Wild Fires In LA

[Dublin ohio]

So here's a question: Since we have plenty of evidence of above ground electric lines being the genesis of huge destructive fires which have recently wiped out entire communities, can the "smart guys and gals" create something to encase or protect these lines from the normal ravages of nature, winds, squirrel etc?

There are only two possible solutions. One is underground and that would be a financial and engineering nightmare. The only other possible solution is hardenting the overhead system and there is only so much you can do with that. Possibly clear cutting and maintaining an easement all along the lines. Just not clearing around the poles and topping trees.

 

[Charles West]

The ongoing policy of using goats for shrubbery management needs to be expanded, and changes in construction standards must be made. The gorgeous but weak and fire-prone 1950s and 1960s stick-built style homes have been reduced to ash; the opportunity is ripe to discuss upgrading and strengthening building standards before rebuilding begins.

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

There are only two possible solutions. One is underground and that would be a financial and engineering nightmare. The only other possible solution is hardenting the overhead system and there is only so much you can do with that. Possibly clear cutting and maintaining an easement all along the lines. Just not clearing around the poles and topping trees.

These things we know. But if we can put ppl in space for 6 months at a time, and other incredibly complex things, surely we can consider prioritizing a new/better way of protecting us from out of control wildfires.

What's the estimated cost of THIS burn? $Billions? $Trillions? I dunno. But the losses are horrendous, which will likely destabilized many insurance companies, and the citizens once again, as in the Paradise Fire, will foot the bill. Our electric bills are outta sight! This summer, my August electric bill was over $800 for that month alone, and I have no pool to heat either! The cost of NOT fixing this on-going issue is inconceivably high. So it seems to me ppl should give some new thoughtful energy to actually solving the problem that above electric lines cause. We can't stop lightning strikes, nor cigs thrown out the window in mountainous areas, but surely we can put some additional energy into solving the power line issue. There's a lot of stupid out there for sure, but there's also intelligent engineers and creators of unique problem solvers. This issue should be prioritized, as it would be cost effective in the long run, considering how expensive the current cataclysm will turn out to be.

 

[J Grant]

Well who is hired as DEI that isn't a minority? Its like saying you are attacking Jews when you attack a newstation for spreading propaganda. Newsom isn't a minority and he is attacked too, you just hate it when someone non white is attacked for their positions. If Newsom said what that firefighter said he would be attacked just as much.

But the videos from the RW overall are not attacking Newsom in the same way. and the RW videos always cite DEI hire as a cause in every scenario

Just own what you do and spread and stop pretending it is anything other than what it is,

 

[shrubberyvaluation]

But the videos from the RW overall are not attacking Newsom in the same way. and the RW videos always cite DEI hire as a cause in every scenario

Just own what you do and spread and stop pretending it is anything other than what it is,

Well I think putting a focus on DEI over operational efficacy and efficiency does not help. Not sure what you are talking about, even Trump has attacked Newsom for his incompetence. I don't pretend, I think the corruption and incompetence in leadership is bad, I'm not gonna pretend its not because there are forced hiring standards based on how someone is born.

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

The ongoing policy of using goats for shrubbery management needs to be expanded, and changes in construction standards must be made. The gorgeous but weak and fire-prone 1950s and 1960s stick-built style homes have been reduced to ash; the opportunity is ripe to discuss upgrading and strengthening building standards before rebuilding begins.

Someone posted earlier about the houses in Mexico they saw which were concrete block and fire-resistant roofs. We know that the lovely wood shake shingle houses in the foothills have been mandated to change to more fire resistant materials like tile, metal etc, and ppl are no longer constructing houses with wood shake roofs anymore. So that's one aspect. Perhaps building codes need to give more attention to fire resistance in design. That won't stop electrical fires from starting, but may give ppl a better chance to save their dwellings.

 

[Dublin ohio]

There's a lot of stupid out there for sure, but there's also intelligent engineers and creators of unique problem solvers. This issue should be prioritized, as it would be cost effective in the long run, considering how expensive the current cataclysm will turn out to be

It is basically all about the cost. It is at least 10X more expensive to do underground. As far as engineers coming up with new solutions, it is hard to defy the laws of physics

 

[Charles West]

Someone posted earlier about the houses in Mexico they saw which were concrete block and fire-resistant roofs. We know that the lovely wood shake shingle houses in the foothills have been mandated to change to more fire resistant materials like tile, metal etc, and ppl are no longer constructing houses with wood shake roofs anymore. So that's one aspect. Perhaps building codes need to give more attention to fire resistance in design. That won't stop electrical fires from starting, but may give ppl a better chance to save their dwellings.

That was me. The roofs in the housing stock I saw in Cabo are solid concrete and rebar; no soffits for hot embers to be sucked into. They are essentially fireproof.

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

Perhaps new materials for wrapping the cables. Perhaps new/better methods at the transformers. If cables must be above ground, then how can they be actually made safe? As in the Paradise fire, wind, un-trimmed vegetation and lack of maintenance on the lines were big contributors to the destruction of that little town. Can't we look to engineers and chemists to put their thinking caps on to approach the problem from new angles, with new products. We've done virtually the same method of running those lines for many decades. Progress is required. New materials. New techniques. New methods for getting the power from here to there. Perhaps the best alternative will turn out to be individually mandated solar with back-up generators... a kind of 'off the grid' strategy so that lines running all over the place are diminished or eliminated. I dunno, I'm not an engineer, but we have the brainpower out there, I'm sure.

 

[Charles West]

Tall steel transmission towers would solve much of the problem, upgrading the current design to withstand 150 mph winds instead of 70 mph.