An analysis of fire evacuation procedures in Pacific Palisades
A minute by minute analysis of how evacuations took place in the Pacific Palisades.
Approximately 24 days after their start, the horrific fires in Southern California (Altadena and Pacific Palisades) are finally 100% contained. There are various ongoing investigations as to their true origins, but what’s becoming quite clear already is that the emergency alert systems California has in place and the communication between government agencies fighting wildfires, needs a complete overhaul.
The Los Angeles Times posted this minute-by-minute analysis of the wildfire’s start in the Pacific Palisades and the subsequent confusion surrounding the evacuation procedures. Fire agencies and government agencies were slow to react and pass along information during the fast-moving fire. Much of the gridlock that prevented people from swiftly evacuating also prevented firefighters from reaching homes and hillsides where the fire continued to spread.
Maybe in the end there was nothing anybody could do to combat mother nature in this scenario, but there are undoubtedly lessons to be learned here about wildfire communication for future events like this.
Some photos I took at the Ivanpah Solar Power Station
A revisit to Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating Station.
I’m clearly a bit sad that I won’t be able to visit the Ivanpah Solar Electric station any time soon before it shuts down, so I went back into my archives to dig up these shots I took back in 2022. I miss that place. How isolated it was, and how beautiful all those man-made mirrors were set against the natural wonders of the mountains and desert. You just can’t beat that light sometimes.
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Ivanpah Solar Electric station is shutting down
The beautiful Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating station in California is shutting down.
Way out in the Mojave Desert, adjacent to Death Valley, lies one of the most beautiful solar energy generating stations in the US called Ivanpah.
The whole complex consists of 3 major units all reflecting solar light towards a center tower receiver. If you drive by it on a sunny day, the towers have this magnificent glow that can be seen for miles.
The project was completed back in 2014 and at a cost of about $2.2 billion and is reported to be one of the largest solar facilities in the world. I visited this place back in 2022 and marveled at this feat of engineering up close, surprised mostly at the time that I could drive so close to it without any security run-ins.
Today, 2 of those 3 towers are closing, with the 3rd one in danger of shutting down as well.
A minute by minute analysis of how evacuations took place in the Pacific Palisades.