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"Oh, I'm sorry, did my facts interrupt your narrative?"- (...continued Palisades Fire "Junk Journaling" with Wix AI Summary first.)

Writer's picture: JOY A COLLURAJOY A COLLURA

Due to hacking history and shadow banning issues- audio version of this post here: https://youtube.com/live/zbrCD7-DeLY?feature=share


Apparently, some truths

are too inconvenient

to fit into

the headlines

or

the agendas

of those in charge.


Let's not let the ashes of oversight bury the truth.


Wildland fires

are a growing threat

across

the American landscape,

leaving

devastation in their wake.


Each year, millions of acres are burned,

which can lead to catastrophic impacts on communities.


One key concern

that emerges from these disasters

is the alarming increase

in civilian deaths

during and after wildfires.


As we dive into this tragic trend,

we must consider the roles

of local leaders,

government entities,

and the media

in addressing

and managing these events

versus

their typical heroism stories

and then onto

the resilience and rebuild topics.


Understanding the Wildland Fire Problem


Wildland fires

have been a natural part

of many ecosystems for centuries.


As communities face

the realities of wildfires,

understanding the specific consequences

of possible poor management

and ineffective policies

is vital.


Inadequate planning

has been linked to possibly

a 30% increase in fatalities

and injuries during fire events,

emphasizing the need

for strong leadership at all levels:

town, city, county, state, and federal.


The Role of Local Leaders


At the town and county levels,

local leaders play a crucial role during wildfires.


They are responsible for coordinating evacuations, sharing important information, and providing resources to help affected residents.


When there is a lack of preparedness

or

unclear messaging,

it can lead to chaos and panic during emergencies.


Local governments should invest in effective emergency services and engage the community to educate residents about wildfire preparedness.


For instance,

towns could implement

fire safety education programs

and establish clear communication channels

to provide updates during an incident.


These proactive measures

can possibly significantly

reduce

confusion

and

save lives

when wildfires strike.


City and County Responsibilities


Cities and counties

have the power

to implement policies that minimize fire risks.


Actions like controlled burns and strategic land management can make a difference.


Unfortunately, budget constraints or political disagreements often hinder these efforts.


Without proactive measures,

the risk of civilian casualties

rises sharply during wildfires.


Collaboration

between city officials

and county agencies

is necessary

for enhancing readiness

during emergencies.


Investing in infrastructure, such as firebreaks and water storage facilities, can lessen the impact on communities most at risk.


For example, regions that have successfully created firebreaks have seen a significant reduction in fire spread, leading to fewer casualties.


State-Level Intervention


When wildfires escalate,

state governments

take on a larger role in coordinating responses.


State leadership

is crucial

for mobilizing resources

and managing firefighting efforts.


These actions ensure communities receive assistance and citizens are informed about evacuation routes and emergency services.


However, state governments often struggle with limited budgets for firefighting, which can compromise services and lead to under-equipped personnel during wildfires.


In 2022, only 56% of states met the recommended minimum staffing levels for fire response.


Additionally, political disagreements can delay necessary decisions, systematically putting residents in danger.


Federal Leadership in Fire Management


The federal government has a vital role in wildland fire management by providing funding and resources to support state and local efforts.


Agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are tasked with large-scale prevention and management strategies.


Despite these efforts, historical underfunding and policy mismanagement have resulted in possibly poorly maintained forest lands, creating conditions conducive to catastrophic fires.


For example, areas with a history of neglect experienced a 45% increase in the severity of wildfires over the past decade.


Engaging with scientific communities can help the federal government implement effective fire management strategies to further decrease civilian deaths.


The Media's Role


In the modern digital age,

media plays a critical role

in shaping public perception of wildfires.


Timely and accurate reporting can save lives during emergencies, while sensationalist coverage can lead to fear and confusion.


Mainstream media outlets and social media have the ability to spread vital information quickly.


However, misinformation can also lead to panic.


Therefore, it is crucial for the media to focus on

fact-based reporting to alleviate confusion during crises.


Responsible journalism informs communities about safety protocols, evacuation plans, and live updates on fire conditions.


Collaborating with local authorities ensures that the information provided is both accurate and helpful.


Community Awareness and Education


Ultimately, the responsibility for wildfire readiness does not rest solely with leaders and the media. Communities must also take initiative to educate themselves about wildfire risks and preparedness strategies.


Hosting public workshops and community meetings empowers residents to learn about fire safety, evacuation plans, and emergency contact information.


This engagement allows individuals to take proactive steps toward their safety and can significantly reduce casualties during wildfire events.


A Call to Action for Safety


The increase in civilian deaths during and after wildfires is an urgent issue that requires focused leadership and engaged communities.


Local leaders, government agencies, and media outlets must work together to prioritize safety, preparedness, and effective communication.


Investing in fire management, promoting responsible reporting, and enhancing community awareness are all critical steps.


By addressing these issues collectively, we can strive to lower the number of casualties and protect lives during one of nature's most destructive phenomena(s).


High angle view of charred forest landscape
A devastated landscape following a wildland fire, illustrating the aftermath of devastation.

 

Junk Journaling continued for the Palisades Fire:


 

 

https://youtu.be/A0HbaTmWydQ?feature=shared Billy Crystal, Miles Teller & More Stars Get Emotional At FireAid About Losing Their Homes

https://youtu.be/zVBKRDaAosY?feature=shared -Discussing the Eaton Fire Lawsuit

AttorneyTom

Transcript

0:00

what's going on y'all attorney Tom here

0:02

Southern California Edison is facing

0:04

multiple lawsuits by Altadena fire

0:07

victims in California State Court these

0:10

claims accuse SoCal Edison of

0:12

negligently managing power line

0:13

equipment that on January 7th reportedly

0:16

sparked the eaten fire which has already

0:18

damaged over 7,000 structures and killed

0:21

at least 16 individuals several

0:24

eyewitness accounts videos and

0:26

photographs from the Eaton Canyon fire

0:28

show emerging from the base of power

0:30

transmission towers owned and operated

0:33

by SoCal Edison including a photo taken

0:36

just 6 minutes after the reported

0:38

ignition SoCal Edison has a history of

0:41

causing catastrophic damage in Southern

0:43

California and in just the last decade

0:46

SoCal Edison's electrical equipment was

0:48

responsible for the 2017 Thomas fire and

0:51

2018 Wooley fire both of which destroyed

0:55

thousands of homes caused billions of

0:58

dollars in damage and displaced

1:00

thousands of families in today's video

1:02

I'm going to analyze the lawsuits and

1:03

speak with Bob Simon a lawyer involved

1:06

in the case Bob how are you doing okay

1:08

all things considered my friend how you

1:10

doing Tom okay it's no exaggeration to

1:13

say you represent hundreds of clients at

1:15

this time yeah so we we probably have

1:18

right around that amount of people that

1:19

we helping um the way that we're going

1:22

after this is I'm a Child lawyer I try

1:24

cases I

1:26

storytelling this is to protect the

1:28

community to make sure that they're not

1:29

taking taken advantage of by firms

1:31

trying to either charge them too much by

1:33

people trying to buy their property to

1:35

Discount those types of things I mean

1:36

we've literally been sifting through

1:37

people's homes you know find valuables

1:40

that kind of stuff so there's probably

1:41

already a dozen or so lawsuits that have

1:44

already been filed we want to speed up

1:45

that timeline to try to hold Edison

1:47

accountable sooner than later it's

1:49

already been appointed to a judge in

1:51

downtown Los Angeles you know they have

1:53

to preserve the equipment and things

1:55

where the fire started Edison already

1:57

tried to do the the finger pointing game

1:59

and say no there was a homeless

2:00

encampment like 300 yards away which had

2:02

nothing to do with this I mean there's

2:03

so much origin Fire videos that's coming

2:06

out every single day there's video

2:07

evidence that I see circulating online

2:09

showing what appears to be the actual

2:13

ignition y i I think for a a lay person

2:16

and if anybody's watched this channel

2:17

before you know that I say that in order

2:19

to analyze a lawsuit properly you need

2:22

three things liability damages Pockets

2:25

to pay the triangle yeah it's a tripod

2:28

without without one leg this whole thing

2:32

fails let's start with liability what

2:36

are you alleging in these

2:38

complaints well I mean there's several

2:40

things I mean first of all I mean it's

2:41

straight negligence I mean they have

2:43

faulty equipment that they've known they

2:44

were warned many times of the dry brush

2:46

to clear it out they did not do it they

2:48

did not respond to any of those there's

2:50

a way that you can get attorney's fees

2:52

through inverse condonation right

2:55

because they're literally taking people

2:56

out of their homes several causes of

2:59

action you know in the end I believe are

3:02

accountable for this and will be held

3:03

fully liable and the people that they

3:06

harmed will have they'll have to repay

3:07

everything from property losses to

3:09

personal property losses to PTSD to

3:11

emotional harm and all the things that

3:13

they took from them okay well so so

3:15

let's go through just a little bit about

3:17

each individual complaint so of course

3:20

the four elements of negligence are Duty

3:23

breach causation damages um C can you go

3:26

through and just explain for anybody who

3:28

might be listening how you're going to

3:29

build that case what Duty did SoCal

3:32

Edison have to the public uh the duty

3:35

not to let their stuff burn down and

3:37

cause fires right I mean it's they

3:39

literally ignited a fire by having

3:41

faulty equipment I mean their duty is to

3:43

have a safe environment and to not harm

3:46

Thy Neighbor right so and of course that

3:49

goes with the breach as well but I was

3:51

reading the complaint earlier it it

3:53

appears that there were warnings prior

3:56

to the actual ignition of the fire that

3:59

there were conditions that were

4:02

extremely conducive to having fire and

4:05

what I would think is the average person

4:07

might see this case and they say okay

4:10

why is everybody jumping over the eaten

4:12

fire claims and not the Palisades fire

4:15

claims because you know the Palisades

4:17

appeared to burn as well and how can you

4:19

just place the eaten fire blame on

4:22

Edison while a whole another area of Los

4:25

Angeles Burns and apparently there

4:28

there's nobody responsible

4:30

yeah so in the Palisade fires we

4:32

literally had like a fire hurricane a

4:34

perfect storm 100 mph winds and it looks

4:36

like a backyard or firework fire that

4:38

wasn't completely put down there's still

4:40

Embers of like January 1st or 2nd to

4:42

just ignited and it was devastating and

4:44

you know just to give you an assessment

4:45

so this is the palisad it's close to the

4:47

water close to Malibu this is it's an

4:49

it's a fire risk over in that area a lot

4:51

of insurers pulled out because it was so

4:54

fir prone conversely if you go several

4:57

miles past Los Angeles into pad Al TOA

5:00

I'm reviewing people's insurance

5:01

policies they rated that a zero fire

5:04

risk zero out of 10 on these insurance

5:06

policies was a zero risk this was never

5:08

supposed to happen so the difference is

5:10

is you we all had extremely high winds

5:13

Edison warned many times about their

5:16

equipment about the dry brush they need

5:17

to clear because it's around their power

5:19

lines they did not respond I I mean I've

5:22

seen some of the responses and it's it's

5:23

disgusting what they did and one spark a

5:26

giant spark happens immediately ignites

5:29

the brush you have severely high winds

5:31

and it just burned an entire Community

5:34

wow about a year ago I made a video

5:36

about some wildfires occurring in Texas

5:40

and we we dove into the power company's

5:44

failure to maintain equipment update it

5:47

I mean you would literally have power

5:49

poles that were near a 100 years old

5:51

it's crazy do you know yet whether or

5:54

not it was old equipment or was it a

5:56

failure to manage vegetation do you have

5:58

any any any Theory so far on what

6:01

exactly the underlying issue with the

6:03

equipment was I will bet you would be

6:06

both of those things it it would be old

6:08

faulty equipment that is decades old and

6:12

also not clearing the brush and the

6:13

vegetation I mean these are things look

6:15

they they've caused fires like this

6:16

before the Thompson fire like it's like

6:18

learn your lesson right um I was over a

6:20

homeowner's property you know helping

6:22

with the emotional toll documenting her

6:24

story and she showed me that they had

6:25

put up a brand new power pole and power

6:28

lines in the days after this fire brand

6:31

new and it's like how were you guys able

6:33

to do this after the fact but you didn't

6:34

do it when you were worn so many times

6:36

in an area where you know this can

6:38

ignite right um so it's they have they

6:41

have deliberately decided to put profits

6:45

over people and not spend the money they

6:48

need to to update all of this old faulty

6:51

equipment maybe put some power lines

6:53

underground I mean it's expensive but

6:55

maybe things would be safer that way

6:56

right I mean or at least update them or

6:58

clear the brush so this litigation is

7:01

going to be expensive too yeah I they're

7:03

going to have several billion dollars

7:05

that they're going to pay at the end of

7:06

this I'm confident about that okay so

7:09

duty if you are a utility company

7:12

because they are not a public utility

7:14

company they are a private utility

7:16

company that's correct and that is see

7:17

that's the biggest I see so many people

7:19

saying well this is going to end up

7:20

coming out of our pocket taxpayer pocket

7:23

incorrect utility company has a duty to

7:27

maintain power lines safe safely and so

7:30

they don't cause harm they breach that

7:33

Duty when their fire lines combusted

7:36

either due to overgrown vegetation or a

7:39

lack of Maintenance or a combination of

7:41

both in combination with a series of

7:45

weather events that were highly

7:47

conducive to fires in which they were

7:49

warned about and they could have taken

7:51

proactive measures to mitigate at the

7:53

risk causation you of the opinion that

7:57

but for the power line sparking the

8:01

fires would not have spread throughout

8:03

the canyon that's correct 100% correct

8:06

okay so that lays down the foundation

8:07

for negligence let's talk about damages

8:10

what what have you seen I I know you you

8:12

spoke Broly that briefly that you have

8:15

been there you have been on the scene

8:17

what what are you seeing with your own

8:19

eyes I mean I've been there like several

8:21

times my you know friends family

8:24

co-workers their entire property

8:26

everything they've ever owned turned to

8:27

Ash think about what would you grab

8:29

somebody says the the fire's coming you

8:31

got to get out of here in 10 minutes

8:33

this is the reality people grabbing

8:34

passports photo albums anything they

8:36

could one of my friends had like an old

8:38

the original Hummers and it's all gone

8:40

melted he had a watch collection

8:43

everything turned Ash and I've been

8:45

documenting a lot of my social media

8:46

just what we're seeing and it is it's

8:48

like 30 blocks of just chimneys chimneys

8:51

and Ash it's the only thing that remains

8:53

the houses where they shot 90210 they're

8:55

all gone this area is not wealthy

8:58

celebrity types these are people that

8:59

have been there for Generations these

9:00

are 1920s 1930s homes you know we have a

9:03

lot of black Americans that live there

9:04

that have generation wealth because they

9:06

originally pushed pushed them to

9:07

Altadena and said this is the only place

9:08

that you can own property there's

9:10

actually 80% of the black families in

9:12

Altadena owned their property there and

9:14

took pride in it now it's now they have

9:17

nothing they're severely underinsured if

9:19

they have insurance at a valuation that

9:20

was many many years ago and it's just

9:24

family ear looms everything lost I mean

9:25

if you if you went through there you

9:27

would not believe that this that this is

9:30

America okay can we talk about the

9:32

insurance issue because I'm just making

9:34

assumptions based on what I'm reading

9:36

online I don't know if the public

9:38

necessarily understands that you don't

9:40

need to have insurance this is a

9:43

thirdparty claim against a third party

9:46

if somebody was in Altadena and maybe

9:49

they didn't even own property but were

9:51

injured in the fire maybe they were

9:53

burned or got killed I think the death

9:56

count that I read on the intro to this

9:58

was 17

9:59

I'm sure it's climbed by the time that

10:02

this video is coming out let's go into

10:05

damages I mean are you so you're you're

10:07

obviously representing homeowners are

10:09

you representing any individuals who

10:11

have personal injury claims at this time

10:14

yes there's one woman who's in she's on

10:16

life support and I don't it doesn't look

10:19

good for her very sad I represent some

10:21

nurses that were at one of the medical

10:23

facilities and I it was on one of the

10:25

front page of the LA Times she was the

10:27

one that was pushing an elderly

10:28

gentleman out in a wheelchair that get

10:30

across the street to 7-Eleven they all

10:32

have like severe respiratory issues um

10:35

and personal injuries that that's done

10:37

from this I mean the air up there is

10:39

just terrible I mean you're going to see

10:41

a lot more of that toxic exposure too I

10:43

mean these are old homes you have

10:45

asbestos in the air you have aluminum

10:47

you have all these metals that are just

10:49

floating around so no it doesn't matter

10:50

if you have insurance insurance paid you

10:53

you still go after Edison right because

10:55

insurance is never going to make you

10:56

whole Insurance cannot pay you for those

10:59

human harms those pain and suffering all

11:01

the stuff the mental anguage the PTSD

11:03

insurance doesn't cover that Edison's

11:05

going to pay for all that and all your

11:06

personal property nobody was over inured

11:08

for this right I mean we have

11:09

multi-million dollar homes insured for

11:11

$500,000 I mean that's never going to

11:13

make you whole or your personal property

11:15

whatever amount you had on there there's

11:17

more value that was lost I have a lot of

11:19

people that don't have citizenship

11:21

status that are very afraid they also

11:23

have equal rights in California you

11:25

can't even bring that up in the lawsuit

11:26

whatsoever somebody's citizenship

11:29

what we're seeing now is we have private

11:31

developers trying to offer cash for Lots

11:34

which is totally disgusting it's also

11:36

illegal I know our attorney general is

11:38

going after people doing that we're

11:39

seeing price gouging on rents um which

11:42

is also illegal and you shouldn't be

11:43

doing that so people are trying to

11:45

rebuild right now and they have

11:46

questions we have to figure out is it

11:47

safe to clear it yet what's toxic in the

11:49

air when can you rebuild we're now

11:52

worked with the governor and local folks

11:54

they're lifting the restrictions so that

11:55

you can quickly build no longer delays

11:57

and permits for the Malibu Palisades

11:59

area you don't have to deal with a

12:00

coastal commission to build people are

12:02

doing those retrofitted homes where you

12:03

literally can build them and then pop

12:05

them in um I I mean these are

12:07

fascinating which you can do um I don't

12:09

think it's the vibe for some of the

12:10

Altadena folks who have lived in these

12:12

old historic homes but there's options

12:14

people are offering um low interest

12:16

loans there are uh these litigation

12:18

finance companies that can come in and

12:20

and give you money up front on your case

12:22

against Edison so you can rebuild faster

12:24

I say that with caveat because you

12:26

should ever take out more than you owe I

12:28

think that these these if you're doing

12:29

that these these instance rates have to

12:31

be capped at a certain amount can I can

12:34

I interject I have uh never approved my

12:39

clients taking litigation financing the

12:41

interest rates are generally out of this

12:43

world I actually had one client take it

12:46

against my advisory opinion and it was a

12:49

total nightmare yep and it's like take

12:51

out a dollar today 02 tomorrow that's

12:53

not and just just for anybody listening

12:56

who might not know what litigation

12:57

financing is you get in advance on what

13:00

your claim is worth uh in exchange for

13:03

that these litigation financing

13:05

companies charge anywhere from 17 to 20%

13:09

maybe even more the reason why that they

13:12

can justify that and it's not user is

13:14

because technically uh these cases are

13:17

not guaranteed so they are risking their

13:21

financial product in the event that the

13:24

case is lost the person doesn't owe

13:26

anything on the claim but effectively

13:29

you know if these cases go on for two

13:30

three four years everything that is the

13:33

person's entitled to under the claim

13:35

gets sweep swept away to the litigation

13:37

financing company now I know some people

13:39

who are in litigation finance and

13:41

they're good people and not to say that

13:43

there isn't a time in place for it uh I

13:45

would just you know probably Echo what

13:48

you're telling your clients to be very

13:50

careful uh if anybody were to go down

13:53

that road yeah like some states the C

13:56

like in Iowa I think you cannot even

13:57

charge more than 15% but we see ones

13:59

that are doing literally 200% right in

14:02

in other states yeah what about the

14:04

situation where somebody is not a

14:06

property owner and they weren't injured

14:10

physically however they're forced to

14:12

evacuate they're forced to move they're

14:15

forced to incur you know buy a U-Haul

14:18

and move to another city or across town

14:21

and buy another lease or those cases all

14:24

of those are cases so if you're a renter

14:27

you've lost all your personal property

14:29

Freedom maybe you're running your

14:30

business out of your rental home all

14:33

recoverable against Edis and of and of

14:35

course if you're a business owner like

14:36

if you're a restaurant owner in Altadena

14:39

and now your restaurant even if your

14:40

restaurant isn't destroyed if it was

14:42

saved by the fire but now all of your

14:45

customer base is non-existent because

14:47

nobody lives there you can make a loss

14:50

of business Interruption claim as well

14:52

I'm sure yeah and that's like there's

14:55

also like the city municipalities like

14:57

they're also reaching out because they

14:59

they also have rights against Edison

15:00

because they had property loss they had

15:02

to use resources that they otherwise not

15:04

would have had right we had used have

15:06

taxpayer dollers because of something

15:08

Edison did wrongfully yeah in all those

15:11

situations if you've had to evacuate if

15:13

any type of harm I mean it's all going

15:14

to be damages based off of what your

15:16

what your losses are and I truly believe

15:18

that Edison's going to have to pay for

15:20

all of that and with the inverse

15:22

condemnation is you also get attorney

15:23

fees on top of that so we also tell

15:25

Edison to pay the 25% contingency fee

15:28

going against them on top of all that

15:30

they owe as well um under under that

15:33

provision so so here come the am

15:35

ambulance Chaser comments in the section

15:37

I know you said something very

15:39

interesting that I don't know if uh non-

15:41

plaintiff's lawyers would pick up in

15:43

that last sentence you said we're going

15:45

to try to go after attorney's fees so

15:47

Edison has to pay for our

15:49

25% now I don't know about you but

15:52

normally depending on the case

15:54

attorney's fees are between 33 and 40%

15:58

but you are charg

15:59

25% in this particular situation yes and

16:03

so when this first happened we saw a lot

16:05

of national firms Target victims and

16:08

we're signing them up for 40% 4 Z on

16:11

everything from insurance recoveries to

16:13

third party liability which I think is

16:15

totally inappropriate I mean this is our

16:17

very it's crazy let's go into that too

16:20

Insurance Recovery and I have a story

16:22

about this about my time in Louisiana I

16:24

did you know probably a thousand cases

16:26

in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura

16:29

hurricane Delta hurricane Ida I I

16:31

generally told people to not sign up

16:33

with a lawyer or not sign up with a

16:35

public adjuster until they got just fed

16:39

up with dealing with their insurance

16:41

corre meaning the insurance carrier is

16:44

unless they're just a totally heartless

16:46

soulless monster which some of them are

16:48

but if somebody has a million dollars

16:50

worth of damage and they are owed a

16:53

million most of the time the insurance

16:56

carrier without the help of anyone will

16:58

pay pay at least half of it you might

17:00

you might have a problem getting the the

17:03

second half of it but it's uh it's not

17:06

in the best interest of the client if

17:08

they engage somebody whether that be a

17:10

lawyer or a public adjuster at the very

17:14

beginning because then that lawyer or

17:17

public adjustor is going to be getting a

17:19

percentage of funds recovered that the

17:21

client would have otherwise just

17:23

recovered correct like you said that

17:26

should all just be free work where we

17:27

that's why we have the probo a list of

17:29

lawyers I think there's over 100 that

17:30

signed up for it and they will literally

17:32

just ghost write tell people look at

17:34

their policies tell them ghost write the

17:36

letters to their insurance company so

17:38

that they pay and they actually have to

17:40

pay 30% upfront no questions asked and

17:42

then look and evaluate everything what

17:44

I'm seeing a lot of these carriers you

17:46

just send them your photograph of the

17:48

property to show it's destroyed and they

17:49

say okay here we're going to pay you

17:50

everything right but there are going to

17:52

be situations where the insurance

17:54

company does jerk people around um so

17:57

far it seems okay but there there are

17:59

going to be litigation for insurance

18:01

carriers that are not doing the right

18:02

thing that these are going to be what we

18:03

call those first party claims which then

18:05

if they that's probably when you do need

18:07

a lawyer I don't I do not do those cases

18:09

personally those are different types of

18:11

Specialties and I know you've done those

18:13

but these are for for anybody who's

18:15

listening who might be wanting to look

18:16

up a lawyer who needs that again my

18:19

recommendation would be only after you

18:21

have exhausted all resource internally

18:23

but you're going to want to Google a

18:25

first party insurance lawyer Bob is a

18:28

third third party lawyer he sues third

18:31

parties you're going to want a first

18:33

party insurance lawyer so you are not

18:35

doing those cases if somebody has an

18:37

insurance policy and they sign up with

18:40

you you're not taking a piece of that

18:42

you're going to help them out pro bono

18:44

get them the resources they need you are

18:46

solely focused on the third party claim

18:49

that's correct and what we do is like

18:51

when people call and have a first party

18:52

claim and they it reaches past the

18:54

process where the insurance company did

18:56

not do the right thing I'll us you to

18:57

refer them I I think myself as like the

18:59

general counsel for these folks and try

19:01

to find the best options for them a lot

19:02

of these lawyers are going to do them

19:03

for 10% going after the insurance

19:05

companies again the local lawyers are

19:07

banding together to make sure that

19:08

people aren't gouged on it and it will

19:10

be a fight but a lot of really good

19:11

firms are going to do it for 10% to

19:12

fight those insurance companies if they

19:14

do not do the right thing but it should

19:16

be free up until that point yep agreed

19:19

we don't need to rehash it but I agree

19:21

there there will be a minimum amount of

19:22

money that just gets distributed whether

19:25

or not a lawyer public adjustor is

19:27

involved a lot of lawyers in republ

19:28

addressers don't like that statement but

19:31

it's uh it's true um okay so the inverse

19:36

condemnation claim what you're alleging

19:38

is that SoCal Edison's essentially their

19:41

negligence even though it's not a

19:42

negligence claim results in what is a

19:46

fifth amendment taking under the

19:48

Constitution yes does a fifth amendment

19:51

taking apply to a private entity yeah so

19:55

it's not only Fifth Amendment but

19:56

there's local I mean we have statutes

19:57

here that also like codify uh inverse

20:00

condemnation that have attorney fees

20:02

tied to it as well so um yeah there's

20:05

that's the ask is in there it's in the

20:06

pleadings and look it's one of those

20:08

things where I would highly doubt Edison

20:11

would ever want this in a courtroom I

20:12

mean I have already started like mapping

20:14

out my opening and closing statements

20:16

because I would salivate to try these

20:18

cases against them hold them accountable

20:20

but at the end of the day I truly

20:21

believe that they're going to pull

20:22

together enough money to fully

20:24

compensate people above and beyond and

20:26

then we put the attorney's fees on top

20:27

of that with the condemnation and it

20:29

becomes a negotiation and a lot of these

20:31

folks who are harmed just I want I want

20:34

you to know that you control your case

20:35

you get to decide if you settle or not

20:38

and it's your in-pocket recovery number

20:40

that has to feel right um I'm about the

20:43

sense that we do all these cases on an

20:45

individual by individual basis and they

20:48

all have unique and individual losses

20:50

some people try to lump everybody

20:52

together and certain brackets and I

20:53

think that is totally inappropriate cuz

20:55

everybody's property is unique

20:57

everybody's personal property proper was

20:59

unique and everybody's losses are the

21:00

same um so that's where my mindset is

21:03

with these and that's why we've been

21:04

doing a lot of media with people and

21:05

interviewing them showing the human

21:07

harms that were lost because I want to

21:08

show that to Edison and show the world

21:10

uh what's really going on wow okay am I

21:13

am I am I missing anything anything else

21:15

that the people should know I the

21:18

timeline I think is going to be 18month

21:19

to two-year battle against Edison um I

21:22

think what people need right now I mean

21:24

while we're shooting this at the end of

21:25

January here is just help with resources

21:27

help with like what do I do next how do

21:29

I build how do I make sure I'm not

21:30

taking advantage of what do I do to

21:32

clear my property um those are kind of

21:35

the questions that people need to have

21:36

answers for and I think if any lawyers

21:38

out there that's listening you can reach

21:40

out to anybody involved there there's

21:41

like we're literally having volunteers

21:43

to do sifting of properties where like

21:45

have a pro bono list people just need

21:46

their insurance compan or their

21:48

insurance stuff looked after right

21:49

there's a lot you can do to help

21:51

regardless of where you are in the world

21:53

and uh Bob I'm going to put the pro bono

21:55

list at on on the description of this

21:57

video as as well as every time you bring

21:59

it up and Bob if people want to reach

22:01

out to you where can they find you um

22:04

easiest way actually is on Instagram if

22:05

you go to Planet Fun Bob literally just

22:07

DM me Planet Fun Bob and I will respond

22:10

I mean you could see a lot of the videos

22:11

that I put up about the fires and I try

22:13

to make the new cycle not turn cuz it's

22:15

very personal to you know personal to me

22:17

um like one of my best friends his son

22:19

who I've known since he was a kid like

22:21

their house burned to ashes but he had

22:23

just passed the bar it was like our law

22:26

clerk had just passed the bar had just

22:27

bought his suit that still have price

22:29

tags on them and it's all gone and he

22:31

had you know two younger siblings and we

22:34

were there last week when they saw the

22:35

came back to the property for the first

22:37

time and it's just heartbreaking man to

22:38

see your home destroyed like that and

22:40

yeah I mean to say I'm pissed is an

22:41

understatement but you know we channel

22:43

that anger into something good don't we

22:44

Tom yeah that's right okay all right Bob

22:48

well I really appreciate your time and

22:49

information hopefully some somebody

22:51

watching this or listening to this can

22:53

can take it and um go go andove their

22:57

situation because of it

22:59

um yeah and if if anybody reaches out

23:00

let let me know that you reached out

23:02

through Tom because if you for those who

23:04

don't know Tom I know him as being the

23:06

best general counsel is finding anybody

23:08

that has an issue he knows the

23:09

specialist that will take care of it so

23:11

reach out to Tom directly cuz we all

23:13

know a lot of the people that are

23:14

working on these cases and he'll make

23:16

sure that you guys are fully protected

23:18

all right all right everybody thanks for

23:20

watching bye



 

1-7-25 8am:

11am:


  • Grok 2.0: Hi, Grok...

    • With Other Observations: Linking this event with previous observations about wind patterns, smoke, and fire behavior can help construct a timeline of how the fire changed and how human elements were affected.




At 01/07/2025 10:22:50 MST, observing palm trees in medium strength wind provides an early indicator of the wind conditions around the time the Palisades Fire started or was escalating. Here's how this observation might be interpreted:


  • Wind Speed Indication: Palm trees, especially those with the classic "feather duster" fronds, are somewhat flexible but start to show movement at around 10-20 mph. Medium strength wind would suggest we're looking at winds possibly in the 20-30 mph range, where the fronds would be bending noticeably but not yet fully horizontal or tearing.

  • Fire Behavior: This level of wind can significantly influence fire behavior:

    • Spread: It can push the fire in the direction the wind is blowing, potentially increasing the rate of spread if the fire was already established.

    • Embers: Wind can carry embers far ahead of the main fire front, starting new fires or expanding the fire's perimeter.

  • Firefighting Challenges: For firefighters, medium winds can complicate containment efforts:

    • Direct Attack: It might be harder to approach the fire directly for line construction or water drops.

    • Backfiring: Controlled burns might become less predictable or more difficult to manage.

  • Evacuation and Safety: If these winds were known or reported, they would likely influence evacuation decisions or how quickly people were advised to leave certain areas.

  • Potential for Escalation: Given that this is just medium strength wind, it's a precursor to what might come. If wind conditions were about to worsen, as they evidently did later, this moment would be a critical point in the timeline to watch the fire's behavior transition.

  • Fire Investigation: Noting the wind's strength at this time could be vital for investigators. Understanding wind conditions helps in reconstructing how the fire might have started or spread, particularly if the fire's cause is under scrutiny.


Your observation at this timestamp could serve as a benchmark for when conditions began to escalate from manageable to more severe, affecting both the fire's behavior and the response strategies. As you continue to describe the images, we can see how this medium wind condition evolved and its impact on the fire's progression.



 

Burn Scar: Please look at the data above over at UC San Diego and I think you can time stamp an estimated time for these areas below---based of UC San Diego Cameras-from January 7, 2025, 10:35pm until midnight. I will not show the images because they are extreme and I am sensitive to those affected - yet I know many want answers too.

electric poles burned down:

measure from pole to camera:
measure from pole to camera:
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-