we forget all the time how dangerous and volatile the world can be. i mean, if yellowstone national (which is an active volcanic area) ever went full bore it could bury everything west of the mississippi river. goodbye western united states.

everything and anything is possible. it's good to be thankful when life is seeemingly mundane.

So I guess that the experts that are capable to interpret and use NASA's data need to be experts who are employed at the local action forces itself.

The speciality of NASA lies in the operating of probes that collect information. The interpretation of the significance of those data for an actual disaster should be in the realm of local teams of experts which support the operation controllers with realtime informaiton. There should be highly skilled experts on a certain level of local hierarchies. And NASA should be willing and able to provide data anytime and anywhere.

Protocols and interfaces should be established between the providers of space-based entities and the forces on site. Thus an executive staff – whether fighting water or fire or whatever disaster – could always hook in on demand.

It should be possible just to contact NASA and say: "Hey, please do focus on that special local event with appropriate sensors right now. Just provide us with the info. We will tell you when we have done. Appreciate!"

It seems to me that if you are in such a fire risk area, the relatively minor expense and inconvenience would be the best investment you could ever make.

Food for thought.

http://www.independent.com/news/2008/nov/15/voices-evacuated-tea-fire/

–longtime resident of Santa Barbara County, where the heat is on…

"Im just happy im from denmark. Nothing ever happens here."

Sounds thrilling.

Being from Sydney, Australia, we're well versed in the danger of bushfires – like in California, there are serious fires along the south-east of Australia every year with truly devastating fires occurring every five or so years. People may remember when the Mt. Stromlo observatory burnt to the ground in Aus. near Canberra not too many years back. I have some mates that are fireys, and almost without fail each year they head off to bushfires around the state to do battle for weeks at a time with little or no rest. Any assistance from NASA or the like would be well received I'm sure.

Here's hoping the people of California can get through this relatively unscathed…

So, what we have to do is to learn as much as we can about the hazards so that we can implement mitigating measures and predict their eclosion and development. In the case of wildfires, it's simply a question of keeping a security distance from the woods, some 200 meters or so, and cover the buildings with non-combustible materials. And try to put it down, although that's much easier said than done when the fire is really a big one.

It rained ashes for days in my back yard. And even a vew charred eucalyptus leaves.

Still, and despite many of them being set up by arseners, people have to realize wildfires are a normal part of the mediterranean ecosystems, such as those in Southern Europe and California, so the best thing we can do to spare lives and property is to separate buildings from forest and undergrowth. Not as pretty, but a lot safer.

I now realize how stupid this sounds. I should have justn ot said anything else there.