otisdog:Watt, how did you fare with regards to the fire?
Same question here, was wondering the same...
I hope everyone is OK?
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)
Our solar power carried us through the power outages
The only thing Fire Depts did well was keeping it West of Malibu Canyon. They didn't stop it at the 101 Freeway. which they've never failed to do in the past.
So Western Malibu got rolled, very similar to 1993, when I got rolled and saved the house with flames moving down my canyon at 40 mph, and 100 feet high over the roof. In these conditions, the firemen protect their lives rather than houses, so about the same number of houses have been lost as in 1993 - about 500. And like 1993, the self reliant and prepared who sufficient fire gear, water strategy, etc. saved their houses themselves.
For 8 days, the police state kept us unable to return if we left, until this morning, and all those that left were unable to return. But no biggie, we tested our backup food, confirmed all the fire gear still worked...
This is life in the chapparal - it never changes. The prepared are prepared.
SciFrog:Glad you are safe!
So you are saying someone with a full pool and equipment could save their house?
The key thing with pumping out of your pool is enclosing your gasoline pump so it has air when the fire runs over you and sucks away the Oxygen, and your pump quits just when you need itWhen you resolve that, then you need to store gasoline safely [diesel is better] so it doesnt burn just when you need it..... Alternatively, since we all have large propane tanks, a propane generator can run an electric pump... still needs to breathe.
I have 2000 feet of hydrostatic head up to a 3 million gallon tank, with the hydrant 120 feet from my house, so even when power goes out, I still have pressure. 1000 feet of double wall hose which saved my life in 1993 when the outer wall burned through in many places
The nice thing about chaparral fires is they can be fought as long as your set up is good: sufficient cleared brush, no direct flame impingement, water source, etc. Forest fires almost impossible to fight especially alone - mostly a N CA problem.
Takes serious balls to fly a jet into the canyons to drop Phos-chek
watt:SciFrog:Glad you are safe!
So you are saying someone with a full pool and equipment could save their house?
The key thing with pumping out of your pool is enclosing your gasoline pump so it has air when the fire runs over you and sucks away the Oxygen, and your pump quits just when you need itWhen you resolve that, then you need to store gasoline safely [diesel is better] so it doesnt burn just when you need it..... Alternatively, since we all have large propane tanks, a propane generator can run an electric pump... still needs to breathe.
I have 2000 feet of hydrostatic head up to a 3 million gallon tank, with the hydrant 120 feet from my house, so even when power goes out, I still have pressure. 1000 feet of double wall hose which saved my life in 1993 when the outer wall burned through in many places
The nice thing about chaparral fires is they can be fought as long as your set up is good: sufficient cleared brush, no direct flame impingement, water source, etc. Forest fires almost impossible to fight especially alone - mostly a N CA problem.
Takes serious balls to fly a jet into the canyons to drop Phos-chek
Glad to hear that you and your family are OK, Watt but to be honest, I doubt I would have had the balls to stay there, even with the precautions you took.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)
Nov 19, 2018 2:51:46 PM
Damn that's crazy. Stuff you just can't imagine living in Northern Europe.
1969 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 / 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (sold) / 2011 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Performance / 2014 BMW-Alpina D3 biturbo Touring / 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 Clubsport
Porker:Damn that's crazy. Stuff you just can't imagine living in Northern Europe.
The Wild Wild West...
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)
Crazy images by the Boston Globe
1969 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 / 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (sold) / 2011 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Performance / 2014 BMW-Alpina D3 biturbo Touring / 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 Clubsport
Porker:Crazy images by the Boston Globe
So sad... Poor people...
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)
SciFrog:Watt, I do not know nor want to know your family status but I would imagine if someone had small kids, they would never stay and would just let the whole thing burn down if that had to happen...
A person would have to be mentally and spiritually defective to stay with children. In the 1993 fire, my son was 2 weeks old and my wife left with him, nanny and the dogs, in 2007 he was 14 and she took him and the dogs to his soccer match whilst I saved the house.
Each person has their own decision matrix but if you live in Malibu, you must understand that fire is coming and you either prepare and fight, or know in advance you're leaving and letting it go.
My son came down from SF early for Thanksgiving as the air was worse than China from the terrible forest fire in the North, and asked me about 1993. Since the fire depts are comparing this fire with 1993, a massive 100 year fire, I showed him the video I have from an off duty fireman who shot my house whilst it engulfed in roaring flame [not a fire truck to be had as the fire was "too dangerous" and they pulled their guys after a few were burned in their truck up the road]. After it ran over 150 feet high from the North [the video of my son's Godfather on the garage roof hosing away and the American flag on the garage became a political ad on tv that year:)], it wrapped around and I almost lost it on the South side, you can see me, hose blasting, on the South deck surrounded by flame, then the house wrapped in flame disappearing in the smoke. The viciousness and terror of the fire is hard to understand unless you were there. My nearest neighbour, a fire captain who saved his own house, watched this from 1000 yards away. When he saw me afterward, he said he couldn't believe it was true that I was standing there... tending my generator. The good old days. A guy on Latigo Canyon did the same thing this time, he was ready and he fought and he won [ and many others did too].
This year I just rolled up the hoses dry and put them away, as those planes held it at Malibu Canyon, so I never went wet. Had to reschedule spine surgery set for last Tuesday "due to fire", pretty funny!, but thank God for painkillers
Porker:Crazy images by the Boston Globe
Wow, I've been following the news on the fires but I can honestly say these pictures really showed it to be much worse than what I've seen and what I pictured.
SciFrog:These are some scary stories, thank you for sharing your thoughts. Glad you made it OK. I would not have risked my life to save the house as my family and charity are too big responsibilities to support.
Now you know why I want to move to Florida, not to California. You can run from a Hurricane and if you have a condo, it usually is still there where you left it after a Hurricane but wild fires and earthquakes are a different story.
I understand however why Watt wouldn't want his house to burn down and/or to be looted (is that a thing during wild fires? I guess so...), so it is understandable that he wants to stay and keep it from burning down but like you, I would have probably left, my kids (and I assume my wife as well ) would be devastated without me.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Range Rover Evoque Si4 Black Edition (2019)