Terrorists May Target California Wildland Fuels
What do you think?
Do you think that “Terrorists” will eventually find California wildlands and forests acceptable targets?
Did you know that during the 2nd World War, the Japanese tried to send over fire-bomb planes in order to devastate our sources of timber? They most certainly did. Fortunately for us, back then, they did not plan their attacks to coorespond with summer. In plane terms, they were attempting to start forest fires and vegetation fires during our winter months. Thats when they sent the planes over.
In this day in age, that is certainly not plausible. I dont know, maybe I am wrong but I am pretty sure that each plane these days is tracked in as they cross the Pacific. However, what if…. What if someone were to rent a small plane for the weekend and execute a fire bomb dropping run.
I think that prior to the plane being shot down, incidentally causing the start of another fire too, they would be able to start a large number of wildfires. Strategically placed, those fires may burn many thousands of homes. So the question is not how to stop them. It seems that the question is how to limit the damage?
The key to success is still the same as with any accidentally started fire. Homeowners must prepare their homes for the best possible defense against wildfire. It really does not matter how the fires start. Make sure you create a defensible space, clean your roof and gutters out as much as you need to during fire season to keep them free of burnable debris and have an escape route.
If you need help creating a defensible space, clearing your roof or gutters or developing an emergency wildfire escape route, then call Firescape LLC at (707) 894-2008.
One last question:
Do you think that illegal immigrants and drug traffickers coming across the Mexican / United States border have ever started wildfires to cover their entrance or escape?
Tell us what you think.
4 users commented in " Only A Matter of Time Before Terrorists Target California Fuels "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackArsonist have been starting fires for a long time?
Arsonists have been starting fires for a long time but as I stated in the blog, arson fires caused by terrorist activites may not be protectable. The best offense is always a great defense.
We always try to preach “Defensible Space” because it works no matter what the cause of the wildfire is.
Thanks for your comment!
I have suggested this possibility for some time and developed one emergency management training exercise based on the very scenario. However, I do not believe it will be an attack on the wildlands for the purpose of damaging resources but rather as a diversion to displace emergency resources from urban areas. We do a good job, and rightly so, of blowing our own horn about the state’s mutual aid system. Those who desire to harm us read the same newspapers and view same news reports about mutual aid every time there is a large fire. Moving large amounts of equipment and manpower from urban areas allows terrorist the opportunity to maximize the impact of their acts in those same urban areas. This is not an argument against mutual aid but rather an observation of a possible downside that can be mitigated by insuring that mutual aid resources are always drawn from wide geographic area.
Chief,
I couldn’t agree with you more.
What really seems to grab people, viscerally, is the shock of a rapidly spreading wildfire. Sure we can throw lots of resources at it and we should continue our efforts at improving the way in which we tap mutual aid but the underlying issue is not who starts the wildfires but rather how much damage they do.
For example, I think it would be much more of a strain on the system for terrorists to conduct widespread starts over the Western states in order to keep the resources tapped across long distances thus depleting a potential response locally.
I wonder how much financial damage the 2007 Firestorms caused in So. California vs. how much economic stimulus they will end up providing via new home building, building materials sales, trucking, cleanup, etc.?
Food for thought!
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