Living with the Devil's Winds - Tim Chavez - 1/10/2025

[@tinadaugherty9073]

Tim Chavez is highly educated & well experienced working as a firefighter for 40 years. Here's where we need to learn some more. I know what Santa Ana Winds are from living in San Deigo for 3 years. Thank you Mr. Chavez for spending your time.

[@EffSharp]

I can’t thank you both enough. I’m desperate for knowledge right now. I grew up in LA, I’m 56 years old, and I remember my parents standing on the canyon in our backyard watching the fires to decide if we should leave. I want to understand the science of it all now. ❤

[@hokimocus]

Perspective, it's a wonderful gift. Thank you for sharing your depth of knowledge.

[@stacysharlet3486]

Love the expertise and experience. This is so good. We live in a fire prone area in Oregon. I am sending this to my HOA and my neighbors. We are actively thinking and addressing hardening homes, landscaping and community reduction of fuels.

[@ShulaMG]

Very enjoyable discussion, a great learning opportunity. Thank you.

[@mauricekaehler5053]

It's inspiring to see these levels of competency

[@jewel58s]

Thank you Zek and Tim for educating us for what it takes in fighting wildfires. Especially Thank you for keeping the crazy out of the postings.

[@barbarageisenhoff2078]

I have the greatest respect for firefighters and emergency medical technicians. I was married to a City of Seattle firefighter/EMT for many years. I was so proud of him ❤️ it was a great time in our lives. God bless all first responders. 🙏

[@thistledownz.2982]

Great information. Thanks to you both for all your years of work.

[@lesliepropheter5040]

This guy Tim Chavez, is a treasure! These stories, rehashing, is everything and priceless information, thx for sharing. I’m blown away looking at the topography here, the crags, cliffs “canyons” X 100,000 (?) Amazing that these areas are so populated. Wow! encore ! Hawaii needs such history recorded

[@TEPO--]

Thank you Tim, for reminding us of how limited or non-existent aspects of our communications in the 60's and 70's were. Also how territorial regions were compared to now. Appreciated reminders, being that now it seems there's so much being related all at once..... Appreciated scope

[@klgarner8483]

Thanks for the history I remember the Malibu fires in the 70s People saved their houses from the fires just to lose them in floods

[@ChrisDD2009]

'Dog acres' - what a great description. I remember standing with my wife looking at fires on the crest of a ridge miles from the house, underlighting clouds with that eerie red. I knew from the incident and mapping they were not coming our way, but when she said honey should be we going... wow. Wish I could give this video many more than just 1 thumbs up! Thanks

[@craigstika2212]

Zeke and Tim thank you for the welcomed recap. I suggest all So Cal residents watch this episode. Tim and Zeke are brilliant. The historical footprints is mind boggling. 5 times rebuilt is not good science. History repeats itself. Repeat fires, starting in the 30's is the perfect, perfect, perfect definition of insanity. Making the mistake repeatedly shows our common stupidity. Do as I say, do not do as I do. Our family lost our ranch in the 2007 Rice Canyon Wild Fire. 2025 drought has started. I hear you Tim and Zeke " Loud and Clear." Forewarned is Fore armed. Watch and then rewatch. There is a test after this lesson.

[@chrisbarr1359]

Tim was a great guest. So knowledge about fire for the past 50 years. Incredible memory. And "dog acres"

[@Fireweed108]

Wow. I thought I recognized the name. I graduated in fire from CSU in 1987 and also worked with Phil Omi on prescribed burns and wrote a report on field testing the Behave fire modeling system. I remember those punch cards! Phil was my advisor. I worked at Rocky Mountain NP.

[@karlw7764]

This Tim guy is a treasure. Such a lot of accumulated experience and wisdom.

[@user-reg27364]

Many of the Eaton Fire victims said they inherited their home from their parents. That puts the builds in the 40’s-50’s. It was a middle income area where people don’t have excess cash to update homes. Like the Bay Area, neighborhoods were built in waves for canneries, manufacturing, Hollywood, other industries.

[@louisewagenknecht6140]

Thanks again for the great information! I visited in Sierra Madre in the 70s, remember being amazed at how the mountains just rose straight up behind the neighborhood, very high and steep, and all chaparral except for a few pines at the summits.

[@anneest]

Thanks a lot for this live stream, it was really interesting. I have also been working with geospatial data for many years, so I appreciate a lot the 'live cartography' 👍 Although we live in Norway, we have been many times in California and Western United States (visiting NPs, hiking, etc). We have friends in Pasadena / Sierra Madre. We visited them several times, and we absolutely loved it. We are devastated seing what has happened and continues happening. Thanks for inviting Tim, it was really very informative. 💟

[@Jcozz]

54 minutes very well spent, thanks to Zeke and Tim.

[@ethanswanson9209]

Great discussion, especially starting at the 11:30 mark. Very educational. Thank you!

[@mariannorton4161]

I worked fires for the FS/BLM for six years and am loving this talk. After that, I said decades ago how houses were built would make the difference. I hope building codes will change, I have to suspect they won't. Glad I found your channel.

[@TashiPrasad]

Thanks!

[@TForbes2024]

I lived my entire childhood in the San Fernando valley....23207 Doloroso.... Basically, Woodlake and Burbank.... In '82ish ... I was on the west side of 101 watching the hill burn on the east.... wouldn't you know it....the fire was burning in the grass next to me.... ( When I got the '73 Ford pinto started.... I put it in reverse and got the heck outta there....I didn't want to explain to my dad how his car burned up) The Santa Ana winds are no joke! You only really understand this once you live with them.

[@hcjdb]

Very helpful! Thanks to you both for a reality-based discussion about what we are facing.

[@surfwaxed]

‘Dog acres’ - perfect phrase for that nighttime multiplier effect. And, yup, we don’t need more planning…need the doing. Great show.

[@FLYEAL]

Great interview, great guest. Really educational. Pro-shed too. Tim is so right: Human nature. People don’t want to leave. Don’t think it will happen again. I lived very close to Nun’s Fire. Enough to have mandatory evacuation without much warning. And, currently (and for many years) in a hurricane prone area that also floods…even more in the last decade. When you sell there’s always a buyer. In both places, relevant insurance (fire or wind/flood riders) were basically unobtainable. People don’t care. They pay cash and self-insure. Lessons are rarely learned. We have moved. Inland. Well inland.

[@MsThorma]

These are two smart men!

[@lcollins4313]

With the KAS to boot. Quietly discussing past and present events-issues . Those homes are built so close to one another was shocking too. The Santa Ana winds are “ the norm “ for decades. Understand folks trying to create privacy with plants, but whew, the plants seem to repeatedly add to the chaos with these winds. New generations clueless to the history of the areas inflamed repeatedly.

[@TForbes2024]

Get middle school / junior high kids together with experienced fire science people along side the aging baby boomer population to assist in keeping the vegetation maintained you know that the properties in these so cal fires were overgrown. The older folks that can afford it or don't notice it as they haven't been out the back door in a while ....Middle school / junior high is when you catch the kids and they become interested in their lives

[@anisenkrill6179]

The Malibu overlays through the decades was interesting.

[@suros8105]

Sometimes the algorithm is useful! Thanks for the information guys!

[@russelltate3703]

Thanks for teaching us about mountain winds!

[@user-reg27364]

More shrubs and trees equals more job security for the landscapers. My landscapers were always pressing for more plants. I removed at least a dozen overgrown shrubs when I purchased our last house, and it was still overgrown to block view of other houses 10ft away.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

Tim is absolutely right about other Americans moving into (especially) Southern California not understanding how plantings work here. Much of the Southland was pioneered by Midwesterners who wanted Los Angeles to look like Chicago or St Louis, not realizing that they were building danger into their new environs.

[@tinadaugherty9073]

Fantastically brilliant information!! ❤

[@G2lex1]

Thank you.

[@klgarner8483]

The past two winters -so wet contributed the an abundance of vegetation & then this year has been so dry.

[@corigunnells5725]

I’m watching your updates from Prescott, AZ. I always learn a lot from your experience and discussions. Thanks much.

[@skyepilotte11]

Great discussion...thx

[@monksnack]

Fascinating! Watching from SE Wyoming.

[@RichardPaulin-r9o]

Thank you very much for an intelligent overview of the history of fires in southern California.

[@cocoablini]

I always learn so much!

[@lcollins4313]

Appreciate this interview with Mr Chavez. Well done. Please consider another. Very informative. I remember listening to to an interview years ago by Mr Chavez . Appreciate these deconstructions you firefighters have given.

[@thetaksyndicate6234]

Solid - two of my favorite people on the planet telling the world how it is. AJ

[@GaryMortimer]

Fancy seeing you here, I was just going to send this. Very sadly I predict loads of silicon valley folks coming up with solutions for cash now. Having never asked chaps like this what they need.

[@thetaksyndicate6234]

@@GaryMortimeryup you nailed it bring on the VC funding bros lol.

[@virginiah5311]

I really appreciate your non-political analysis of this frightening situation.

[@williamjsheehan]

Outstanding, been through a lot of Santa Ana’s and been watching Lookout for years, but learned a lot more detail about mountain waves, wind orientation, palm trees, repetitive fire foot prints, and more.

[@herbsforyourlife]

Thank you - sorry I missed the livestream- great info

[@sunshineinarizona1726]

I was born and raised in the LA area, and a few months ago, I wished that I could afford to move back. Not now. it is terrifying to see that they are all sitting ducks. I am glad to be in the middle of the desert. Thank you for this video. 👍

[@requiem215]

I don’t want to live in a place where I can’t build sheds in my back yard😂. I life without sheds is a life not living. 😂.

[@billymaxwell3446]

Your report is what I want to hear from a news report! Why do fires not get reported with the same details as the weather? You are the enlightenment of fire reporting!

[@craigruth8124]

News reports get 23 minutes of air time. Its not their fault they can't do what the Lookout does.

[@daboo2]

@@craigruth8124 23 minutes is a choice they made. There is an audience for the depth of conversation The Outlook provides. Thank goodness we have the creators like The Outlook.

[@billymaxwell3446]

@@craigruth8124 NO! public interpreter here, 23 min.s of no detail. Not agreeing with same old same old dumb down content. Quick and key details are missing. The informality and slow review of the Lookout is needed too.

[@TForbes2024]

I live in Marin county and I'm extremely concerned about the Ross valley.... the stretch between the San Anselmo hub and Fairfax is downright haunting... if we were to experience a fire in that area.... I just don't even want to speculate

[@jewel58s]

My Dad was a fireman in the 70’s. We had a ham radio in my parent’s bedroom and I remember my Dad listening to the talk. We lived in San Luis Obispo. He and his fellow fireman went to the LA area. I don’t remember how long he was gone. I remember always being afraid for him and his co workers.

[@TEPO--]

Yes agreed, ode to sheds, forts for kids to be kids, a trellis for a climbing rose and living life along the way......

[@chuckdethero2702]

Very well done. I completely agree. Let's just get the work done. The firestorms don't wait foe CEQA/NEPA compliance. We need a statutory exemption for fire prevention projects in CEQA. Assembly members and Senators introduce them every year but the die in committee and never make it to the floor. Hopefully given the utter destruction of the palisades this will happen. Thanks for such a thorough presentation

[@davashorb6116]

That was great!

[@user-reg27364]

Juan Brown blancolirio recommended your channel. Fascinating topic. I know a lot of communities that could benefit from your expertise.

[@michaelnelson7566]

Thanks, I learned so Much from this.

[@TimBoss2000]

Tim's the man

[@LinMonash]

Watching from the Derwent River Valley just North of Hobart, Tasmania. Firstly let me convey sympathies to all suffering these terrible losses. Here, we're entering peak fire season period and your broad ranging discussion about hazards and risk management is VERY relevant to us too here in Australia. Like you folks there, we Aussies regard ourselves as 'fire savvy'. We've had to be, our bush is designed to burn - [ seeds propagated by fire ] over millenium! Traditional Indigenous fire management practices were wiped out with the arrival of colonialism over 250 years ago, and this knowledge is only being revived in tiny patches. Australia is a huge country with many diverse eco-systems and mini systems, including just within the one State, such as this, where vegetations and fires will behave very differently in different regions. And there are large knowledge and resource gaps. In addition, we now have climate change and Tassies weather, always erratic, has become more so. We've always had high equinox winds, but it's been notable that many of the days where fuel reduction burns have been planned had to be abandoned due to gale force winds. We are also experiencing more dry thunderstorms, with more lightning strikes. In recent years we've seen subtropical rainforest, that hasn't ever burned - on fire. On the topic of short memories, I'm of Tim's era, and so I recall the '67 fires here in Tasmania. 64 people died on 7th Feb '67 and almost 1/5th of the State burned. It was seen as a marker of the first 'New Type of Bushfire', where a large city urban area was impacted, whereas previously, fires had affected small rural communities. The news about the Tassie fires raced across the world. [* On a side humorous note: it seemed most Americans knew of Tasmania only through the Loony Tunes Tasmanian Devil Character 'Taz' created in 1954, later sold to Tas TV ( when aired most locals were bewildered at Taz's ZERO resemblance to the real Tassie Devil! ) Now, immediately post the '67 fires a little light relief arrived. >> It was noted in the Hobart Mercury Newspaper, that a news outlet somewhere in the USA had reported that "A tiny island at the bottom of Australia had been competely burnt out and the entire population had been evacuated in two submarines." This prompted a lot of humour, with people debating this at bustops and supermarkets. "And which submarine did you get off on then Jack?! Others were more indignant. "Tiny island! Don't they know we're the size of Switzerland!!!???" Whilst the then Tasmanian Premier commented; "...would have been quite a feat, given that our population is just over 375 Thousand!"] But back to 2025... Approximately 10 years ago a research group did Fire Mapping of all Australian Capital Cities. Hobart came out as the most fire vulnerable, surrounded and built up into thick bush on mountains and hills, with multiple suburbs rebuilt - and extended - up into the green... Councils approving developments into new areas for 'Tree Changers'. Fire-fighters shake their heads and talk about the impossibility of saving lives in these areas. Tghis year we've had a fair amount of rain and a cool spring, and every time it rains I look over the river at the looming mountains and think, that's more fuel lod to dry out and burn. 10 years ago we were told there was more fuel load in the mountains around Hobart and beyond, indeed the whole State, than there was in the '67 fires. It must be much more now... I look out my window sometimes at night and across the river to the hills opposite and see the twinkling lights of new homes high on ridges - 'with great views' and tiny narrow dirt roads access through thick bush, and wonder if they have any clue how fast a big fire moves. Because I know, I've seen it, and I agree with the Fire Mappers, the arrival of next Big One is not an 'If' but a 'when'. And your discussion about sheds and proximity of other houses hits home too. I have a wooden chicken coop built alongside a wooden fence that runs up to the house attached to a wood framed petrun. And, like many, I too, took out my lawn due to high water charges, and covered with weed matting and pine bark and put in drought tolerant native plants...

[@deborahcurtis1385]

Thank you so much both of you. Very informative and it really helps come to grips with the dynamics involved. Although I'm in Australia and our topography is very different, the wind issue, dryness, build up of debris, as well as the oil levels in eucalyptus trees are extreme factors. It's helped me decide to not buy a 1970s house in an outback setting, but go for a new build with fire proofing and fire resistant design qualities including a concrete slab floor on a modular design. That is way more expensive but it's the way to go. There is so much to understand about fire and fire behaviour and we have to address human behaviour for sure. Thanks again.

[@GT-mn3bx]

The arsonists come out everytime the news says the Santa Ana's are picking up. My brother lost 3 old houses in the Witch fire. He's been fighting those winds his whole life.

[@GT-mn3bx]

I forgot one in the Cedar fire too. He never lost his own because he never left.

[@julieyork7605]

So interesting!

[@juliadonaldson6943]

I read that Paradise California now has the strictest building codes for fire in the world. They cover not only how the new houses are built and the materials that must be used but also the type of landscaping that is allowable. The state of Washington has been looing at these codes and considering adopting them. Without codes like these the insurance companies will not come back so it might good for LA to also upgrade their own codes.

[@karlw7764]

Oh I am sure we will upcode if no one can buy insurance to rebuild

[@BarbaraPavel]

Great discussion. Things are more complicated now with inability to get or afford fire insurance.

[@TEPO--]

Yes, more education sounds great !

[@kindradeleon9053]

That’s why I really enjoy your channel because I am sick of that horse shit to the blame game. People need to understand California Burns and mother, nature can be a little bitch !

[@loismiller7742]

Very interesting. This is going to be very bad if S Ca doesn’t get rain. Omgosh.I didn’t realize Santa Ana winds were a Spring thing too.

[@cadence64-x2v]

Is there any chance you will be taking some of these shorter parts of conversations and turning them into reels that can be shared in other social media apps as well? I can't tell you how brain changing this is to hear two people with decades of real experienced based wisdom sit and calmly analyze terrain, give the long view historically, talk specifically about this current series of events, discuss potential mitigation possibilities moving forward without putting blame on blast. I feel like all I've seen the last few days is people yelling at their cameras trying to rile as many people up as possible over the most INANE unrelated or unreal or straight up intentionally false "breaking news" and "exclusive information" and its the exact opposite of what really ANY humans need in the middle of a crisis. We are desperately seeking calm rational voices with immediately useful, factual, pragmatic crisis information and having to weed through outrage influencers on every platform... it's so hard to keep from succumbing to the frenzy. Even hearing you discuss the flammability of palm trees here was helpful because of the people I've seen pointing to video footage of palm trees on fire and from their extensive experience with palm trees in Florida, they are absolutely sure this is proof that all these fires were intentionally started because "there's no way palm trees can burn like that on their own... they're full of water." It's exhausting. Anyway, thank you so much for this, I'll be sharing it anywhere I think there might be open ears.

[@susanne1756]

Like the man says... the big winds are ALWAYS in the Fall..!! This is January. He talks about the trees and bushes being fuel sources, but they aren't burning...🤔

[@Old31S5]

Big fire in Malibu Christmas in the late 1950’s , this isn’t really new. I fought fire there in the 1993 fire. It is all about fire history. The only difference is cancelled insurance policies, there’s your conspiracy .

[@CT_1999]

Nothing was stopping those fires. It’s terrifying.

[@jimmyconway8025]

Great video! What the heck do all these people do?? My gosh...

[@imacoastaleddie]

Are the winds more intense (have grater velocity than in ) than in previous years

[@suzanneguthrie284]

Portugal seems to have some experience in mitigating fire hazards in their dry season.

[@EffSharp]

I want to know why people these men aren’t consulted before we rebuild. We need our lawmakers to hear from these two.

[@JingoEtheridge]

The trees and all the cedar fences decks and gutters the perfect embers catcher . All those swimming pools in every back yard millions of gallons lake palisades right there and not one is set up for roof sprinkler .

[@RoBear-xo6zw]

“Evacuate now from the area of Sunset to Mandeville to Encino Reservoir to the 405 freeway. Those not in the evacuation area should shelter in place. Maps and information can be found at “

[@jamiefonseca9688]

Yes so agree on the rebuild and landscape non flammable… hemp Metal roofs no eaves Stones and non flammable plants should be the main focus or this will continue over and over

[@tainted101]

They use to clear brush in those areas in the 80's and 90's. They stopped.

[@MarkThrive]

Zeke, if I were the Gov of Ca. I would appoint a task force to design the palisades and other dense populations from future Santa Anna/urban conflagration 🔥 You both would be offered a position for design input!

[@Fireweed108]

If someone has an old wood shed I just tell them not to expect it to survive during a wildfire and also don't have it in a continuous fuelbed situation adjacent to a house.

[@debbiechristie9241]

Wa state, Couple years ago my daughters neighbor had a planter with a dead plant in it and she had put it up against the side of the house and on a hot day without her knowing that dried up dead plant ignited on fire, and the flames creeped up in to her attic, and that night when they were sleeping, the fire had consumed the attic, and the ceiling and they barely got out alive with their two dogs and the children were at a sleep over at grandparents for the night thank the Lord , the fire fighter said that plant was very flammable and more flammable dead, I’ve never seen a combustible outdoor plant before, so maybe when they say only indirect sunlight on certain plants they might be combustible, would’ve been nice to have that as a warning on the labels when purchased, just saying

[@LilyGazou]

I cleared around my home. My neighbors refused to because “privacy”. So everything burned.

[@MichaelMcCausland-pg6qs]

Description of what we do to battle the fires of our fire based ecosystem

[@t-2123]

Rebuilt discussion.... changing new building codes / permits to brick style homes with metal roofs, concrete based hardiboard facia and a restrictive landscape regulation....

[@vadorealy]

@@t-2123 we can't do brick earthquake country here

[@maryd86]

Makes sense why they have 9 helicopters over the North end of the fire. Since they're starting back fires, they better not let that get out of control. Meanwhile, they've pushed the evacuation perimeter to the 405 on the East side because they're not even trying to stop it. I haven't seen much activity in the air on the East side of the fire all day.

[@MarlinWilliams-ts5ul]

Just wondering, if dangerous fires are recurrent in these SoCal areas, decade after decade, why are houses continued to be built there?

[@willyD200]

But in the 1980's they had common sense for using some forest management practices and available WATER

[@gemini1123]

People who want to live in Lala Land aren’t going to have disaster on their mind 24/7. We should treat these places as ones to visit, not live full time. Who wants to be in sunny 70 degree beach weather with 50mph winds?

[@DebraDockler-os2sb]

What about the people that set off illegal fireworks on New Year’s

[@BlueDef811]

How did you two wind up in California?

[@85lives]

Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! 21:58

[@allenschmitz9644]

Yikes, is Encino on fire now!!!😮

[@rainwaters1103]

I am not a lover of Palm trees, but looking at aftermath pictures, houses are dust and Palms are still there! ?????

[@paulavesely3307]

Hey you guys just heard the bronx NY on fire

[@andy_s_8982]

How much damage has this fire done in $ does anyone know?

[@veggiedisease123]

I heard $150b in economic impact. That put it's up there with Katrina.

[@LilyGazou]

One trillion to rebuild

[@travelbuddiesexcellentadve4117]

I'm from NC, so this is just my uninformed question. Beyond the mitigation efforts you guys recommend, and water seems to an issue and it's been going on for a hundred years in apparently the same regions, why is there not a focus on investing in pumping sea water to reservoirs near these communities to support the fire hydrant systems? Also, although I think Cali over regulates everything, why not mandate less dense neighborhoods in these highly volatile areas...you certainly know where the hotspots are?

[@lesliepropheter5040]

Fire Forensics

[@chrisclintsman1012]

That's funny, you mentioned ponderosa way.They make a beautiful feel break there, but they don't do nothing with it.They gotta have the balls to get out there ahead of it and knock it down just like the Dixie fire.The park fire all of them are still bricks all around every one of them and they never utilized them

[@blackhorse11thACR]

I recently drove the PCH 1 up and down the coast and made it through before these firestorms erupted. My heart goes out to all Californians and the wildlife. I truly am sick of ppl that don’t live in California and are trying to play the blame game for political theater. Californians are the ones that are suffering and losing their homes. Thank you for your service to the community and for explaining the nature of these firestorms. I recently watched a documentary on the 1961 fire narrated by William Conrad. It was interesting to see how the Santa Ana winds have always been known for their destructive nature. Stay safe everyone and know your neighbors in the Silver State are with you. I always will love California and consider it the greatest and most beautiful state in our union. Stay strong and keep safe. So sad for everyone who has lost loved ones and their homes.