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1. Embed this notice
   AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:14 JST AI6YR Ben

   4 copters being launched to help keep Sandy Fire under control. Frequencies being used is CDF A/G and air tactics is 166.615Mhz. 5/19/26 0742 #SandyFire #VenturaCounty #LACounty #wildfires

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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:09 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Darth Osler

     @autolycos @ai6yr @MsMerope @natesiggard I've been following these folks https://www.mojavecenter.org/

     They are doing some really cool construction work. If I lived in the desert and I could convince my 👸🏼, I would be building something like that or an earthship-style design.

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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:11 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard

     @MsMerope @ai6yr @natesiggard I've been wondering if the same rules apply to wood fences as they do to wood decks... My parents were allowed to have wood decks because the boards were thicker than 2" (all custom milled on site from standing dead timber). Although recently they replaced the decking on the rear porch with plastic planks.

     So if you had a thick wooden fence, would that be okay?

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:11 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @douglasvb @MsMerope @natesiggard Plastic planks are WORSE than wood, once they catch fire... There was a video from Palisades of a plastic rain gutter melting from the heat, and then rapidly catching fire 😬

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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:11 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard

     @ai6yr @MsMerope @natesiggard evidently the plastic planks are what was recommended by their local CalFire and USFS stations. I'm not totally sure why though. Maybe they're harder to ignite initially before everything is super heated?

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:11 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @douglasvb @MsMerope @natesiggard Ahh, may be specially formulated to not ignite? Vinyl raingutters are definitely not.

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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:11 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard

     @ai6yr @MsMerope @natesiggard I'll ask my dad about it next time I visit. He saved the scraps so I should be able to figure out what they are.

   • Embed this notice
     Darth Osler (autolycos@beige.party)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:11 JST Darth Osler

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @douglasvb @ai6yr @MsMerope @natesiggard one of these times that I'm still shocked rammed earth construction isn't catching on more in that particular area

     Adrianna Tan repeated this.
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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:13 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Nate Siggard

     @natesiggard I mean, if I lived there at the top of a hill, I might do that lol. (I do like a garden etc. though)

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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:13 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • Nate Siggard

     @ai6yr @natesiggard as long as the garden is lush and moist, it can serve as a fire break in many conditions.

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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:13 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • Nate Siggard

     @ai6yr @natesiggard * may not apply in extreme fire weather with ultra low humidity, high winds, and a fire storm heading your way.

     But then again, would defensible space matter all that much of a super charged wall of flames blow torched your house?

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:13 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @douglasvb @natesiggard That's where the hardened attic vents etc. come into play

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     MsMerope (msmerope@sfba.social)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:13 JST MsMerope

     in reply to

     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @ai6yr @douglasvb @natesiggard
     And fences that are made of something other than wood

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:14 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Air attack also launched from Hemet. 5/19/26 0744 #SandyFire #VenturaCounty #LACounty #wildfires

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:14 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Smoke report, 2088 Casual Court. (Note: typical for when the sun comes up, smoke starts becoming apparent and homeowners who are not evacuated will call in) 5/19/26 0758 #SandyFire #VenturaCounty #LACounty #wildfires

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     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:14 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     Wow, these folks either have serious prior wildfire PTSD or just don't like vegetation, look at that clearance!

   • Embed this notice
     Nate Siggard (natesiggard@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:05:14 JST Nate Siggard

     in reply to

     @ai6yr Simi really setting the bar high showing what defensible space can do.

   • Embed this notice
     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:55 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Anne Delong
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @Anne_Delong @douglasvb @paul_ipv6 @natesiggard @MsMerope

     Gizmodo: Republican Operatives Are Astroturfing Opposition to Solar Power

     A new report looks at a well-connected nonprofit that has been helping grassroots groups across the country fight local solar projects—with misinformation.

     https://gizmodo.com/citizens-for-responsible-solar-susan-ralston-npr-1850141936

     Steve's Place repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:56 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Anne Delong
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @Anne_Delong @douglasvb @paul_ipv6 @natesiggard @MsMerope There's a lot of FUD (Fear Uncertainty Doubt) about solar panels among the right wing, conspiracy theory people. Lots of disinformation trying to dissuade people from solar panels.

     Payback time on panels (due to cost of electricity) in California has been about 5 years recently, it was 2 years for a bit. Probably will decrease with all the power companies jacking up rates, UNLESS, all the solar surcharges and whatnot they are putting into play counteract those savings. (huge push by the established utilities to NOT have people install solar panels, because they are worried about their profits and paying for infrastructure).

   • Embed this notice
     Anne Delong (anne_delong@musician.social)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:56 JST Anne Delong

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @ai6yr @douglasvb @paul_ipv6 @natesiggard @MsMerope

     But do the panels repel sparks better than asphalt roofs? They're designed to take a certain amount of heat, but of course if the house goes up in flames they will be destroyed.

     The utility companies have a legitimate worry about the huge costs of building and maintaining the grid. In hot, sunny areas the panels help cut down peak load on sunny days, saving utilities from having to build for those peaks.

     Steve's Place repeated this.
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     Douglas (douglasvb@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:58 JST Douglas

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard

     @paul_ipv6 @natesiggard @MsMerope @ai6yr similar stuff is happening in California. It's very rare to see a new wood shake roof anymore. By us in Monterey it's mostly asphalt shingles with some tile roofs as well. By my parents in the mountains it's 95% metal.

   • Embed this notice
     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:58 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @douglasvb @paul_ipv6 @natesiggard @MsMerope The last house with shake roof in this neighborhood burnt down 😬 (I think wood stove fire, the embers from their own stove set the roof on fire).

   • Embed this notice
     Anne Delong (anne_delong@musician.social)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:58 JST Anne Delong

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @ai6yr @douglasvb @paul_ipv6 @natesiggard @MsMerope

     How do solar panels on roofs fare when there's a fire? They're pretty expensive, and if they are always getting ruined by fire or weather you'd never get your money back. Maybe these hide-away folding panels would survive better.

     https://eepower.com/tech-insights/how-is-retractable-solar-roof-technology-redefining-ev-charging/#

     #solarenergy

   • Embed this notice
     Nate Siggard (natesiggard@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:59 JST Nate Siggard

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Douglas

     @douglasvb @MsMerope @ai6yr wood fences within 5 feet of the end of the eaves will have 5 years to be replaced once zone zero is approved. The difference between the “rules’ and best practices is mostly that the rules are a lowest common denominator, youd be better off doing more than they require in most cases. Also, the rules generally fail to address either defensible space, or home hardening as the regulatory methods for enforcement don’t allow a single authority to enforce the full spectrum of defense. This puts a lot of burden on the property owners because “official” messaging conflicts and isn’t unified, leaving insurance companies to fill the gap.

   • Embed this notice
     Paul_IPv6 (paul_ipv6@infosec.exchange)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:18:59 JST Paul_IPv6

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @natesiggard @douglasvb @MsMerope @ai6yr

     colorado is trying to address this in state law, encouraging roofs that are more fire resistant and hail resistant. i got a cedar shake shingle roof replaced with a top rated coated metal roof with the insurance company picking up most of it and also lowering my insurance bill noticably.

     https://governorsoffice.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-announces-roadmap-reduce-homeowners-insurance-saving-colorado-homeowners-money

   • Embed this notice
     Paul_IPv6 (paul_ipv6@infosec.exchange)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 07:42:57 JST Paul_IPv6

     in reply to

     • MsMerope
     • Anne Delong
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @ai6yr @Anne_Delong @douglasvb @natesiggard @MsMerope

     the GOP is owned, lock, stock, and barrel by big oil and large corporations. they want to deregulate, monopolize, and squeeze consumers to pay for huge data centers and use lots of oil and coal to power electrical grids.

     FUD about renewable power is all part of the attempt to expand the US addiction to fossil fuels and shareholder profits over environmental concerns.

   • Embed this notice
     AI6YR Ben (ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 08:07:13 JST AI6YR Ben

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Beachbum
     • Anne Delong
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @Beachbum @paul_ipv6 @Anne_Delong @douglasvb @natesiggard @MsMerope There's quite the misinformation effort out there...

     NPR: An activist group is spreading misinformation to stop solar projects in rural America

     https://www.npr.org/2023/02/18/1154867064/solar-power-misinformation-activists-rural-america

   • Embed this notice
     Beachbum (beachbum@mastodon.sdf.org)'s status on Wednesday, 20-May-2026 08:07:14 JST Beachbum

     in reply to

     • Paul_IPv6
     • MsMerope
     • Anne Delong
     • Nate Siggard
     • Douglas

     @paul_ipv6 @ai6yr @Anne_Delong @douglasvb @natesiggard @MsMerope The saddest part is that people are still voting for them. Even poor people.

     Steve's Place repeated this.