To the editor: In this article, David Barrett, Executive Director of the Regional Council of Fire Safe del Los Angeles, says: “Nothing will prevent an urban forest fire from progressing if it is driven by the wind” (“Will the personal devices of fire in future forest fires help or hurt?” July 15). But in several neighborhoods of Altadena, the fire was unpredictable, leaving a mixture of burned and surviving houses. From my point of view, fire progressed like a shower of embers, those embers began small fires that often grew to burn the house, or not, especially if someone was there to moisten them. The case of Minnesota cited in the article showed a success rate of 98% for households with operating sprinkle systems that survive the fire. A simpler approach to houses with a pool is a pump with gasoline and a fire hose. Our configuration costs around $ 1,000. Sacta 120 gallons per minute and can completely soak our house and land.
I find that the idea that staying late to fight a fire is a problem that puts lives at risk is too pessimistic and too wide. Clearly, staying to fight is not for everyone, but some have a defense plan and will try. The fire departments could take advantage of that will and boost the resilience of the neighborhood coordinating with the owners to access pools for auxiliary water, advising that the swimming pools are equipped with fire pumps, organizing training in citizen fires and encouraging the owners and neighbors capable of participating.
Richard Benson, Altadena
