2009 Los Angeles Station Fire

                To many, wildfires are seen as detrimental and have no benefits for wildlife and society. In reality though, forest fires have happened naturally all throughout history. Sadly in 2009, Los Angeles County’s Station Fire was neither beneficial nor natural. The duration of this fire began on August 24 and wasn’t considered one-hundred percent contained until October 6^th, 2009. Over 160,000 acres were burned and 209 structures were destroyed, including 89 homes.¹ This fire threatened over 12,000 homes in nearby communities.²

 Image Captured at Night of Station Fire

                The term forest fire coincides with wild fire because of the way it progresses. It is uncontrollable burning of combustible vegetation that occurs usually in places with dense, unpopulated plant life.³  With the help of high winds and dry, hot climate, these fires are capable of changing direction at any time, and even jump gaps such as roads, rivers, or ditches. One way of fighting these fires is the use of controlled minor fires. These fires are used to burn up the main fire’s fuel and impede the spread of the fire. 

LA County Region

                From this reference map,⁴ you can see the layout of Los Angeles County and its many cities and districts. With amount of land that was burned from the station fire, everyone within the county would be able to see the black smoke that had arisen from the mess. Located in the northern region of the county, this fire had all of Los Angeles’ National forest to eat up, which if it had not been for firefighters, could had possibly happened. Also, it can be said that the location of the fire was very inaccessible for fire trucks to travel. Without major highways and roads that lead directly to the fire, most heavy firefighting equipment was inaccessible.

 

                From these thematic maps, the progression of the fire can be seen. Within a few hours the spread of the fire accelerated to a substantial threat. But within a few days, the fire was contained to a more manageable level. It can be seen how close in proximity many cities were to this fire. Communities and their residents in cities such as Glendale, Acton, La Cresenta, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and La Canada Flintridge were all in danger from the fire. 

                It was investigated that the source of the fire was due to arson⁵ and not a natural cause. because of this and the irregularity that had positioned itself in a natural environment, the fire grown swiftly and undetected. By not quickly responding to the initial fire, it has led to catastrophic damages. But with insistent firefighters and those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good, the fire was contained, and preventive measures have been taken to stop any future fires.

References:

"Map - Cities & Communities of Los Angeles County." Web. 14 Jun 2011. <http://www.laalmanac.com/images/mapLACountyLarge.gif>.

 

"Morris Fire." United States Forest Services 3 Sept. 2009.

"Morris Fire was arson, official says." Pasadena Star News 30 aug 2009, Print.

"Station Fire Evening Update Aug. 31, 2009." (2009): n. pag. Web. 14 Jun 2011. <http://inciweb.org/incident/article/9360/>.

University, Cambridge. Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Cambridge Univ Pr, 2008. Print.

Census Populations - Blacks, Asians and Other.

This week we learned about how to obtain data from the US Census Bureau and how to convert and access it using ArcGIS.

From this map, it is obvious that counties with the highest percentage of black population are located in the southeastern area of the United States. As the colors darken on the map, it represents the percentage of black individuals to the total population increases. My assumption for why this is so, is due to the events that have taken place in history. African slaves had been brought into the South to help work the fields of the many plantations. After slavery was abolished, most black people stayed in the area, thus reproducing and populating the area. As time goes by, it can be seen how the bordering areas are gradually increasing in black population, with the south as the central point.

 

                With the map of the Asian population in the US, it can be seen that the presence of Asians in America is not as prominent as other races such as white and black. There are higher concentrations on the west and east coast, west showing the highest signs. The reasoning behind seeing more Asians on the west coast is because of the proximity of Asia. Since it is right across the ocean, it would be most likely that Asians settle to the side of the United States that is closest to their homeland.

 

                Since the Census only had taken counts of Whites, Blacks, and Asians, the category under “Other” can include a wide range of individuals including, but not limited to: Europeans, Central Americans, and South Americans. Since the densest populations are found near the southern borders of Texas, Arizona, and California, it can be assumed that Mexicans have been placed under the “Other” category. Seeing, that there are greater populations of other races on the western side of the US, this must be due to the overpopulation of the East and the fact that the US initially began from the east coast. 

                These Census models are good indications of where populations of race stand in the United States and the locations of certain races are more predominant than others. By tracking the data and using spatial analysis, geographers can see the growth of each population as the next census is taken. This would definitely be used as a tool to help analyze certain communities within the counties of the US.It might be wise to breakup and differentiate more within races and ethnicity just so there can be a more holistic view of the United States in terms of its population and what it consists of.