World

The High Desert is Burning

by ChrisMichaelStudio | July 30, 2010 at 06:40 am

108 views | 12 Recommendations | 3 comments

The High Desert once again is being threatened by major fires. The Antelope Valley communities of Leona Valley Quartz Hill and Lancaster had a major Evacuation of 2000 homes. First Fire hit near Aqua Dulce and jumped the mountain over to Leona Valley then later on in Quartz hill. As of now close to 6000 acres have been ravaged. This does not include the fire near Mojave the "west fire" that burned down 30 homes on the 26th and 27th of this week. Thanx to the efforts of the Air support Helicopters and Tankers dropping retardant things are optimistic and literal lines in the sand have been drawn against the blaze. over 50 engine companies are working on this fire keeping it away from the West Palmdale area.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

batvette

at 07:24 on July 30th, 2010

this isn't as callous or silly as it sounds as I live in San Diego where we've had huge firestorms... but IIRC there isn't a lot to burn up there even after a couple of rainy winters, and SoCal has been dry? Isn't this like a fire at Glamis or Ocotillo Wells?

ChrisMichaelStudio

at 10:25 on July 30th, 2010

When your within a 1/4 mile of a major fire with flames as high as a three story building you get pretty nervous. The West fire did burn out 40 homes and 1400 acres-- the fire now may have only got a couple homes and a few out buildings and is at 8000 acres. It's true there are major areas of just dry grass but west Palmdale/Quartz hill was in harms way last night with 2000 homes evacuated. Since I was driving all around it I got to see the evacuated at the parks and the people scrambling to get their livestock and pets out. Right now people are being allowed back home and the aerial assualt has been in full force all morning. The whole of southern ca is turning into a fire waiting to happen. Our fire season is 10 months long now!

Michael

batvette

at 07:04 on August 5th, 2010

well yeah I was just sayin'... sure fire is scary but as there isn't a lot of fuel in those parts it shouldn't be this way in the first place. What community in the LA area is it that has the insane new development codes requiring succulent plants withinn a large radius of dwellings... fireproof doors, windows, roofing... last serious fire season a few years back they didn't lose a single home. Most homes in your area simply need the weeds in the surrounding immediate fields cut down or destroyed twice a year and you're good to go.

As opposed to places with real forested acreage where you have dry fuel- timber- a hundred feet high or better waiting to catch one spark.