What's the difference between

[cboy4]

WESTERN STATE WILDFIRE DANGER

TORNADO ALLEY TWISTER DANGER

MISSISSIPPI/MISSOURI/OHIO RIVER FLOODING DANGER

HURRICANE RISK/DANGER STATES

Point being you never really hear folks who live close to major rivers -- or in hurricane states where everyone knows a storm could blow through every season -- or in Oklahoma/Kansas/Texas and other tornado risk areas criticized as fiercely as Californians are.

There's this perception that everyone who's losing homes in California live in the middle of the forest, and thus deserve whatever happens because they should know better.

I would argue a majority of the DUers who display a complete lack of empathy for those who are losing their homes are not familiar with the topography of this state.

I bring this all up because I'm really disappointed in some of the comments I've been reading about what's going on.

In summary, the comments state, "Too bad, you should have known better living where you do."

With the exception of the coastal cities, practically every part of California is a fire hazard.

What should people do? Move?

I think anyone who uis suffering from a natural disaster deserves our compassion

Cal Fire information -------------------------->http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents_maps_links.php

[noamnety]

1. I guess everyone's supposed to live in Michigan.

(Of course, then we get blamed for being laid off, because we should have moved to a state where unemployment wasn't so bad.)

[ismnotwasm]

2. Great post

I'd hate to be told that it was my "fault" for living in the Northwest when a big earthquake hits.

[lonestarnot]

3. Bushitler took out the United in United States. And you are right.

Compassion and empathy should be shown to anyone suffering in such disasters. I guess some people here don't know how to do that for whatever reason. Maybe their trolls? :shrug:

[elocs]

4. I agree: everybody suffering from a disaster, natural or otherwise, deserves our compassion.

Being from and in Wisconsin I am in no position to say exactly how it is in California. However, last month when we had flooding here there certainly were a number of people from the far corners of the country who were more than willing to tell everybody how it was here when they really didn't know.

[RB TexLa]

5. The difference is how you die.

[cboy4]

9. What?

[jobycom]

6. People on the Gulf Coast get that all the time, too. "If you're going to live where hurricanes hit

then it's your fault a hurricane wipes out your house."

Lack of compassion infects all regions, I guess. Sorry to hear y'all out in California are having to deal with that.

[cboy4]

10. Thanks for saying you're sorry.....It's really sad what's

going on.

[panader0]

7. I live in So. Az. at 4500 feet elevation.

There are no wild fires, (although the mesquite here is thick and tall), no tornados (dust devils), no flooding, (except the occasional monsoon downpour that fills the arroyos like today), and no hurricanes. I feel so smart.

[cboy4]

8. Wildfire near Sacramento burns dozens of homes

By MALIA WOLLAN, Associated Press Writer2 hours, 34 minutes ago

A wind-stoked wildfire northeast of Sacramento burned dozens of homes Tuesday and has forced thousands of fire-weary residents to flee, state officials said.

About 40 homes in the rural Butte County community of Concow were destroyed after erratic winds blew embers across fire containment lines, said Todd Simmons, a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman.

Firefighters went door to door early Tuesday to evacuate 800 to 1,000 residents from Concow and Yankee Hill, about 85 miles north of Sacramento. Residents of 3,200 homes were ordered to evacuate in nearby Paradise, where wildfire destroyed 74 homes last month.

"Right now we're battling the weather and the erratic winds," Simmons said. "Whatever the winds are doing, that's pretty much what the fire's going to do."

Winds as high as 30 mph fanned the blaze, one of about 30 lightning-sparked wildfires in the county that have charred 47,000 acres in recent weeks.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080709/ap_on_re_us/wildfires_178

[rucky]

11. Western states get emergency help?

:shrug:

[cboy4]

12. I don't understand your question/comment.

What do you mean asking whether Western states get emergency help, please?

[rucky]

13. When there's a fire...

firefighters are deployed.

When there's a flood, tornado, or hurricane, FEMA sits on their hands.

I see and agree with your point. I was just making another observation.

[cboy4]

14. Gotcha....However, keep in mind, firefighters can't help

people who've lost their homes get back on their feet.

If FEMA is as slow as you're insinuating in flood, tornado or hurricane zones -- they're just as slow in California fire zones.

[rucky]

15. True.

It's not like you can stop a hurricane. I guess it's just the image of emergency crews on the scene.