FIRE-EARTH Q&A DAY: Planetary Defense Systems – Phase 2

CJ Members

Earth’s Planetary Defense Systems – Phase 2

What to expect: Critical evaluation of Earth’s defense workings (Part I)

• FIRE-EARTH Q&A TODAY will start @ 18:02 UTC.

Wildfire Races across I-15, Ignites Vehicles

UPDATED

“Hellfire” in Cajon Pass, Calif.

A fast-moving wildfire swept 15 Freeway in  San Bernardino County, igniting cars, trucks and even a boat, and destroying homes, according to local reports.

The fierce blaze destroyed or damaged dozens of cars and burned several homes near the 15 Freeway, the main route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which was packed with weekend travelers, said reports.

The fire had consumed about 3,600 acres and was spreading rapidly through the chaparral and grass on Friday, said a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

USFS researchers surveyed 4.2 million acres of trees in the Angeles, Cleveland, San Bernardino and Los Padres national forests recently and found more than 2 million trees had died due to the drought and bark beetle infestation.

The North Fire

The North Fire started at about 2:33 pm on Friday July 17 near Interstate 15 north of Highway 138. It is approximately 3,500 acres in size and now 5% contained. Multiple vehicles on Interstate 15 caught on fire when the North Fire crossed southbound lanes. 20 vehicles including two semi’s were destroyed, 10 vehicles were damaged; however no injuries were reported.

4 structures were reported as destroyed.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for the Baldy Mesa areas:
East of Sheep Creek Road
North of Hwy 138
West of I-15/Hwy 395
South of Phelan Road

Resources responding include 1,000 firepersons, said InciWeb.

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Santa Cruz Islands

3rd Revision by yet another seismologist (!)
M7.0; 10.38S, 165.20E ; depth=10km 

M7.2 Strikes WNW of Lata, Solomon Islands

Centered at 10.38ºS, 165.19ºE the quake occurred at a depth of about 2km, reported emsc-csem.org

Pacific Tsunami center has issued the following statement:

TSUNAMI EVALUATION

BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS… HAZARDOUS
TSUNAMI WAVES ARE POSSIBLE FOR COASTS LOCATED WITHIN 300 KM OF
THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER.

TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST

* HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI WAVES FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 300 KM OF THE EPICENTER ALONG THE COASTS OF SOLOMON ISLANDS

EQ Details

Magnitude: 7.2Mw
Region: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
Date/time: 2015-07-18 at 02:27:31.9 UTC
Location: 10.38ºS ; 165.19ºE
Depth 2 km
Distances 584 km E of Honiara, Solomon Islands / pop: 56,298 / local time: 13:27:31.9 2015-07-18
358 km E of Kirakira, Solomon Islands / pop: 1,122 / local time: 13:27:31.9 2015-07-18

Aftershocks

M5.1, 10.31S,164.96E 2015-07-18 at 04:30:04.3; depth=2km
M4.9, 10.31S,165.08E 2015-07-18 at 03:32:34.9; depth=2km