Lots of info from Linda:
From Brightbluelight:
Here's a link to the County fire site where they post the fact sheets once or twice a day, plus there's a link on this page to very awesome photos. This site is stable, have been having lots of trouble accessing some of the other sites, probably overloaded.
http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/oes/fires.htm
From: Kate Marianchild
Hi All,
Here's info on preparing for fires around your structures and the trees you want to save (compiled by me from a couple of sources):
1) Remove everything from the ground that is less than 3" in diameter: needles, leaves, grass, duff, twigs.
2) Limb trees and get rid of vegetation under trees so they don't create a "fire ladder"
3) Reduce "crown bulk density" - in other words, take out spindly and sick trees so there is space between the leafy crowns. Crown fires are the most dangerous.
4) Leave the biggest trees - they are more fire resistant due to thick bark, and they help reduce wind. (What if big trees hang over the house, I wonder?)
5) Empty gutters
6) Remove everything flammable: gasoline cans, paint thinner, etc.
7) Flexible metal screening can be used to block off areas under decks and houses
8) Fire trucks can take water out of the top of water tanks. Good idea to have signs pointing to water
From another source:
1) Clear totally 3 feet from structures, almost down to bare earth.
2) Enclose vents and space under eaves and decks so nothing can flow under. The tremendous wind that comes with a fire can blow big burning branches and things under the house.
3) If there is no water, have water in metal containers with soaked towels or burlap bags, so that after the fire has passed through you can use the towels to put out the little fires. (Structures don't burn due to the initial fire that passes through, but due to the things that have caught fire).
4) Mow grass 100 feet around structures and trees you want to save.
5) Limb trees 6-10' from the ground.
6) Remove grass from water lines and water tanks.
7) Make sure trees and limbs won't fall on water tanks.
8) Remove plastic tarps, which will flame.
9) Windows can blow out from inside pressure from heat. If you know which direction the fire is coming from, slightly open windows on the opposite side of the house.
10) Remove curtains and other flammable window coverings from windows.
Please call your Senators and Congresspeople to ask for money for this disaster.
WHAT IS BARRICADE FIRE BLOCKING GEL?
Barricade Fire Blocking Gel is a liquid concentrate made of absorbent polymers that is sprayed through hoses and designed to protect structures and form firebreaks in wild fires. These absorbent polymers are similar to those used in diapers. Barricade forms a unique thermal protective gel-coating that stops fire dead in its tracks. Barricade protects against radiant heat, direct flames, flying brands and burning embers. Barricade is specially formulated to adhere to all exposed surfaces, including walls, overhangs, wood shake roofs, metal or fiberglass surfaces and glass windows. When mixed with water from an ordinary garden hose or a big fire hose, Barricade also can be used on grass, trees, and shrubbery to create a firebreak.
Hallywood Fire Equipment
Chris Hall
1621 Talmage Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: 707-462-3722
Toll-free: 866-930-3722
Fax: 707-462-4933
www.HallywoodFireEquipment.com
chrishall@hallywoodfire.com
From Maureen O'Hagan:
I particularly want to thank you for the mention of Barricade fire-gel, which I had never heard of. I researched it using the link you had listed, contacted Chris Hall on Tuesday, and yesterday was able to purchase a home kit. Hopefully it will not come to that, but I feel that our place has a much better chance now. The gel truly sounds amazing - you can even spray it on propane tanks and keep them from blowing up. You might want to mention to folks that he has more kits coming in today and Saturday. The household kit costs about $326, but with the overnight freight charges (it all comes from Florida, and regular freight takes about 2 weeks) it comes to something over $500. Expensive, but if it is as effective as it appears, it is a bargain.
He will be doing a demo on Saturday at (I think) Hydro-Pacific in Ukiah between 10am - 12 noon. (It was described as being down on the frontage road near Wal-Mart, so I'm thinking it's the road off State Street which goes around the back over the train tracks and comes out about a block down from the Saving Bank and Wal-Mart, going towards Friedman's). The lady I bought the kit from says a demo takes about 20 minutes.
From Sue:
I found some 3M, N95 particulate Face mask at Big Lots they are $4.50 for two.
From Michael Maltas:
Found what I have been looking for. This is a site that I have been to a couple of times but could never get it to zoom, now it does c/o the UDJ link on their message board that I tried. It shows the best smoke views I have seen to date. http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/images/image06252008_250m.jpg
From Ukiah Valley tv via Haiku Onicodnem
Making your own filter
Basically, take a 20 inch box fan, get a 20x20x1 inch HEPA or other furnace filter which is certified for "smoke," take the fan, lay it face down, put the filter on the back of the fan (now on top facing you), with the arrow on the filter facing in the direction of the airflow (that is, towards the blade), and then tape the filter on with duct tape or packaging tape. And you're done! Not "as good" as a HEPA pre-made machine, but will remove A LOT of crap from the air. ;-)
I suggest using 3M Filtrete filters, despite the extra cost.
From hillbunnyc:
I purchased an Ace Microparticle Air Filter manufactured for furnace and central air systems, then grabbed an empty cardboard box and opened both ends, then taped the filter to one end of the box, using the flaps as support, then set my medium sized fan on the bottom back flap and taped the other three flaps to the fan creating a closed blow-through unit.
With the fan on LOW, my closed up 450 sq ft abode was cleared of so much smoke that I found myself taking deep breaths for the first time in 6 days after only 15 minutes. The filter was around $8. I can't beleve how well this is working!
From Claudia Callander (Thursday)
I just cleaned out Friedman's in Ukiah of 'smoke rated' filters that can be modified to work with the 20x20 box fans (I used a 20x25x1 filter leaving the 'overhang' at the top). Assuming you can find appropriately sized 'smoke rated' filters elsewhere, here are observations from my first-hand experience: I set up one fan/filter per each 750 sq ft. I'm guesstimating that current visibility beyond my front door is maybe1 mile +/-; air quality is chocking, at best. Inside my home, with 3 filters running for the last 3 hours, visible smoke is non-existent, the air smells clean & breathing is easy.. :)
From Dan Barth:
a link to photographs of people fighting fires on Greenfield. As he says, " No additional information but helps to humanize and give
faces to the firefighting effort." http://www.roseylarson.com/Firefighting/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment