ChrisJones
10-24-2007, 10:34 AM
There is a thread for this in the general forum but I think it's quite newsworthy at this point. I sifted through 6 websites and gathered up the up to date info as of noontime 10/24/07. I believe this will pan out to be the worst natural disaster since Katrina.
Some numbers:
16 wind fed fires
1500 homes destroyed in 92 hours
68,000 homes are threatend
500,000 evacuees
Estimated 10,000 firefighters
410,000 acres have been burned(640 square miles)
The largest of the 16 fires destroyed 300 sq miles and 650 homes
1 civilian death with 4 more deaths awaiting autopsy
21 hospitalized firefighters
9 water dumping helicopters
13 air tankers
Over 90 planes are grounded because of 100 mph winds.
Closed interstate 5
Even military housing Marine base camp pendleton is burning.
Calfire has 1400 seasonal firefighters that were laid off just 2 weeks ago. They are being recruited back for the current blazes.
Some Politics:
Governer Schwarzeneggar has invited President Bush to witness the damage during a proposed unscheduled visit for thursday. Bush is expected to to visit dozens of emergency shelters and burnt areas throughout the day.
Bush declared "federal emergency" at 4pm tuesday but has yet to declare "major disaster". A major disaster declaration would help folks who suffer uninsured property loss.
David Paulison, head of FEMA says "this is a different organization than that failed during the Katrina disaster. We are prepared and ready to deliver aid to those that need it."
Tuesday evening, just hours after the presidents declaration, FEMA delivered 32 firefighting crews, 1239 federal firefighters, 25000 cots, and 280000 bottles of water.
Senator Barbara Boxer proclaimed "Where is the national gaurd to help us? Indeed the national gaurd base is deserted. They are all in Iraq."
Whitehouse secretary Dana Perino replied "There are other resources to get the job done. When you are a nation at war, you have to use assets available to you and sometimes those come from the national gaurd. The president has said we will get [californians] what they need."
Thanks to the 2003 san diego wildfires which caused 1.2 billion in damages, the insurance coverage for the area is dramatically improved. "We are predicting 60 percent of property owners to be compensated for their losses. This may not sound like much until you compare it to just 15 percent that were covered properly in 2003. The insurance policies have been upgraded since 03. We learned from our mistakes." Says Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the consumer federation of america, "Insurance companies may have lowered premiums...they are still going to remain profitable even after their losses this year."
The fires are less than 10 percent under control and is already estimated to be $1 billion in damage thus far.
The weather outlook this weekend:
Hotter, dryer, and slightly less windy.(perhaps those planes can get off the ground)
Www.noaawatch.gov
Www.calfires.com
Www.firescope.org
Www.signonsandiego.com
Www.msnbc.com
Www.forbes.com
Some numbers:
16 wind fed fires
1500 homes destroyed in 92 hours
68,000 homes are threatend
500,000 evacuees
Estimated 10,000 firefighters
410,000 acres have been burned(640 square miles)
The largest of the 16 fires destroyed 300 sq miles and 650 homes
1 civilian death with 4 more deaths awaiting autopsy
21 hospitalized firefighters
9 water dumping helicopters
13 air tankers
Over 90 planes are grounded because of 100 mph winds.
Closed interstate 5
Even military housing Marine base camp pendleton is burning.
Calfire has 1400 seasonal firefighters that were laid off just 2 weeks ago. They are being recruited back for the current blazes.
Some Politics:
Governer Schwarzeneggar has invited President Bush to witness the damage during a proposed unscheduled visit for thursday. Bush is expected to to visit dozens of emergency shelters and burnt areas throughout the day.
Bush declared "federal emergency" at 4pm tuesday but has yet to declare "major disaster". A major disaster declaration would help folks who suffer uninsured property loss.
David Paulison, head of FEMA says "this is a different organization than that failed during the Katrina disaster. We are prepared and ready to deliver aid to those that need it."
Tuesday evening, just hours after the presidents declaration, FEMA delivered 32 firefighting crews, 1239 federal firefighters, 25000 cots, and 280000 bottles of water.
Senator Barbara Boxer proclaimed "Where is the national gaurd to help us? Indeed the national gaurd base is deserted. They are all in Iraq."
Whitehouse secretary Dana Perino replied "There are other resources to get the job done. When you are a nation at war, you have to use assets available to you and sometimes those come from the national gaurd. The president has said we will get [californians] what they need."
Thanks to the 2003 san diego wildfires which caused 1.2 billion in damages, the insurance coverage for the area is dramatically improved. "We are predicting 60 percent of property owners to be compensated for their losses. This may not sound like much until you compare it to just 15 percent that were covered properly in 2003. The insurance policies have been upgraded since 03. We learned from our mistakes." Says Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the consumer federation of america, "Insurance companies may have lowered premiums...they are still going to remain profitable even after their losses this year."
The fires are less than 10 percent under control and is already estimated to be $1 billion in damage thus far.
The weather outlook this weekend:
Hotter, dryer, and slightly less windy.(perhaps those planes can get off the ground)
Www.noaawatch.gov
Www.calfires.com
Www.firescope.org
Www.signonsandiego.com
Www.msnbc.com
Www.forbes.com