San Diego Union Tribune is reporting that in addition to over 300,000 people displaced out of their homes, 1,250 homes have been lost and nearly 250,000 acres have been burned. The losses from these fires are going to total in the billions. Just going on the average price of building homes, the damages just in structures is going to be around $500 MILLION. Then add the firefighters. Then add the lost work and wages. Then add the cost of rebuilding utilities, roads, bridges, etc. You can see where this is going.
This leads me to the question of how are we going to resolve this? Are we going to rebuild like we rebuilt New Orleans? Sadly no. America is going to see the difference between rich and poor. They are going to see up close on the nightly news the difference between disaster recovery in 2005 and 2007. And what a difference it is going to be.
The costs of recovery in New Orleans were and are continuing to be massive. The costs to rebuild affected areas of these fires is going to be massive as well. But I guarantee all of these areas will be almost completely rebuilt within probably 5 years, if that. Back in 1994 Laguna Beach burned. Every home on the ridge below my friend's house burned. His neighbor's house burned to the ground. By 2000 the entire area was rebuilt and in grand fashion. By the following summer lots were being cleared and reconstruction was beginning. A new freeway was built through the same areas that burned. Homes sprung up on either sides, filling in areas that also had previously burned. It was as if the fire made way for development. Today, homes destroyed in Katrina still stand uninhabited.
When you watch the news tonight and feel glad that this is not occurring in your neighborhood, realize that what you are seeing is highlighting another example of how our government failed us 2 years ago. Let it remind you of why 2008 is so important. Let it remind you that government can work if filled with the right people for the job. It is your job now to put the people in office that will pick the best people.
As an aside, I am in downtown San Diego and so far have been completely unaffected. Life is going on as normal. None of my friends have been evacuated. Stores are still open, my job is still busy with work to do. The only thing I have had to change is to drive to work instead of cycling. But here is what is a scary thought: I am surrounded on all sides by fire. North, East or South, there is a major fire burning. To those affected, I wish you the best. Be safe everybody and I hope this ends ok for you and yours. Good luck!