California on fire

[ralphwiggum 6]

today there were some drizzles(not rains, drizzles) today, so hopefully the fire will be out sooner.

[ralphwiggum 6]

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/2754155/detail.html

Quote[/b] ]LOS ANGELES -- Records show California's pleas last spring for emergency federal aid to remove more than a million highly flammable dead and diseased trees were quickly rejected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it was reported Friday.

The Press-Enterprise examined records and found federal help was doomed even before then-Gov. Gray Davis wrote an April 16 letter to President Bush asking for emergency funds. In the days leading up to Davis' letter, Davis' own staff at the state Office of Emergency Services told federal officials that they didn't expect to get the money, the newspaper said.

While conceding the severe fire danger posed by the timber, FEMA officials had already made it clear they weren't inclined to provide emergency money to remove trees killed by drought and bark beetles, the Press-Enterprise said.

California's failed effort to obtain about $430 million in emergency aid was detailed in e-mails exchanged last year by FEMA officials. The communications were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

"I think ... the potential precedent this would set, this would be very problematic," Laurence Zensinger, a FEMA deputy director in Washington, wrote in a March 26 e-mail to the agency's Oakland office.

California needed the money to remove the trees and eliminate the potential for a catastrophic wildfire, but officials said the huge amount of money could only be made available if there was a fire. Additionally, the money could be used only to cover firefighting and recovery, not removal of the vast stands of dead trees.

Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands, who lobbied for the FEMA aid, said the agency isn't prohibited from spending money on disaster prevention but it prefers to save its funds to help people in the aftermath.

"Anticipating an emergency has not been their style, and they have not wanted to play that role," Lewis said.

The Southern California wildfires broke out in October, the same week FEMA officially rejected California's request for tree removal aid, and by early November the blazes had killed 23 people, destroyed 3,500 homes and blackened 750,000 acres.

Damage to property was estimated at about $2 billion. The fires also denuded steep canyons, setting the stage for flooding and mudslides. In San Bernardino County, a Christmas Day flash flood killed 15 people and left one missing.

With more than 90 percent of dead trees still standing, Lewis said he was asking other federal agencies for more than $200 million to remove dead trees. The congressman said FEMA officials failed "to think outside the box" in defining an emergency.

FEMA spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said the agency decided that removing dead trees on the scale sought by the state wasn't its job. Such work is outside the authority of FEMA's role as provider of emergency services, she said.

the work of FEMA, as stated above, is to provide emergency services in case of disaster. cutting down the infested trees does not fit under 'emergency' per se, and personally don't think so. however, i think this shows that a preventitive measure could have made things a bit better.....

[Balschoiw 0]

Quote[/b] ]i think this shows that a preventitive measure could have made things a bit better.....

Yes get the lunatic guys who intentionally lightened the woods for fun or money reasons and don´t blame the trees that have been there before you.

[ralphwiggum 6]

sad thing is that the wildfire was able to expand partly due to these infested trees. it is correct that primary blame is on the arsonist, but if theer were enough preention, maybe the damage could have been less.

[Balschoiw 0]

Did you write your post

upside down ?

I mean funny spelling  

[ralphwiggum 6]

no, just plain drunk.

[Balschoiw 0]

keep it with RED than:

Quote[/b] ]I will not post when I'm drunk Honest guv!