California Fires-here we go again

[ACHiPo]

I didn’t take pictures of the cannabis gardens, but it looks like the smoke kills this plant.

It also appears hat all of the grapes are ruined.

I read somewhere that some wineries are using smoke tainted grapes to make smokey grappa/brandy. Clever idea, but not sure the market is as good as for Cab.

 

[Flyinfool]

These are sad stories, and i have sympathy for all the victims. But for circumstance any of us could be in the same shape as well. But if you can decide on a location in the US that has a better combination of weather, variety, opportunity, lifestyle and is free from any threat of earthquake, hurricanes, floods, icy roads, fire, civil unrest, pollution, and so on, please post, and we’ll see you there.

For me, it’s unlikely such a place exists, but suggestions are always welcome.

P.S. Texas and Florida are ruled out.

I found a pretty good place, Right here in good old Wisconsin, We do not get the life and home threatening disasters, no earthquakes, no hurricanes, No floods in most of the state, no newsworthy forest fires, only a couple places in the big cities with occasional pollution, but our worst days are a good day in CA. WI even has a decent Wine growing industry and the areas that have that also are free of the civil unrest, pollution. Blistering heat is also rare up here.

I will gladly take a good old blizzard over any natural disaster, A blizzard will not force you out of your home or destroy every thing you own or even try to kill you. You just pull up a chair by the picture window with a mug of hot chocolate sitting by the fireplace snuggled up with your significant other, and watch the beauty of the show. Wait a day or 2 and the roads are all cleaned off and safe for travel. and everything is a clean beautiful white.

 

[Winegrower]

It’s probably a good thing that we can see desirable locations differently, else we would all go there and ruin it quickly.
I would not have thought of Wisconsin, but the hot mug of chocolate could swing the vote.

 

[Flyinfool]

There is also hot apple cider........

 

[erikmannie]

Here are the photos from today; this is the Southern Face of Mount St. Helena in Calistoga, CA.

These will be the last pictures from this fire due to a situation I had with a looter; this situation allowed me to get off work early today, though. My UPS center will no longer deliver in a mandatory evacuation area; it is too smoky, in any case.

 

[Janderso]

From the pics it looks like the fire is staying on the ground in the under brush. I'm sure trees are involved in places but if the fires don't kill the trees that would be a real blessing. Such a beautiful area.

Madgepetto, we lost our home/shop in the Camp fire also. I can't imagine the anxiety living back up there then getting an evacuation warning.
We have our lot for sale but no calls yet. I know there are going to be thousands of lots for sale when the PG&E lawsuit is settled. The attorneys are telling people not to sell until they are all paid out.
We replaced our home by buying in Chico. We can't leave, my kids and grand babies are here. I retire soon though

Erich, I hope you are wearing a KN95 or N95 being exposed like you are.

 

[cjtoombs]

I've been here in CA for 20 years, and have only ever had to worry about the smoke from the wildfires, so there are places in CA where that's not a problem. Of course not much grows here and it hits 115 regularly in the summer, but that helps keep the people away I can see the mountains today, so not that bad a smoke day, but there for a few weeks it got pretty bad here. We always get some smoke here in the valley, but this year has been the worse since I've been here. We're pretty lucky that that's all we have to contend with. Hope for some rain, for the sake of the rest of you.

 

[eeler1]

Well, this isn’t the same California I grew up in. Fires and devastation aside, choking on smoke for 2 or 3 months every year has become the new normal, and takes a bit of the luster off our beautiful state. Not that I’m going anywhere, but clear air alone has great appeal to me right now.

 

[jbolt]

I know there are going to be thousands of lots for sale when the PG&E lawsuit is settled. The attorneys are telling people not to sell until they are all paid out.

I would really love to know what the PG&E settlements are for the 2017 Tubs fire. The settlement is confidential which has irked the Camp fire victims. I did consulting work for PG&E for the Tubbs fire evaluating property loss during the litigation pre-PG&E bankruptcy. What surprised me most was the number of claims I worked on where the home was a second home or a retirement home where the owners chose not to carry homeowners insurance even though it was not a financial factor to them.

 

[jbolt]

We are pictures of Calistoga on Wednesday, 9/30/2020. The picture with the rubble used to be a very fancy getaway, Calistoga Ranch. I am starting to worry about all of the smoke that I have been inhaling every day.

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Wow. I consulted on a construction defect litigation on that place many years ago. A lot of Hollywood types world go there. All the living units were pre-built modular units delivered on wheels like mobile homes so they could be classified as mobile units which have different zoning and building codes. I thought they were awful, especially for the rates that were being charged. Nothing says "Excellence" like a swanky trailer park!

During one of our site inspections we were told Natalie Portman was there "winding down" from a movie shoot. Poor thing. (GAG!) The guests were transported around in covered golf carts and when Ms. Portman was being delivered to the club house we were all told to hide so she didn't have to see us. Pretty stupid.