After news broke last week that wildfires were tearing through Los Angeles, I checked in on Bill and Cindy Simon, longtime friends of my wife and me who live in Pacific Palisades. Bill is the son of William Simon, the investor and philanthropist who served as Treasury secretary under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. By the time we spoke, the Simons had evacuated their home and checked into a hotel in neighboring Santa Monica. Around half of the houses on their block had burned to the ground, along with the Catholic church at the end of the street, the town library, the village theater and two large grocery stores.
The Health Officer issued an order prohibiting cleanup or removal of fire debris at fire damaged and burned properties located in Critical Fire Areas until a hazardous materials inspection is completed by an approved government agency.
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Can you imagine, 12,000 sites ...
Here's Oakland
Home burns down to the ground as firefighters arrive later than usual due to the nearby station being closed from budget cuts in Oakland California
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Stranglers - Skin Deep (1984)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
Many people tell you that they're your friend
You believe them, you need them for what's round the river bend
Make sure that you're receiving the signals they send
'Cos brother, you've only got two hands to lend
...
Better watch out for the skin deep
Better watch out for the skin deep
(Better watch out) Watch out for the skin deep
(Better watch out) Watch out for the skin deep
Better watch out for the skin deep
...
Strong words from LA fire fighters to the chief: "[I]f you had done things right... fatalities would have been reduced, property would have been saved....the preventive systems... were nonexistent... We attribute this to... lack of experience, arrogance, inability to lead..."
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Brutal, but I am sure GasLighter would NOW say he agrees with this LA Firefighters.
The water pressure also failed during the 1961 Bel Air and Topanga Fires.
In the years after, LAFD and DWP planned a number of improvements, for those specific areas, to make sure that never happened again.
One of those improvements was the construction of the Santa Ynez Reservoir, built expressly for emergencies in the Pacific Palisades.
That reservoir was empty last week.
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FFS
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