PDA

View Full Version : Major fire in the Anaheim Hills area, Disneyland under smoke cloud - 3/11/07



Pages : [1] 2

Darkbeer
03-11-2007, 01:23 PM
Ironically, no local broadcaster is showing live shots, most have sports commitments. Fox News Network is using Channel 11 (the local FOX broadcaster) live helicopter shots.

At least one home has caught fire and there are mandatory evacuations.

The smoke clouds are clearly visible here in Tustin, and from the 405 (was driving back from a SFMM event that was held early this morning before park opening).

Disneyland is not in immediate fire danger, but the smoke will be a factor if you visit, and of course, no fireworks tonight due to the high winds.

Darkbeer
03-11-2007, 01:46 PM
Fox News Network has just reported that a Car Fire on the 241 freeway (toll road) was the cause of the brush fire that has now burned over 500 acres..

High winds, 94 degrees, little rain this winter have all added to this Fire Storm. It started about 6 hours ago.

And they are saying that it was lucky that Daylight Savings started today, as the Firefighters have an extra hour to fight the fire before they go to defensive mode when the sun sets for the evening.

hawaiimom
03-11-2007, 03:21 PM
How awful. I hope they can get it under control.

How far is the area on fire from Disneyland? We're heading there at the end of the week. Should we be worried?

Darkbeer
03-11-2007, 03:26 PM
How awful. I hope they can get it under control.

How far is the area on fire from Disneyland? We're heading there at the end of the week. Should we be worried?

Not really, seems like the fire is moving east (the winds are moving west, but the housing is on the west end, and a nature area on the east, where the firefighters are not fighting the fire to try and save lives and structures).


The fire is a few miles east of Disneyland, and there is a LOT of homes and other Urban areas, which should be protected a lot better than open shrub/park lands.

What to worry about, the Santa Ana winds, high temperatures, the possibility of the fire still going creating smoke in the air causing those folks with breathing problems issues and the cancellation of the fireworks due to high winds and the fire danger.

The vast majority of Disneyland will be up and running, so if you don't have an issue with smoke, go have a great time!

ABombbmoBA
03-11-2007, 04:02 PM
Just arrived in my hotel in Anaheim ... an HOUR LATER than planned because all of the idiots driving the 91 freeway would rather stare at the smoke than press the gas pedal.

hawaiimom
03-11-2007, 04:31 PM
Thanks for the update, Darkbeer. You're faster than the news services!

Another Dimension
03-11-2007, 08:28 PM
Remember... just started. :)

cstephens
03-11-2007, 08:34 PM
It was very orange at Disneyland today with the sun shining through the smoke clouds. There was also quite a bit of ash falling. Saw a couple CMs working with masks.

CindyR
03-11-2007, 10:06 PM
Are you sure the fireworks were still canceled? I live in Fullerton and thought I heard them going off earlier. I didn't go outside to check though.

The highways were ridiculous earlier due to the fire. We were coming back from Big Bear and it took ages.

Bytebear
03-11-2007, 10:10 PM
Big plumes of smoke from Anaheim hills. Slight orange glow in the sky, and bits of ash falling. By about 5:00 the wind must have changed as the smoke and ash subsided. Coming home at 10:00, the radio announced the fire was 10% contained. The cause was an abandoned car on the freeway.

The fireworks were not canceled.

HobbitFeet
03-12-2007, 07:34 AM
Ugh, fires are so scary.


Did anyone else scratch their heads at this? (darkbeer I know you were paraphrasing what someone else said, I know YOU didn't say this)


And they are saying that it was lucky that Daylight Savings started today, as the Firefighters have an extra hour to fight the fire before they go to defensive mode when the sun sets for the evening.

Like the person saying that on the radio actually thinks that the manmade time change had anything to do with there being more light to fight the fire? Even if it had been normal time still, it would have started at the same "time", and the sun would have been out the same number of hours! :confused:

But maybe the spokesperson was really meaning something about shifts, and shift changes, and not having to switch people out, or something...

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
03-12-2007, 09:41 AM
Ugh, fires are so scary.


Did anyone else scratch their heads at this? (darkbeer I know you were paraphrasing what someone else said, I know YOU didn't say this)



Like the person saying that on the radio actually thinks that the manmade time change had anything to do with there being more light to fight the fire? Even if it had been normal time still, it would have started at the same "time", and the sun would have been out the same number of hours! :confused:

But maybe the spokesperson was really meaning something about shifts, and shift changes, and not having to switch people out, or something...

It does make sense. In October 2003, the Cedar and Paradise fires that decimated much of San Diego's back country started around sunset. The CDF has a policy (or did at the time ) to not allow firefighting helicopters out after dark, if there had been another hour or two of daylight there is the chance that the Paradise fire would have possible been slowed down or even put out.

If you haven't lived it, it does seem a strange statment to make.

mariad26
03-12-2007, 09:43 AM
We were there last night and the fireworks were later than usual but nonetheless they did take place.:)

tinker3
03-12-2007, 10:45 AM
Thanks for posting the info Darkbeer! I heard about this on the news and was wondering how or if it would affect DLR, and all the people who live nearby. I'll say a prayer and keep all of you in that area in my thoughts!

acpalmer
03-12-2007, 10:55 AM
It does make sense. In October 2003, the Cedar and Paradise fires that decimated much of San Diego's back country started around sunset. The CDF has a policy (or did at the time ) to not allow firefighting helicopters out after dark, if there had been another hour or two of daylight there is the chance that the Paradise fire would have possible been slowed down or even put out.

But they still would have been able to fight the fire until sunset, regardless of what we call that "time" sunset is sunset and it still happened the same number of hours after the fire started, regardless of what time sunset happens. For example, fire starts at 1pm PST (I'm making up these numbers, I have no idea what time it started or when the sun sets out there right now) and sun sets at 6:30 PST, then the firefighters have 5.5 hours to fight the fire. Ah, but daylight savings time had started and everything is "sprung" ahead an hour, so the fire started at 2pm PDT and the sun sets at 7:30 PDT, so still 5.5 hours to fight the fire. No difference there, just a difference in what time we call it.

This is what I love about newscasters and Daylight Savings time...there are no "extra" hours of daylight, we get the same number of hours. It just happens that we label those hours with a different time.

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
03-12-2007, 11:15 AM
But they still would have been able to fight the fire until sunset, regardless of what we call that "time" sunset is sunset and it still happened the same number of hours after the fire started, regardless of what time sunset happens. For example, fire starts at 1pm PST (I'm making up these numbers, I have no idea what time it started or when the sun sets out there right now) and sun sets at 6:30 PST, then the firefighters have 5.5 hours to fight the fire. Ah, but daylight savings time had started and everything is "sprung" ahead an hour, so the fire started at 2pm PDT and the sun sets at 7:30 PDT, so still 5.5 hours to fight the fire. No difference there, just a difference in what time we call it.

This is what I love about newscasters and Daylight Savings time...there are no "extra" hours of daylight, we get the same number of hours. It just happens that we label those hours with a different time.

You are correct in stating that there are no extra hours of daylight, however if the fire starts at 11 am and is nearly put out at 6pm and darkness sets in the helicopters and planes retreat and the fire continues to burn, if the sun doesnt set until 7 there is the "opportunity" to continue battling the blaze for another hour. Which I believe in their unclear and roundabout way, is likely what they intended to report.

HobbitFeet
03-12-2007, 11:20 AM
But they still would have been able to fight the fire until sunset, regardless of what we call that "time" sunset is sunset and it still happened the same number of hours after the fire started, regardless of what time sunset happens.

No difference there, just a difference in what time we call it.

This is what I love about newscasters and Daylight Savings time...there are no "extra" hours of daylight, we get the same number of hours. It just happens that we label those hours with a different time.


Exactly. There's the world and nature, with the sun rising and setting and giving sunlight during the day, and then there's the manmade "time" overlay we've put on it and randomly change.

Even if it had been normal "time", there would have been the exact same amount of sunlight hitting the fire area. :)

I've been trying to figure out how to write it with a clear difference between manmade overlay of hours and times and such, vs the reality of the sun would have been there even if there were no people to fight the fire. :)




I personally can't stand the whole daylight savings time thing, it's just ridiculous, especially it starting early this year. And especially because it made the anniversary of my mom's death arrive one hour earlier, which I didn't, so much, enjoy.

I was thinking, since the whole thing is to get people to change their energy use, why not just have all the companies change their schedules? Hubby could have been at work at 6 instead of 7, no problem, without everyone have to change their clocks and such. :p

Opus1guy
03-12-2007, 11:47 AM
Not only wasn't Disneyland in any immediate danger...I can't in my wildest imagination think it was even in any long term danger. That is unless the fire burned through about 10 to 15 miles of major city development! :)

The fire looked closer that it actually was, because it was such a clear blue-sky day. Even the smoke from it never really passed right over the Resort. It drifted of just South of the Park in a Southwesterly direction.

I spent from sun-up until 2:00am in the morning at the Disneyland Resort yesterday (Sunday into the wee hours of Monday morning). Winds were blowing in the morning half when the fire started. Big plume of smoke went up into the air making for a startling difference between the crystal blues skies and the smoke plume. Cell phone shot:

http://members.aol.com/opus1guy/uploads/anaheimhillsfire.jpg

That shot may make it look like it was close to Disneyland, but it was many miles away. But as you can see from the photo...the smoke was mainly headed in a southwest direction and never really came directly over the Resort.

Between about 1:30pm and 2:30pm the plume passed in front of the sun making for an eerie light for a short time.

About 3:00pm an extremely light bit of ash started to fall on property. About 30 minutes of a flake or two here and there. Nothing really. And that was the worst of it. Never really smelled smoke or anything else.

Went back up to the Concierge Lounge at the Grand Californian to make a post, but the internet was down. Went to the Business Center but their internet was down too. They wondered if it had anything to do with the fires. Who knows? Was going to go try the Disneyland Hotel's Business Center but was informed it was closed on Sundays. Should have brought my laptop. Oh well.

The fireworks went off right on schedule...a full performance.

They did cancel the afternoon High School Musical thing with a park-wide announcement saying due to "technical reasons." But then the whole show and cast rolled right on through California Adventure, music blaring and dancers dancing and all. But it never stopped anywhere...just kept on rolling though. Very weird and lots of Guest were confused. Have no idea if it was fire related, but I doubt it or that it was health related, because everyone was dancing and running around like normal. They just didn't stop to do the show.

Really a non-event as far as Disneyland was concerned. By about 4:30pm there was no smoke at all even to see...not even remnants...and you'd have never have known there had been a fire somewhere just a bit earlier.

VickiC
03-12-2007, 11:49 AM
My eyes are stinging quite badly today. Hope it is over soon.

Another Dimension
03-12-2007, 02:24 PM
They did cancel the afternoon High School Musical thing with a park-wide announcement saying due to "technical reasons." But then the whole show and cast rolled right on through California Adventure, music blaring and dancers dancing and all. But it never stopped anywhere...just kept on rolling though. Very weird and lots of Guest were confused. Have no idea if it was fire related, but I doubt it or that it was health related, because everyone was dancing and running around like normal. They just didn't stop to do the show.


It was probably close enough to a Code 90 yesterday and with the fire, plus the dry conditons, the HSM performers (and probably the Bash performers) didn't do full show-stop shows on Sunday because of the heat, wind, ash and even less healthy than usual air for Anaheim.

VickiC
03-12-2007, 02:26 PM
PE was canceled at DD's school today due to unhealthful air quality, I wouldn't be surprised if some cancellations/modifications continuted at the resort today.

Mickey
03-12-2007, 02:38 PM
So Saturday March 10 and Sunday March 11 the fireworks were cancelled?

futurecm21
03-12-2007, 02:48 PM
I just heard on the local news station, that it is believed that the fire was started by a stolen car, that somehow caught fire. It was just a line on the bottom of the screen so I wasn't able to get allot of information from it, but I thought I would mention it just for the heck of it.:)
futurecm21

Opus1guy
03-12-2007, 03:35 PM
So Saturday March 10 and Sunday March 11 the fireworks were cancelled?

Post #18 answers your Sunday question. ;)

Bytebear
03-12-2007, 04:32 PM
It was an unusually hot day to begin with, so I can imagine that played a role in the show being shortened. The news is reporting that a car was stolen, torched and abandoned. The fire is being considered arson.