Since my last update on the Greater Los Angeles Fires, a massive new wildfire has been burning out of control in an area a little north of Los Angeles.
That blaze is now called the Hughes Fire, and although it has not reached urban areas, authorities have issued an evacuation order for nearby communities, including roughly 18,000 people in the town of Castaic.At about 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, a huge column of smoke was spotted in the wilderness near Santa Clarita, California, prompting first responders to request four aircraft and 50 fire engines, according to the fire monitoring organization Watch Duty.That initial request indicated a fire that was already nearly out of control, said Jacob Weigley, Wildfire Coordinator for Central Pierce County, Washington, who has been in contact with colleagues near the scene and monitoring the fire’s spread.“That one’s gonna go nuclear. It’s big,” Weigley told The Post.“You know what the fuels are capable of doing in that area right now, and what the wind does is going to be a big deal for this,” he added, referring to the recent high winds and dry conditions that sparked the deadly and ongoing LA wildfires earlier this month.
Presently, the Hughes Fire has burned over 9,000 acres, is uncontained, and has forced the evacuation of over 31,000 in the area. Parts of the I-5 were closed as part of the response efforts.
To the south of LA, in my hometown of San Diego, firefighters spent yesterday and today battling five separate wildfires. While most have been contained and evacuation orders lifted, San Diegans are nervous after watching the horror in Los Angeles. One of the brush fires was by a densely populated area next to the iconic Fashion Valley Mall.
The Moss Landing Lithium Battery Fire Described as a “Three Mile Island” Event; Newsom Initiates Investigation.
Let’s look a little further north now. I reported that the world’s largest lithium battery plant at Moss Landing near Monterey, California. After several days of burning, the blaze has currently been extinguished.
However, some officials describe it as a “Three Mile Island” event because of the potential chemical contamination and environmental concerns.
Officials said the fire was largely out as of late Friday morning during a press conference, but it flared up significantly for a few hours that afternoon before dying down again.At the press conference, Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church called the incident a “Three-Mile Island event” for the industry, referencing the 1979 partial meltdown at a Pennsylvania nuclear power plant, the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.”I think that this is, uh, can best be described as a worst-case scenario of a disaster that’s happened here. Nobody really predicted anything on this line,” said Church. “This is really a lot more than just a fire, it’s a wake-up call for this industry. And if we’re going to be moving ahead with sustainable energy we need to have safe battery systems in place.”
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom is calling for an investigation into the origin of the fire. I will have another report on the aftermath of this fire in a separate report later this week. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution to proclaim a local state of emergency to address the various concerns surrounding the Vistra Energy battery power storage facility fire.
I feel Dr. Wielicki’s pain:
Palisades Fire
The Palisades are currently 70% contained and have burned over 23,000 acres. Officials indicate that 6,662 structures have been destroyed and 890 damaged and that 11 people are dead from the blaze.
In news related to this fire, two people from Oregon were arrested for reportedly impersonating firefighters and using an illegitimate fire truck in an evacuation zone. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, police officers patrolling the area on Saturday noticed a fire truck that “did not appear to be legitimate.”
Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire is 95% contained and has burned over 14,000 acres. Officials have so far tallied 9,418 structures destroyed and 1,073 damaged, and have indicated 17 are dead. Additionally, nine firefighter injuries have been recorded.
Personal Observation
I am currently going through my house, setting aside some of the artwork and books I would take with me if we have an evacuation overnight. While not likely at the present time, I am taking no chances.
It is heartening to see my Californians beginning to see the fallacy of “climate change” and how it has been used as an excuse by politicians not to do the hard work related to urban planning, forest management, and infrastructure development and maintenance.
President Donald Trump is truly going to get a warm reception in California this week…just not the good kind.
Sadly, Sacramento retains its toxic set of priorities.
#Resistance theater >>> wildfire aftermath.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY