This fire, the #DixieFire, started at nearly the same location as the #CampFire, which burned down our hometown of Paradise California two and a half years ago.
It looks like the equipment of our utility company may have ignited this fire just like it did with the Camp Fire. Fortunately for Paradise folks, this time the winds were much milder and blowing away from Paradise. Unfortunately for others, the fire is burning towards them.
The fire generated a huge pyrocloud that reached 40,000 feet yesterday afternoon and then created its own lightening storm where black ashy rain fell. Very dangerous to be under such a cloud when it gets so heavy that it collapses.
We drove up to our property in Paradise today to check on things and ate lunch at one of the few places open in town. People in the restaurant looked anxious with the fire cloud very visible from town, even knowing the fire was burning away from them. It is heartbreaking to see that look of concern on faces. particularly the elderly. Most of the 85 people who died in the Paradise fire were over 60 years old.
This is just one of many fires burning in California and the Western United States. When I see this stuff up close again, I do curse about every tenth word. It is horrible to see and a terrible reminder of the past. I won’t curse in this post because many of the readers are good and decent folks, but $#%! &@# Pacific Gas and Electric. Are you trying to kill us?
This photo was taken at 2:30 today at the Thermalito Afterbay. Water looks nice.
Another Picture On The Wall 
PGE is a bunch of liars, after I watched the documentary Rebuilding Paradise, my son and I talked about that fire and them at length. He said they’ve been at the center of a lot of scandal and illegal issues for years.
I wondered about the Dixie fire, it’s difficult to see the spread of the fire online and I had no idea PGE was the culprit. Why doesn’t California’s government impose stricter regulations on electric utilities to remove old and dangerous equipment and make them replace that old equipment then have regulators check on them to make sure they adhere to those regulators?
A few weeks ago we were packed to evacuate from a fast moving, raging fire. That fire was lightning ignited, they called it the Raphael fire, it burned nearly 80,000 acres between Sedona and Flagstaff before they could contain it. We were so scared and all I could think of is the trauma your family went through.
The water looks very nice, good photo.
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I love that road between Sedona and Flagstaff, not the freeway one, the other one.
So sorry you had to go through the preparation to evacuate. Sickening. If you haven’t already, take a comprehensive video or lots of photos of everything you own. Also, if you haven’t, review your homeowners insurance policy or renter policy very carefully, especially the riders regarding personal belongings and coverage for other housing accommodations.
Greed is at the heart of many of our problems. We have a severe water shortage with wells going dry because big Ag desires more profits and plants more acreage where things should not be planted.
PGandE cares first and foremost about profits in the short run and nothing, not a billion acres burned or loss of life will change their behavior. But, they sort of have the state by the you know what as the major supplier of electricity and cover their deadly errors with large rate increases. Also, relying on hydroelectric power plants situated in parched canyons with a serious drought is like the perfect storm (although no water in that storm) I think the Governor probably wants to shoot them right now as he faces a recall election. The regulators have always seemed to side on the utility’s arguments although occasionally giving lip service to the customer. It it is a mess among many messes we face out here. If you have a Twitter account, which I have found to be a great source of information, some bad but many good, follow #DixieFire and you will see some interesting photos etc . #CalFire is another good source on Twitter.
The water did look nice, huh. Thought it made an interesting contrast to the pyrocumulus cloud forming…it got much higher!
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Oh you’re talking about highway 89A, not really a highway but a beautiful, scenic drive through Oak Creek Canyon, the fire was partially along a southern most point of that highway. Oh I know there is so much evil and collusion between government and big corporations, that’s why I left banking, I knew things were just wrong and illegal in that industry. Yeah my son and I will look into renters insurance, I do have photos of all of our belongings. The homeowner has coverage through his own carrier.
I know there’s a severe drought in California, I didn’t know the extent of the severity of it. Shame on the governor I hope he’s thrown out of office. And shame on the regulators for colluding with the utilities, money and greed always leads the way. I think we ought to put the evil doers on a rocket like Jeff Bezos and send them to another planet lol.
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Don’t get me started about Wells Fargo and B of A!
Yes! Oak Creek Canyon road. Love that road.
And Amen to all the rest!
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So scary to see such a force of nature and worse to know human error was the cause. I wonder how these CEOs sleep at night?
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I think they sleep on very expensive sheets. Yes, it really is discomforting.
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Such a tragedy. Shame on PG&E and other companies who only care about $; not people, plants, wildlife, nature. Please stay safe!
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You stay safe too! Yes, that company is shameful.
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Interesting blog, Gary. I’m learning a lot from you on wildfires and their causes. I agree wholeheartedly with you on the consequences of corporate greed. People who work for these corporations invariably get wrapped up in making money to provide for their families and aren’t too interested in the morality of economics.
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That particular fire is now over 500,000 acres and the cause is still being investigated although the company said early on that their equipment probably started it. I will still choose capitalism over the other ism’s but balance is needed and right now our utility company is out of balance but they do have incredible challenges in terms of weather patterns, demands and terrain. But they could do a whole lot better and they got away . Corporations seem to be able to get away with murder, literally. I think they lack a diversity of thought in their upper management meetings! Yes, greed and perhaps fear are big drivers in some of these financial and personal tragedies.
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