risk) we build stone bunkers."

Nebraska is nothing BUT brick bunkers by my count. There are some very old buildings there which survived lots of natural assaults. They're also known for flood-planes. I don't see Europe as well equipped for that either, but who is?

"What is up with this, it confuses me to no end."

Lot's of us are wondering the same thing here. To foist a tangentially related issue in a dubious way, there are illegal immigrant pot growers in California who accidentally set off one of the nastier fires. They also rig shotgun shells up as trip-mines. That makes it a military matter to me. A couple choppers equipped with vulcans would clean them out and defoliate in one dispassionate sweep. :)

Some suspect the pot-farm limelight is orchestrated by those for legalization.
Pick a conspiracy theory, but lots of fires are being deliberately lit and various motives are never sorted out.

NO ONE in Goebbel's mainstream media is reporting the illegals.

Pot farmers somehow get all the water they want, but for some reason.. Oblamer declines to turn on Californian water over a stupid FISH whose habitat Californians CREATED. California could pull the whole U.S out of this rut if prosperity was temporarily decriminalized.

Did I say "some reason"? He also hands Brazil billions in taxpayer confederate confetti for offshore drilling in the middle of his prohibition of prosperity here.

Did I make anything clearer? Of fog it all over even worse? Focal point is the Obama destructions. All else is minor irritation.

Quote: Original post by Joseph Leo
You'd be surprised of how destructive Mother Nature can be to herself. All it takes is a lack of rain and a single thunderbolt and you have an instant recipe for disaster.

Practical for Mother Earth that she usually brings a bucket of water along with those lightning bolts.

Quote: Original post by Don Carnage
Practical for Mother Earth that she usually brings a bucket of water along with those lightning bolts.

A fire can still survive during rain if it's not pouring so hard. Here in Florida (I know, not the same.) we have the strangest rain. It can be raining cats and dogs on one side of the street, but the other is bright and sunny with people taking sunbaths.