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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on May 4, 2016 15:26:40 GMT -8
This is a truly remarkable story, and a real eye-opener. My town is the same size, in the same kind of forested environment, and it seems my belief that this could not happen was naive. The BBC is reporting that Much of Fort McMurray 'could be destroyed'A massive wildfire that has forced the evacuation of all 88,000 people from Fort McMurray could destroy much of the Canadian city, local officials warn. The officials in Alberta province say the blaze that has gutted some 1,600 structures is expected to rage out of control through the rest of Wednesday.WOW ...and it must be said...in northern Canada, in early May??
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reuben
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Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
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Post by reuben on May 4, 2016 15:36:58 GMT -8
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zeke
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Peekaboo slot 2023
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Post by zeke on May 4, 2016 15:37:35 GMT -8
Not sure how to stop something like that. If all it took was bombing the shit out of it, we'd have that covered.
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on May 4, 2016 15:43:17 GMT -8
Wow. 90° at 56' north latitude in early May. Looks like some relief tomorrow, followed by warming again on Friday. Best of luck to these people. Where are they going to go?
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on May 4, 2016 15:47:33 GMT -8
Not sure how to stop something like that. If all it took was bombing the shit out of it, we'd have that covered. I'm not sure where I got this info - from a source I've forgotten, or my own furtive imagination.......but I always believed that there would be enough support from nearby municipal areas (Willamette Valley cities mostly) to prevent Bend from completely being torched. I wonder if this belief still has validity, given that Fort McMurray is comparatively quite a bit more isolated. I think I'm going to take a refresher look at my home insurance policy, and next time there's even a remotely close call I'm loading the wife & cats and getting out of town, before a mandatory evacuation causes a panic. Anyone know of charity orgs setting anything specific up for the refugees of Fort McMurray?
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zeke
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Post by zeke on May 4, 2016 15:50:42 GMT -8
I wondered how it would shake out if the tanker planes were busy elsewhere, and a city like Bend became threatened? We only have so many aircraft to fight fires. Sisters is eminently more at risk, but a smaller community.
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on May 4, 2016 15:53:21 GMT -8
I wondered how it would shake out if the tanker planes were busy elsewhere, and a city like Bend became threatened? We only have so many aircraft to fight fires. Sisters is eminently more at risk, but a smaller community. I hope our local news orgs do a refresher on what the official plans are.
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Post by hikerjer on May 4, 2016 16:16:35 GMT -8
Saw the story on the national news tonight. Blazing inferno, alright. The times they are a changing. Welcome to the new west.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on May 4, 2016 16:41:35 GMT -8
I'm not sure where I got this info - from a source I've forgotten, or my own furtive imagination.......
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Post by Sleeping Bag Man! on May 4, 2016 16:57:03 GMT -8
Watch who ya call "Donald", bubs DesertDweller curmudgeon smiles
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Post by paula53 on May 4, 2016 17:14:49 GMT -8
Prayers for the city and firefighters. Tragic.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 18:18:30 GMT -8
Yeah, that's horrible.
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cajun
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GEAUX TIGERS!!
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Post by cajun on May 4, 2016 19:03:32 GMT -8
Where are they going to go? Tragic. I'm curious why the highway is completely backed up in both directions in the pictures. When New Orleans has an emergency, there's a "contraflow," where all traffic in all lanes goes the same direction; it's a way to get people out of harm's way more quickly (and has proven very successful). It seems like they need people to get away from the city, but it's hard to picture how going both directions achieves this goal. Enlighten me? Anyone?
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balzaccom
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Waiting for spring...
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Post by balzaccom on May 4, 2016 19:27:15 GMT -8
having seen too many of these kinds of fires in California over the past few years, I am reminded of a comment made by one of the fire marshals during the two big fires in Lake County. "When the winds are ten miles an hour, you're a firefighter. When they are twenty-five miles an hour, you are a spectator."
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 4, 2016 19:29:25 GMT -8
It seems like they need people to get away from the city, but it's hard to picture how going both directions achieves this goal. Enlighten me? Anyone? I was wondering the same thing. This is really mind-blowing.
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