San Francisco power and water supply in danger as huge wildfire visible from space continues to spread Read more

[Peikko 1,575]

More than 8,000 firefighters have been brought in to battle the Rim Fire, a wildfire now the size of Chicago torching more than 225 square miles of the California wilderness.

And now it's threatening power and fresh water to San Francisco as well as the state's iconic giant sequoia trees.

So far, officials say they've only been able to contain 7 per cent of the blaze.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2402158/San-Francisco-power-water-supply-danger-huge-wildfire-visible-space-continues-spread.html#ixzz2d87zLpEP

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[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

It is an annual thing. According to my CalFire source, California is well ahead of the curve at this point, unlike other western states.

[Peikko 1,575]

Are they always visible from space? I thought that pic was incredible.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Are they always visible from space? I thought that pic was incredible.

We have been watching it for a few days.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

San Fran? no big deal let it burn.

[Darnell 8,479]

why not send up the illegals from southern california, to help put out the fire?

[lostinblue 1,989]

why not send up the illegals from southern california, to help put out the fire?

Hell they are doing real work. How about the welfare and unemployed persons

[Sousuke 1,214]

San Fran? no big deal let it burn.

The city is hundreds of miles away FYI.

[Darnell 8,479]

heard some blurb on NPR recently where there's a lot of Indians (feather, not dot) that make their yearly incomes solely by putting out these fires in that area.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

heard some blurb on NPR recently where there's a lot of Indians (feather, not dot) that make their yearly incomes solely by putting out these fires in that area.

I wouldn't doubt it. CalFire and USFS hire seasonal crews. It's good bucks if you are in good shape and can hand long periods of boredom and hard work.

[MyLittlePony 340]

Why not send immates to put out fire.

Edited August 28, 2013 by big dog

[Peikko 1,575]

Inmates frequently get sent out on firefighting duty, I expect they are already using excons on this fire.

[MyLittlePony 340]

The fire is %23 contained so far not much.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Why not send immates to put out fire.

You mean like hand crews? They do. You betcha.

http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/CampProgram.pdf

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The fire is %23 contained so far not much.

Contained means the fire is entirely enclosed by stuff that can't burn, in other word, no vegetation, scraped down to bare earth. Much of the area is accessible only by aircraft, so even when the fire is under control, and no longer spreading, it will take a fairly long time before all the embers are extinguished, and the fire is sufficiently contained to where fire crews will no longer be working the fire. For those areas that can be reached, a bulldozer will cut a path around the fire. For the rest, it will be the hand crews getting what they can, and air tankers dropping retardant on what they can't.