Disasters: Summer Fires, Take Two | Newsweek Periscope

Posted By: Surreel @ 07/17/2008 8:04:12 PM

Comment: I'm sorry that Amandao45 feels that residents in NO CAL are disrespectful of firefighters. Here in the Big Sur area, my experience is different. While you can always find people with critical attitudes, for the most part, we are very grateful for the help that poured in from all over the country. I was told that there were firefighting crews from 47 states represented. Crews of five or six at a time walked through every dirt road and made their way through footpaths to identify people and buildings, assist with property clearance, answer questions and provide advice. And every single one of those professionals was friendly and respectful. There are handpainted signs up and down the Coast Highway and entrances to roads expressing our thanks. We are extremely grateful, and can't really express our Thanks.

Posted By: amandao45 @ 07/17/2008 11:08:25 AM

Comment: My boyfriend is firefighting in Northern California and all he gets is disrespect from the Californians, which tells me they don't need help because apparently these fruits know more about fires. Their jobs are quite horrible and they do not deserve any smart remarks from these people, I say let California burn we have 49 other states that would appreciate what this country does for them.

Posted By: amandao45 @ 07/17/2008 11:07:19 AM

Comment: My boyfriend is firefighting in Northern California and all he gets is disrespect from the Californians, which tells me they don't need help because apparently these fruits know more about fires. Their jobs are quite horrible and they do not deserve any smart remarks from these people, I say let California burn we have 49 other states that would appreciate what this country does for them.

Posted By: nk123456 @ 07/13/2008 7:50:36 AM

Comment: These fires will likely occur every summer...perhaps some research should be done, in conjunction with the U.S Airforce, to develop bombs or missles that can spread fire retardant or some variation of retardant over a larger swath of area. Using the "crop duster" approach doesn't seem to be getting the job done?

Posted By: Brandon Sheaffer @ 07/12/2008 10:20:04 PM

Comment: This article (Summer Fires, Take Two) makes no mention of the hand crews who do most of the work out there, and the poison oak, widespread in NorCal, which makes their job miserable. Poison oak is much more of a threat than the unseasonably hot weather. Also, it is neither the planes nor the helicopters that put the fires out; it's the boots on the ground. I'd also like to add that 100 years of suppression has brought us to a point in which fuels are so overgrown that wildfires quickly become catastrophic. It's clear that the West is going to burn every summer. The best thing people can do is to protect their own homes with adequate defensible space.

Posted By: Move-It-Up @ 07/12/2008 3:41:32 PM

Comment: "So far the discussion has focused on tourism with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger exclaiming that the court's decision will be great for the tourist business"