by Bob Walsh
The NorCal fires are getting really nasty. There are HUNDREDS of missing people (probably mostly due to communication issues) and a couple of dozen known dead. The fire spread VERY RAPIDLY last night, moving thru some semi-urban areas faster than a human can run. This resulted in some people literally running out of their houses in their night clothes when their house catching fire triggered their smoke alarms.
Apparently the powers that be deliberately decided to NOT activate the emergency electronic notification system for fear it would panic people and get in the way of first responders. If I got this right (I am not a smart phone owner) it sends a notification out to signed-up smart phones that is capable of even turning on a turned off phone. It sends out a VERY LOUD audible alarm and a text message.
It is unknown right now if this decision cost any lives and I am sure it will be second-guessed until the cows come home.
There are a couple of hundred thousand homes at risk here. This is looking very, very bad for Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties as well as a big one going in Yuba county now.
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