|
REPLY TO THREAD
|
|
Subject
|
Wildfire Threatens San Francisco’s Power Supply...Governor declares state of emergency...FIRE CREATING ITS OWN WEATHER PATTERNS
|
|
User Name
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Font color:
Font:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Original Message
|
[link to www.nytimes.com]
FRESNO, Calif — A wildfire raging out of control has grown to nearly 200 square miles and spread into Yosemite National Park at the height of the summer season for one of California’s most popular tourist destinations.
But in an unusual move, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Francisco 150 miles away because of the threat to the city’s utilities.
The wildfire had already done some damage and threatened more to the lines and stations that pipe power to San Francisco, so Mr. Brown, who had declared an emergency for the fire area earlier in the week, made extended it to the city.
San Francisco also gets 85 percent of its water from the Yosemite-area Hetch Hetchy reservoir that is about 4 miles from the fire, though that had yet to be affected. But it was forced to shut down two of its three hydroelectric power stations in the area.
The city has so far been able to buy power and use existing supplies, but further disruptions or damage could have an effect, according to city power officials and the governor’s statement.
The declaration frees financing and resources to help San Francisco and makes it eligible for more federal funds to help with power shortages and
More at link
CREATING ITS OWN WEATHER PATTERNS
[link to usnews.nbcnews.com]
A raging California wildfire has grown to 200 square miles and is so large and burning with such force that it is creating its own weather patterns, making it hard to predict where it will move, fire officials said Saturday night.
"As the smoke column builds up it breaks down and collapses inside of itself, sending downdrafts and gusts that can go in any direction,'' CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant told NBC Bay Area. "There's a lot of potential for this one to continue to grow.''
More than 5,500 homes are threatened by the blaze, called the Rim Fire, and four were destroyed.
The fire, which was spreading into Yosemite National Park, was also threatening the San Francisco power grid.
“The wildfires that started in Tuolumne County have caused damage to electrical infrastructure serving the City and County of San Francisco, and now threaten damage to property, equipment, and resources of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department,” Gov. Jerry Brown said in is
More at link
|
|
Pictures (click to insert)
|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | | Next Page >> |
|
