Report projects LA’s vulnerability to future sea level rise

Insurance Journal: Los Angelenos may expect to experience sea level rise of as much as two feet by 2050 due to climate change, according to current projections. A team from USC partnered with Los Angeles to gauge the impact of the rising tides on local communities and infrastructure. The results, according to a recent report, are a mixed bag.

However, at-risk assets can be protected by proactive planning and early identification of adaptation measures, according to the report’s authors.

“Some low-lying areas within the city’s jurisdiction, such as Venice Beach and some areas of Wilmington and San Pedro, are already vulnerable to flooding,” said Phyllis Grifman, lead author of the report and associate director of the USC Sea Grant Program. “Identifying where flooding is already observed during periods of storms and high tides, and analyzing other areas where flooding is projected are key elements in beginning effective planning for the future.” Other findings from the report include:

• The city’s wastewater management, storm water management and potable water systems are highly vulnerable to sea level rise;
• ...Projected flooding and erosion damage to roads along the coast could impede emergency services;
• Many cultural assets located along the coast, including museums, historic buildings and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, could face damage;
• Residents of low-lying communities, such as San Pedro and Wilmington, as well as those with older buildings and high numbers of renters, such as Venice, would be most affected by flooding;
• In particular, the Abbot Kinney corridor and the fragile Ballona wetlands are at risk, however the region’s wide sandy beaches, if maintained, can provide a valuable bulwark against higher waters.

Aerial view of Ballona Wetlands, Ballona Estuary and Marina del Rey Harbor. Shot by Cromagnom, Wikimedia Commons,  under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license 

Southern California wildfire nearly 60-percent contained

Reuters: A fierce wildfire that had threatened 4,000 homes northwest of Los Angeles was nearly 60-percent contained on Saturday as favorable weather conditions helped beat it back, officials said.

"We actually have a pretty good marine layer, which is like thick fog on the coast moving inland, cooler temperatures and higher humidity," Captain Dan Horgon of the Ventura County Fire Department told Reuters. "That coupled with our efforts out there with our firefighters have made the situation quite a bit better," he said.

The Springs Fire in coastal Ventura County has blackened about 28,000 acres of rugged brushland since it started on Thursday. Officials said the blaze was now expected to be fully under control by sometime on Monday. All fire-related evacuation orders had been lifted by Saturday evening.

About 4,000 homes had been threatened by the fire, but only 15 have been damaged, Horgon said. There are no reports of deaths or injuries, although one firefighter and a civilian were hurt in a vehicle collision, the department said on its website.

Until this week, fewer than 12,000 acres had burned since the mid-April start of the Southern California fire season, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. That figure has jumped with the Springs Fire and five smaller blazes around the state...

An aerial view of the 2009 Station Fire in Los Angeles,shot by Ron Reiring, Wikimedia Commons via Flickr, under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
 

Firefighters battle California's Angeles National Forest blaze

Alex Dobuzinskis in Reuters: A 4,000-acre (1,620-hectare) wildfire in the Angeles National Forest in Southern California has forced the evacuation of some campsites as firefighters struggle to control the blaze, authorities said on Monday.

The fire amid dry chaparral was only 5 percent contained and heavy smoke was visible from miles away. Authorities said it was not threatening any structures.

The fire broke out on Sunday in the San Gabriel Canyon area of the 655,000-acre (265,000-hectare) Angeles National Forest. About 12,000 weekend visitors, hikers and others were evacuated from the area, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Angie Lavell.

The Angeles is less than 15 miles from downtown Los Angeles at its southern end. It is one of the most heavily visited national forests, with about 30 million annual visitors....

The 2009 Station fire was visible from downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Michael Castillo, Wikimedia Commons, public domain

LA bakes in record heatwave

Terra Daily via AFP: Los Angeles baked in record temperatures on Monday, bringing sweltering scenes to the West Coast metropolis nearly a month after the end of the main August heat. As firefighters remained on alert in tinderbox conditions around the outskirts of the city, temperatures hit 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius) in downtown, the highest since records began in 1877.

Streets remained unusually empty, as Angelinos sought the shelter of air-conditioned shops, offices and homes. But in the city center the heatwave, which began at the weekend and is set to last days more, sent some locals frolicking in a walk-through fountain just next to Hollywood's famous Kodak theatre, home of the Oscars.

"There was a spike around noon that bumped temperatures up," said Stuart Seto of the National Weather Service, after the old record of 112 degrees, set on June 26, 1990, was beaten shortly after midday. Los Angeles firefighters have been on high alert for days for wildfires which can take hold rapidly in the brush and dry woodlands which surround the city….

Smog and air pollution in Pasadena Highway, downtown Los Angeles, shot by Aliazimi, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license