I guess I'll never get to visit Griffith Park :\

[keith - SuPeR K!]

I'm sure that most of you are aware the Griffith Park is burning down as I type this. I've never taken the time to go there, and now it seems like there won't ever be a reason to. It's upsetting.

LA Times Blog (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/breakingnews/)
Boing Boing Coverage (http://www.boingboing.net/2007/05/08/hollywood_is_burning.html)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Eh, it's a pretty major burn, but it's burned before and it'll burn again.

[innerSpaceman]

WTF?!?

No, I wasn't aware of it. I've been having myself a news black-out for the past week or so ... because I didn't want to spoil the love vibes I needed to feel for the wedding ceremony I was performing last weekend.

It felt so good to be newsless that I've kept off the new till now. So, um, WTF? How bad is it???

I haven't even been up to the new Observatory yet. Crikey. Griffith Park used to be one of my main hangouts when I was in college. Oh, jeebus, that was a quarter century ago. Christ, I'm old!


(But I'll never feel like it. Even outlasting Griffith Park.)

[Ghoulish Delight]

It felt so good to be newsless that I've kept off the new till now. So, um, WTF? How bad is it???Pretty bad. No major structures gone yet, but lots of homes threatened, major hiking areas scorched, and no containment in sight.

[keith - SuPeR K!]

300 acres and growing...

[Not Afraid]

It's only May! This is going to be one yucky, dangerous year.

All structures in GP have been evacuated of people(Autry Museum, Observatory, Zoo and several schools), but the animals are still at the zoo. Homes in Los Felez are also in danger. Heidi and Tom are close by, but probably not close enough for evacuation - or at least I hope not.

[RStar]

It's aproaching the Greek Theater. The fire is contained around the Observatory, and it looks safe for now. The gardens are gone, but the zoo and carosel are ok.

They have a suspect who is at the Groseman Burn Center. If this was intentional I think they should set him on fire again! I hate arson!!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Heidi and Tom are close by, but probably not close enough for evacuation - or at least I hope not.

They're on the other side of the hill. If it gets to the point that they're evacuated...yikes.

[innerSpaceman]

Christing Hell. I hate the Apocalypse already!!

[Not Afraid]

At least it is supposed to start cooling off around here. it should be back in the 70's in a few days. Now.....about that rain we need........

[Alex]

I don't want any animals to die but if the zoo burns then maybe LA can finally get itself a good zoo.

[Morrigoon]

I hope Walt's Train Barn is okay, but it sounds like it's on the Southern side, so Camp Hollywood land is more in danger of burning (again) than anything. The news gives so little info about what's actually in the path and what isn't.

[thecorndogwalker]

They said it was some kid who was smoking and tossed the cig into a bush... what a dork!

[Kevy Baby]

I feel confident that this won't go beyond burning a lot of brush.

[blueerica]

Well, today seems nice so far....

[thecorndogwalker]

there are alot of flames here in west hollywood....

[JWBear]

there are alot of flames here in west hollywood....

Hee!

[Ghoulish Delight]

40 percent contained was the report I heard this morning. And I've still seen no reports of any structures burning.

As for the guy with the cigarette:

Authorities also said one person was in custody Tuesday in connection with the brush fire, which burned along the east side of Griffith Park, according to authorities. KNBC's Robert Kovacik reported at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday that the man had been released from custody and was not considered a suspect

.Deputy Fire Chief Mario Rueda told a news conference Tuesday that authorities were questioning a person who walked out of the brush onto a golf course.

"He's not a suspect. He's just somebody we're questioning," Rueda said.

The man, possibly homeless, told investigators he fell asleep while smoking and was burned on his stomach and shoulders, said a high-ranking city official who requested anonymity since the arson unit had not announced its findings.

"The man claims he fell asleep on the trail, and his injuries appear to be consistent with that version," the official said.link (http://www.nbc4.tv/news/13279762/detail.html?dl=mainclick)

So I guess if they let him go, they don't think he did anything criminal. It's unclear from this whether or not that means they've ruled out that as the cause of the fire, criminal or not.

[thecorndogwalker]

there are alot of flames in those griffith park trails.. even when there isnt a fire....

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The last time we had those crazy fires all over SoCal (2004?) it was in spring. I just knew we were in for it when I was biking through that seriously dry heat on Monday.

[BarTopDancer]

The last time we had those crazy fires all over SoCal (2004?) it was in spring. I just knew we were in for it when I was biking through that seriously dry heat on Monday.

Ya. '04 with the 3 that met and made one ginormous fire. I have a feeling that this fire season is going to be as bad, if not worse than then.

Dallas, on the other hand is under water. It's been pouring every night. I have asked my co-worker to send us the storm.

[Isaac]

I saw the smoke yesterday & thought 'well I guess it's officially summer'. The last time I was at the GP Observatory was about 7 years ago. A former co-worker/former friend wanted to go there to take pictures of the building after seeing it in a remake of House On Haunted Hill. About two years ago iSm and I were in the area and tried to go to the Observatory but it was still closed. Eventually I would like to go there again (if it doesn't burn down).

[Kevy Baby]

According to this story (http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_129034200.html), the fire is 50% contained as of about noon today. Only one home has sustained minor damage - no other structures are affected.

Although my hats off for idiotic statement of the day:
City Councilman Tom LaBonge said the Griffith Park Fire was the city's worst since the Bel Air fire of 1961. Let's see: The 1961 Bel Air fire burned 6,090 acres and destroyed 484 homes and 21 other buildings. So far the Griffith Park Fire has burned 600 acres and slightly damaged one home. Hmm... grandstanding much?

[Chernabog]

Yeah it was crazy yesterday leaving work, driving up Vermont... and seeing flames all over the side of the hill. I'm glad nobody was hurt -- but holy geebus the traffic sucked donkey balls through a straw this morning. I had to get to court, and actually needed to get off the freeway and take the Metro downtown, it was going so slow.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

According to this story (http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_129034200.html), the fire is 50% contained as of about noon today. Only one home has sustained minor damage - no other structures are affected.

Although my hats off for idiotic statement of the day:
Let's see: The 1961 Bel Air fire burned 6,090 acres and destroyed 484 homes and 21 other buildings. So far the Griffith Park Fire has burned 600 acres and slightly damaged one home. Hmm... grandstanding much?They're saying it's the worst since then, which is a fact. What they're trying to get across is that Griffith Park hasn't seen a fire this bad in 45 years, which is a pretty big deal.

[Morrigoon]

Worse than the one about 10 years ago that burnt down the canteen at Camp Hollywoodland? (And they replaced it with a modernistic, non-campy P.O.S. of a building!)

[Kevy Baby]

They're saying it's the worst since then, which is a fact. What they're trying to get across is that Griffith Park hasn't seen a fire this bad in 45 years, which is a pretty big deal.By referencing the devastating Bel Air Fire (of which Griffith Park was only a very minor and mostly irrelevant part of), he is attempting to draw a parallel to that fire. Other than the fact there are flames in Griffith Park, this is absolutely no comparison. No one has lost their home and and all of their possessions because of this fire. The analogy is faulty. It is like saying that DCA is the greatest amusement park in Anaheim since Disneyland. Sure; it is factually true, but a very misleading statement (I am operating on the premise that DCA basically sucks).

I saw the statement as someone trying to garner votes by taking advantage of this fire. And I also believe that the impact of this fire is being blown WAY out of proportion. No lives have been lost, no one has been in true danger (besides the people fighting it - firefighting is a dangerous profession), and no homes have been lost.

Griffith Park has experienced many brush fires in the past 45 years (as recently as March 2007 - less than two months ago). While this fire was started by man, brush fires are a normal and necessary part of nature. It helps promote growth by clearing out dead materials.

The gangs that infest the park and the people who litter the park are a far greater danger to the park and to the city than this fire.

[Snowflake]

Story and awesome (but scary) photos here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070511/ap_on_re_us/socal_fire;_ylt=AhS3XPXYGdh6tl9DmDdl1Wus0NUE).

Sheesh, I hope people get away safely and don't lose their homes and the historic buildings.

Looks like this fire season is starting off to be a bad one. :(

[JWBear]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070511/capt.b86f89c818514423906ca26906b7fe23.socal_fire_l a102.jpg?x=380&y=248&sig=AM5GqnERAAmNozlgF28wsg--

:eek:

[Not Afraid]

Dozens of fire engines arrived through the night from as far away as Fresno, carried by giant military hovercraft from the Marine Corps' Camp Pendleton.

I wish I had witnessed this. There was a LOT of air noise in Long Beach last night. I was wondering what was going on.

[Alex]

I think this is Colorado and Northern California's way of saying they want their water back.

[Mousey Girl]

I wonder if any of the camps along the shore are going to survive. I used to go to Campus by the Sea 2 times a year in college. It is in the first cove to the right as you approach Avalon.

[Kevy Baby]

Sheesh, I hope people get away safely and don't lose their homes and the historic buildings.I know a few homes have been lost as well as a few city buildings. However, I don't know specifics.

[Kevy Baby]

Well, I am happy to report my previous post was incorrect:
Avalon’s cobblestone streets, brightly painted bungalows, landmark casino and tourist hotels were mostly spared, with only one home and several outbuildings burned. No one was seriously injured.AVALON, Calif. - Water-dumping planes and helicopters helped beat back soaring flames that threatened this quaint Catalina Island town Friday, giving firefighters a victory that allowed nearly 4,000 evacuated residents to start coming home.The whole story (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18601767/).

[Not Afraid]

Two fires down. Can we stop now? (Meanwhile Florida, Georgia, Maryland and Minnesota are burning.)

[innerSpaceman]

REPENT!

[Scrooge McSam]

iSm, I owe ya! LOL

[Not Afraid]

Let's just get it out there, ok.......God is punishing us because of The Gays.

[Kevy Baby]

Am I the only one who likes the faint smell of a brush fire?

The actual raging out of control wildfire scares the bejeebus out me me and I certainly don't like the destruction. But I like the smell of burning brush.

Now burning bush... that's a whole other story.

[€uroMeinke]

I want a hoovercraft

[SzczerbiakManiac]

Let's just get it out there, ok.......God is punishing us because of The Gays.You straight people need to start being nicer to us or we will use our powers to cause even MORE mass destruction of the planet!!

MUAH HA HAAAAAA!

[€uroMeinke]

Then can I have a hovercraft?

[Kevy Baby]

I thought you wanted a hoovercraft? Will you make up your mind?!?

[€uroMeinke]

My Hovercraft is full of eals