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Tue Nov 18 13:10:21 GMT 2008

Interesting posts. I will tell you that many of the homes in "the hills" are bought by the wealthy. Now, what happens is that the city comes by and surveys the hillside properties. The fire department will send you a letter stating that your property is overgrown and needs to be cleared of brush as it is a fire hazard. Then after you clear the brush the city comes through and sends a letter saying that your property is under grown and is at risk a mudslide and needs to be planted. We got letters every year. Usually the fire department's letter arrives in the late summer (start of fire season), and the city's arrives in January before the rainy season.

Now, one year, living in Encino, California, we decided to clear the hill of all the brush for surveyors for a  possible tennis court. Cleared the hill that summer a little to heavy of all of the vegatation this time. Then the March rains came and the brush had not had enough time to grow back and we had the mudslide occur. Major problem. For what it cost to clean up the mud, repair the damaged fences and rebuild the yard with retaining walls and other specifications and regulations that the city and state had, we should have built the tennis court.

So, the governmental agencies are at odds over the problems that can occur. Fire or mud slide. Both can be devastating and both can destroy property and kill. In my mind the fires are worse. Such a problem has existed in California for years. I will reference the Bel-Air fire in 1965 I believe. Friends had no warning, and had time to grab their small children, start the car and drive off before their homes were consumed. It spreads that fast. Property values and views are at a primium and the builders trying to maximize the space for money build on top of each other, although for the older neighborhoods this was not true. Properties had a back and side yards.

The views are spectacular but the dangers are real. Having lived in Southern California for many years the vistas in these homes are spectacular. I cause it comes down to the cost benefit ratio and despite decreases in home values, these homes keep more value as they have the views.

MRM

________________________________

From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org on behalf of Dan & Emily Ele
Sent: Mon 11/17/2008 8:35 PM
To: Trauma & Critical Care mailing list
Subject: RE: Disaster in LA Area

To Doc Holiday;

I is nice that you are so concerned about the fires in CA and that you would take time to write just anyone.  One possibility you omitted is the disgruntled homeowners and the unemployed here in CA might have reason to start and or burn areas of successful Californians.  The ones to survive the financial holocost here are more likely to be in medical fields; meaning RN's and Respiratory Therapists and others.

Most of the eastern settlers or Southern California have already been through the fires.  What is very depressing is the fact that on any given day you can count on seeing an abandoned home to bank repossession of one on each block as you drive to work.

Dan

-----Original Message-----
>From: Doc Holiday <drydok at hotmail.com>
>Sent: Nov 17, 2008 7:52 AM
>To: ".Trauma List" <trauma-list at trauma.org>
>Subject: RE: Disaster in LA Area
>
>
>First, I wish the best of luck to all those who live out there and to those who are currently helping them!
>
>From: enidrobinson at westnet.com.au> why so much loss of property occurs year after year in the US. I suspect it may have something to do with Prevention and Preparedness
>
>--> "Something to do" is likely to be right. But, as you suspect, it's NOT likely to be the main factor and nowhere near the only one. Other things probably worth consideration are that houses are probably built a lot closer to vegetation in CA. I don't KNOW this, but I expect it - 'cause it would look nicer!
>
>You have wind direction/strength to consider - I am not sure what these are like in the relevant areas in Oz.
>
>I guess you also need to consider materials of construction - wood-frame houses are more susceptible to external-source fires than are brick/stone houses... I think they use a lot of wood in US construction - what is it like in Oz?
>
>Of course, when you say "so much" loss of property, you have to begin with how much property is there to begin with - I suspect you'll find many more houses and more expensive ones built in these areas in CA than in the ones in Oz...
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