The federal government spends roughly $700 billion a year on the military. It spends perhaps $15 billion a year trying to understand and stopclimate change.

I thought about those numbers a lot last week, as I tried to stop my toddler from playing in ash, tried to calm down my dogs as they paced and panted in mid-morning dusk light, tried to figure out whether my air purifier was actually protecting my lungs, tried to understand why the sky was pumpkin-colored, and tried not to think about the carcinogen risk of breathing in wildfire smoke, week after week.

The government has committed to defending us and our allies against foreign enemies. Yet when it comes to the single biggest existential threat we collectively facethe one that threatens to make much of the planet uninhabitable, starve millions, and incite violent conflicts around the worldit has chosen to do near-nothing. Worse than that, the federal government continues to subsidize and promote fossil fuels, and with them the destruction of our planetary home. Climate hell is here. We cannot stand it. And we cannot afford it either.

Again and again, Republicans have insisted that it is clean energy and a safer, stabler homeland that we cannot possibly afford. The Paris climate accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States to the exclusive benefit of other countries, leaving American workers, who I love, and taxpayers to absorb the cost in terms of lost jobs, lower wages, shuttered factories, and vastly diminished economic production, Donald Trump said, pulling out ofthe agreement, citing its draconian financial and economic burdens.

But the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changeestimatesthat global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels would cause something like $50 trillion in economic damage by the end of the century. The warmer the planet gets, the more expensive the consequences, and some scientists now predict that if the global community fails to act, temperatures will rise 4 degrees Celsius by 2100. If we do not limit emissions, economic activity across 22 vital American business sectors could decline by half a trillion dollars on an annual basis,one studyfound. No country save for India is expected to bear a heavier financial burden from climate change thanthe UnitedStates. (Indias anticipated damage is so high because of its already hot climate and large GDP.)

A warming planet is destroying the countrys physical infrastructure: In2019 alone, the United States experienced more than a dozen billion-dollar weather events, and 2020 might be worse. Fires in California and Oregon are incinerating homes, businesses, schools, power lines, and roads. Hurricanes in the Gulf Coast are swamping mobile homes and carrying away cars and livestock. The United States faces the potential task of relocating towns and cities and fortifying others, trapped in an endless cycle of destruction and rebuilding.

Climate change is damaging American productivity too, sapping away output from millions of workers and thousands of businesses. Researchershave estimatedthat every workday above 86 degrees Fahrenheit costs a given county $20 perpersonin lost income, with other studies showing workers who toil outside, such as construction workers and farmers, facing the worst and harshesteffects. Temperature increases screw with the economys basic elements, such as workers and crops, the researchers Tatyana Deryugina and Solomon M. Hsiang argue.

Climate change is killing Americans. Wildfires, heat waves, mudslides, hurricanes, and floods lead to hundreds if not thousands of deaths every year. But those are only the direct fatalities. Climate change is increasing rates of conditions such as heatstroke. Climate change is worseningbirth outcomes, leading to more premature deliveries and maternal deaths. Climate change is putting the world at risk of famine, and the United States at risk of hunger.

The air we are breathing is toxic because of our addiction to fossil fuels. As Dave Roberts writes atVox, ditching gas would be worth it for theeffects on air pollutionalone. The researcher Drew Shindell of Duke Universityhas testifiedthat keeping the world to a 2-degrees-Celsius pathway would prevent 4.5 million premature deaths, 3.5 million hospitalizations and emergency-room visits, and 300 million lost workdays over the next 50 years.

Climate change is also increasing rates ofdomestic abuse, pumping up the number ofgun deaths, leading to more violent interactions withpolice officers, inciting resource conflicts, and raising the likelihood of war andcivil conflicts. We all are at greater risk of violent death because of climate change, and not just as a result of changes in the weather. Trump sees himself as the law-and-order candidate, the man who can restore peace and security to the country. But homes across the West Coast are burning down. Some of my fellow Californians were recently immolated. My unhoused neighbors are suffering from smoke-induced asthma in the middle of a respiratory pandemic.

The Paris Agreement, the Green New Deal, cap-and-trade legislation, renewable-energy mandates: These things are not expensive. They are cheap compared with the cost of climate change. And they are necessary investments in our collective security, no less important or vital than investments in our military. Instead of subsidizing fossil fuels, the government could be creating millions of green jobs that would save the lives of millions around the planet. This election, and every election from here on out, is existential on this issue: If 2016, per the conservative writer Michael Anton, was theFlight 93 election, 2020 is the 4-degrees-Celsius election. Politicians can choose the safer, greener path for all of us, or the path to oblivion.

What price would we put on breathing without fear? What price would we put on keeping our children safe? What price would we put on being freed of this terror?

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Plans to convert a Greensburg mansion into a group home for former mental health patients at Torrance State Hospital was approved this week over objections from neighbors who claimed the project could lower nearby property values.

The citys zoning hearing board voted to grant a special exception that clears the path for the property at 320 W. Pittsburgh St. to be sold and renovated for use as part of a $1.4 million county project, funded with state dollars, to allow former institutionalized mental health patients to relocate to a community setting.

The seven-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot brick home sits on 1.43 acres that serves as an entryway to Morey Place, a narrow, tree-lined street dotted with family homes.

Neighbors called on zoning board members to reject the project over safety and parking concerns as well as predictions that the group homes presence could drive down the value of their properties.

There are an astronomical number of concerns, said Alex Mickinak, a Morey Place resident.

Bill Lightcap, another Morey Place resident, said he feared the facility could house convicted sex offenders. We need to know if Megans Law or sex offenders will be in this facility, he said.

Officials said Southwest Behavioral Health, a private nonprofit based in Charleroi, will buy and renovate the building and operate what it calls a personal care home. Residents will not be locked in the facility, but they will be monitored around the clock by at least three staffers, administrator Lyndsay Burrik said.

No sex offenders are expected to moved into the facility, Burrik said, but she could give no assurances that none would be housed there in the future.

The ages of those expected to initially live in the home range between 40 and 80. The home will serve as their permanent residence, she said.

We want to give individuals a right to live in this community. Its a great place to live, Burrik said. If theres anything we can do to make people more comfortable, we are willing to listen.

John Sweeney, a Greensburg resident and Southwest Behavioral Care Board member, defended the project as one that fills a need for the community.

Theres this group of people in state homes who have languished in those facilities that really need a stepped-down level of care, Sweeney said.

Greensburg lawyer Jim Antoniono said he and his family have owned the home for more than two decades. He has been trying to sell it for more than 7 years. It is listed for sale at $650,000.

This is the first offer we had. Were moving next week, and this property will not stay as it is. I have enough room to put three or four mobile homes behind it, and if you dont approve this, I might have to consider something like that, Antoniono told the zoning board.

The property would be the second group home in Westmoreland Countys hospital diversion program and reduce the number of beds the county is allocated at Torrance, in Derry Township, from 46 to 32. The programs first group home in Penn Township opened for 10 residents in 2016.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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AP Published 5:12 p.m. ET Sept. 18, 2020

Bubba Watson was outside New York city preparing for the first round of the U.S. Open when Hurricane Sally made landfall on the Florida Panhandle, where he grew up and now lives again.

The first text I sent my wife is, Should I come home? Because golf is golf and life is more important than that, he said on Friday after shooting a 1-under 69 at Winged Foot to improve to 1 over for the tournament.

Right now Im trying to stay focused on a very difficult golf course instead of the very difficult situation at home, Watson said. But my wife is holding the fort down pretty nicely.

Two people died in Alabama and a Florida kayaker is missing after Sally slammed into the Gulf Coast early Wednesday morning with wind of more than 100 mph. Hundreds of thousands remained without power Friday.

Watson said he was ready to leave the club in Mamaroneck, New York, if wife Angie asked him to. But it wasnt clear whether he would even be able to fly into Pensacola during the storm, and the mobile home he stays in at tournaments would require a two-day drive.

If boss lady said, Come home. Or if there have been some more damage to my own house, I mean, Id have been down there as fast as I could get down there, Watson said, adding that after an opening round 72 he thought he might miss the cut and be able to leave Friday night.

My focus was I had my plane ready to go home today just in case because I wanted to get home and be with the family and be with the community. But now Ill have to cancel the flight, he said.

Thats a good problem to have, I guess, Watson said. Cancel the flight and be home late Sunday night, hopefully.

A two-time Masters champion who tied for fifth in the U.S. Open in 2007, Watson started the second round tied for 57th -- just inside the cut line. He knocked in three straight birdies before making the turn and was still 3 under before a double bogey on the final hole when his third shot -- a putt from the fairway -- rolled back off the green, farther back than he started.

Watson was in 20th place when he signed his scorecard, but he sensed that he might move up and he did.

Its not getting any easier out there, he said.

Watson said his family is all OK, and his house escaped the worst of the damage from the hurricane. Friends have been staying at his home, which has generators, and others have been coming by for ice and other essentials.

Watson also has three businesses in the area: a part-ownership of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos minor league baseball team, a car dealership and an ice cream and candy store called Bubbas Sweet Spot. There was some damage to the Wahoos stadium and the car dealership; he hadnt received a report on the candy store.

Watson said that when he gets home he would like to help Pensacola the way J.J. Watt helped in Houston after Hurricane Harvey flooded the city. The Texans defensive lineman raised more than $37 million and helped rebuild more than 1,000 homes.

Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has offered to help.

Something like that would be tremendous, Watson said. Anything like that in that direction, just to help the community, lift the spirits of the community because I know theres some people hurting for sure.

A self-proclaimed head case who is easily distracted -- he burnished the reputation when he backed off a tee shot three times at Doral in 2016 -- Watson said he cant blame the hurricane for distracting him from the tournament.

But nor did the devastation back home help keep golf in perspective. Even after making three birdies in a row, he said he was still worried whether he was going to make the cut.

Im telling you, Im still a head case, he said. You would think it would relax me a little bit.

___

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Investigators say the motive remains unclear and they do not have a suspect.

BOTHELL, Wash. The fire that burned down two homes in Bothell was likely started by an arsonist, investigators said.

Investigators said the fire started around 9 p.m. Monday and it quickly spread from one home to a second.

Both houses were still under construction in the Jamison Estates development in the 3500 block of 226th Place SE.

Jiankai Yu was first to spot the flames and called 911.

He said the fire appeared to have started inside and immediately seemed suspicious.

"These houses were empty, unoccupied. I cannot really see how the fire was started without human intervention," he said.

The homes were easy targets: with no one living in the neighborhood yet, there were likely no witnesses, but there was plenty of tinder-dry, exposed wood to burn.

The heat from the fire blew out windows and melted fixtures on nearby houses.

While no one in Jamison Estates was in danger, another neighborhood, less than 100 feet up a small hillside, was full of families.

"If you left the fire unattended, I think these homes would all catch on fire and we would have a disaster," said Yu.

Fire investigators were on the scene for much of the day Tuesday, looking for clues to how the fire started and who set it.

For witness Hemanth Kalathal, the most concerning question was why the fire was set in the first place.

"That's scary because I don't want people coming around setting houses on fire," he said.

Making matters worse was the fact that a glass door of the community's model home appeared to have been smashed out.

The property owner, D.R. Horton, said it is not aware of any threats or suspicious activity involving the development.

The homes were destroyed. The total losses estimated at approximately $500,000.

Despite the destruction, construction of the other homes continued undeterred on Tuesday.

"If it was intentionally set, I hope they friggin' get them," said Norm Patterson, who lives in a nearby mobile home park.

Anyone with information should contact the Snohomish County Fire Marshal at 425-388-3557.

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Two homes in new Bothell neighborhood torched by arsonist - KING5.com

This drone footage over Cameron provides an immediate look at the damage done by Hurricane Laura in August 2020. To make a donation in support of the recovery efforts currently underway, please visit https://cameronlionsclub.com/home/contact-usdonate/. Lafayette Daily Advertiser

As Cameron Parish fisherman gathered Saturday seeking food and much needed relief from Hurricane Laura, the area once again fell under a tropical storm warning with the latest tropical system threatening flooding rain, storm surge and damaging winds.

Tropical Storm Beta's approach to the northwestern Gulf Coast triggered storm warnings from The National Weather Service. Cameron and Creole, where Laura made landfall just over three weeks ago with 150 mph winds as a Category 3 storm, again are included in a tropical storm warning, along with Grand Chenier.

The latest hurricane center advisory brings Beta ashore along the central Texas coast, but the lopsided storm's eastern section with its most damaging winds and rain are expected to slam Cameron Parish.

More: Tropical Storm Beta: Growing Gulf storm threatens surge, rain for southwest Louisiana

More: Tropical Storm Beta forms in the Gulf: Track it here

The Louisiana Sea Grant College Program visited Cameron on Saturday, under partly cloudy skies and gusty winds with Beta brewing just 220 miles south in the Gulf. Dozens of local residents showed up for the event, which featured meals, relief supplies and information about other relief available as they recover from Laura.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency set up its first mobile relief site last week in Cameron Parish to help residents pick up the pieces from Laura.

Now they're facing Beta, the latest in a record-breaking hurricane season that already has used up all of the pre-approved storm names and now is tapping the Greek alphabet.

The storm, with 60 mph winds,started its turn west Saturday, but the rains are expected as early as Saturday evening. The area could experience peak winds of 35 mph to 45 mph, with gusts of 65 mph, starting Wednesday, the weather service said.

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And through midweek, Cameron Parish could receive up to 10 inches of rain from Beta, with some locally heavy storms producing maybe twice that much, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles.

More: Rare Cameron Parish drone footage shows catastrophic Hurricane Laura damage

More: 'I knew I was going to die': Cameron shrimpers survive sinking boats during Hurricane Laura

Because conditions are still fragile in the area, "moderate rainfall flooding may prompt several evacuations and rescues," according to the weather service. "Rivers and tributaries may quickly become swollen with swifter currents and over spill their banks in a few places, especially in usually vulnerable spots."

Beta's flood waters also could enter some structures and weaken already frail foundations, the weather service said.

"Several places may experience expanded areas of rapid inundation at underpasses, low-lying spots, and poor drainage areas," according to a special alert issued by the weather service. "Some streets and parking lots take on moving water as storm drains and retention ponds overflow."

Many of the more than 7,000 people who live in mostly rural, marshy Cameron Parish are not able to stay there now as structural recovery continues. But for those who are in the area, driving conditions likely will become hazardous, and some roads and bridges likely will be close, the weather service warns.

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Cameron Parish could experience upto a three-foot storm surge, a fraction of the nearly 10-foot surge Laura brought but damaging regardless in an area already storm weary.

Those surges, expected early in the week, will shut down or wash out some escape routes and secondary roads, the weather service warned.

Isolated tornadoes also are possible in Cameron Parish, the weather service said.

"Locations could realize roofs peeled off buildings, chimneys toppled, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, large tree tops and branches snapped off, shallow-rooted trees knocked over, moving vehicles blown off roads, and small boats pulled from moorings," according to the weather service advisory.

This drone footage over South Cameron High School provides an immediate look at the damage done by Hurricane Laura in August 2020. To make a donation in support of the recovery efforts currently underway, please visit https://cameronlionsclub.com/home/contact-usdonate/. Lafayette Daily Advertiser

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Tropical Storm Beta: Here's the impact Cameron Parish can expect weeks after Hurricane Laura - Daily Advertiser

Rachel Mooney was caught off guard when smoky air poured into her Tualatin home that she closed up as best as she could. So she improvised. She tucked damp towels in gaps around window and door frames to stop more airborne ash and chemicals from entering.

She positioned fans to blow the bad air into towels she hung in doorways and she swung damp towels around in rooms, like waving a flag, she says.

After a few days, I have hardly any smoke now," she says. It works.

Rachel Mooney hung damp towels to catch smoky air in her Tualatin apartment.Rachel Mooney

When fires spread across Oregon, people surrounded by flames were showered in powdery residue, and even those living miles away were breathing air filled with dangerous gases and fine particles from charred building materials and vegetation.

Health experts are advising all residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, and to prevent harmful smoke from entering their homes.

Here is information on what more you can do to seal your home from smoke, rid indoor air and furnishings from the smell, and quickly make your yard more fire resistant. Wildfires will change the landscape of Oregons housing market: Real estate agents say an already low number of homes was just reduced by thousands.

Elizabeth Erekson thought her young family would be safe inside a newly constructed apartment in Sandy. But the gap between the front door and its frame, which annoyingly let in hot air all summer, was now a funnel directing smoke into her home.

She grabbed painters tape and duct tape, and sealed off the open spaces around doors and windows. She heard conflicting advice about turning on the air conditioner, so she taped a garage bag around the wall unit and didnt open a window.

She did run fans to keep the inside air flowing. Still, her eyes were stinging and her sinuses were burning.

We can smell the smoke, feel it on our faces and see it, she says. At night, when she turns off the room lights, her illuminated cell phone exposes clouds of particulates floating in the air.

Its eerie, weird, scary and stressful, she says.

Smoke made it hard for everyone in her family to breathe or sleep. On top of that, the neighbors carbon monoxide detector, triggered by wildfire smoke, beeped for days.

Experts say if pollutants are in the air, close any openings you can windows, outside doors, chimney flues and cover cracks that let air leak in. Turn off anything that draws in outside air, like a fresh air system, dryer or portable air conditioner with a hose vented out a window.

The biggest question we have been getting is, Should I run my central air conditioner? says Rachel Smith of Pyramid Heating + Cooling in Portland. Yes, you can run your A/C if it is not pulling air from outside. Just make sure to set the fan to on, rather than auto, to ensure the fan is constantly circulating and filtering air.

Energy Trust of Oregon experts recommend spending most of your time in a clean room without a fireplace or other openings to the outside, and keeping a portable air cleaner running constantly in that room.

Dust or mop surfaces with a damp cloth to collect settled particles.

Avoid activities that increase indoor pollution such as smoking, burning candles or firewood in the fireplace, boiling a pot of water on the stove with essential oils, or using a vacuum that doesnt have a high efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter.

Check your heating filters daily and change or clean them when dirty. Once a filter is full, it no longer traps particulates.

Health experts and others recommend using only HEPA filters, which force air through a fine mesh and trap particles in central heating, ventilation, cooling and air (HVAC) systems.

You can create an air purifying filter by covering the front of a box fan with a HEPA furnace filter or one rated MERV-13 or higher. For safety, turn the fan off if you leave the house. Here are instructions to make a DIY air filter.

Indoor air quality monitors are designed to alert you to contaminants that affect the air you breathe so you can fix the problem.

To check the air quality in your area, visit IQair.com. Or visit the EPAs air quality website, airnow.gov, and type in your city or ZIP code. View interactive maps at the states web page, oregonsmoke.blogspot.com, or the EPAs web page, fire.airnow.gov.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality also allows smartphone users to check air quality though an app that can be found by searching for OregonAir in the app store.

The air quality index has been frighteningly high across Oregon for more than a week.

Its been a journey, says Erekson. But its been pretty heartwarming to see our community come together to offer support, like a ride to a store or help with animals.

Tiny smoke particles stick to surfaces and embed in porous carpeting, furniture, books and even paint, according to experts at ServiceMaster, which specializes in restoring buildings after water, smoke or fire damage.

Jim Grant of ServiceMaster of Portland says smoke smell from a fire that burned natural materials should dissipate over time with good air flow and cleaning.

The company offers these tips to reducing a strong, pervasive odor:

When the air is fresh again, open doors and windows to draw in outside air, and remove screens to clean them. Point fans toward doorways, room corners and windows to push smells out of the house.

Another way to blow out lingering odor is to close all but one window and one exterior door, and put a large fan outside the exterior door. Then turn the fan on high speed for 15 minutes to force fresh air into the room and out the open window. Repeat in other rooms.

Fresh air will help reduce the smell but you also need to clean items and surfaces.

Wipe walls, ceilings, floors and other solid surfaces with a solution of dish soap, white vinegar and warm water to remove smoke particles. Smoke residue doesnt stick to glass, but it does to window frames, sills, screens and blinds.

Sprinkle baking soda on upholstery and carpet, wait a few hours to allow it to absorb the smoke smell, then collect the baking soda using a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

Wash clothes, towels and linens, and launder or dry clean curtains, area rugs, furniture covers, cushions and any other affected fabrics. Follow the manufacturers cleaning recommendations.

Dont store clean items in your home until it is completely free of smoke odor.

Firefighters set up a command post and staging ground on Ron Crowell's Ashland property during a fast-moving fire in 2015. Crowell was praised by the Battalion Chief from the Medford Fire Department for his vigilant mowing, tree trimming and keeping highly inflammable shrubbery away from the house.

Everyone has heard that they need to clear flammable debris away from their home to thwart or diminish a fire. And yet, when trees die, people often think they can wait until fall when preparing for winter storms," says arborist Lisa Tadewaldt of Urban Forest Pro in Portland. But these trees should be addressed earlier to avoid fire danger.

She says the goal is to reduce the opportunity for a slow smolder to turn into a real fire outside your home.

Make sure roofs and gutters are cleared of dead leaves and pine needles, and vents are screened with metal wire mesh no larger than an 1/8 inch to prevent materials from collecting.

Dont let debris accumulate around storage sheds, propane tanks or wood decks, and consider fire-resistant alternatives for wood fences, outdoor furniture and play sets.

No plant is fireproof, but many are more difficult to ignite. OSU Extension has a free guide, Fire-resistant Landscapes Plants for the Willamette Valley, of recommended ground covers, perennials, shrubs and trees with moist, supple leaves and water-like sap.

Old trees are more resilient to damage from wildfires and, if pruned, can act as a living wall that reduces fires intense heat and blocks airborne embers, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.

To prevent a ground fire from climbing and spreading, remove branches that hang over a house and low branches that are less than six to 10 feet above the ground. Leave 30 feet between a group of two to three trees or 20 feet between lone trees. Remove small conifers growing between mature trees.

Cut dry, brown grass and shrubs, which are also fuel for wildfires.

Experts also recommend that you create a fire break with driveways, gravel paths and green lawns, and make sure your address numbers are clearly visible to emergency responders trying to find you.

Burning embers can travel great distances and the steps you take now to create a defensible space around your property can minimize fire risks, says Tadewaldt.

A mobile home in Medford that Terry Rasmussen of John L. Scott Real Estate listed two weeks for $85,000 went pending this week for $25,000 more after a bidding war.John L. Scott Real Estate

Terry Rasmussen in John L. Scott Real Estates Medford office says everyone, especially those in the process of buying or selling a home, has been impacted by Oregons fires. In his part of southern Oregon, the Almeda fire alone destroyed more than 2,000 residential structures.

The market was already starved for inventory even before the fire, says Rasmussen. Thousands of people have been displaced; many were living on low or fixed incomes in mobile home parks.

Areas devastated by wildfires in the past saw prices of homes temporarily drop as sites were cleared and rebuilding construction was underway. The cost to rebuild later resulted in higher asking prices, according to real estate experts.

At the same time, home prices and rents rose in unaffected areas as people relocated there.

I see a lot of pain, but heres what I know about southern Oregon, we will come together, says Rasmussen. Builders who have competed for years are working together and real estate agents are searching for rentals for people without a home.

Rasmussens clients represent the range of change:

Whitney Minnich of John L. Scotts Oregon City office says real estate transactions that were able to continue during the coronavirus pandemic are being delayed due to the fires.

Lenders require mortgaged homes to have insurance and many insurance companies have placed a moratorium on fire affected areas.

Lenders are also ordering a re-inspection of a property to make sure the home is still standing and some stopped funding federal Freddie Mac loans after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stepped in to help hard-hit Oregon counties.

Homeowners who were undecided about selling may wait, says Minnich, but people who have to sell, will. We already have an inventory problem and fires only compounded the issue, she says.

Rasmussen, working on the other end of the state, agrees.

People are desperate for housing," he says. A mobile home in Medford that he listed two weeks ago for $85,000 went pending this week for $25,000 more after a bidding war.

If you put your house on the market, it will be swallowed up, he says, unless you ask a ridiculous price.

People who want to rebuild are also facing a scarcity of building supplies that had already skyrocketed in costs. On top of the cost going up, it takes years to rebuild a couple thousand homes, he says.

Rasmussen and Minnich both fear that the housing lost to fire that was affordable will be lost forever.

Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

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Smoke in your home: How to clear the air, clean up and prevent fires from spreading - oregonlive.com

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden says the Federal Emergency Management Agency is now on the ground in Oregon to help the thousands of people impacted by the massive wildfires that are still burning across the state.

He said state officials have plenty of federal money to immediately provide free hotels rooms or apartments to every family displaced from their homes.

Walden, a Republican from Hood River, represents most of eastern and southern Oregon, including the fire-decimated communities of Phoenix and Talent.

In a conference call with the press Wednesday morning, he encouraged anyone adversely affected by the wildfires to register with the federal agency by calling 1-800-621-3362 or going online to DisasterAssistance.gov.

The sooner they do that the sooner theyre in the queue and can move forward, he said. Then FEMA will reach out and begin providing assistance.

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden met with FEMA officials about assistance to Oregon. (The Oregonian)

Walden said hes pleased the president moved so rapidly to approve the governors request for an emergency declaration of this magnitude, freeing up resources for those affected.

He added the state has a housing plan for those who lost homes to the fires. People should call 2-1-1 to get free housing. But he said registering with FEMA is key.

FEMA, with the help of state officials, has identified and catalogued available housing in the state, including hotel rooms and apartments. They have that list, so going through FEMA is the best way to get access to housing, Walden said.

But he noted that the supply of available housing will be tight in some areas, particularly southern Oregon.

In the Phoenix and Talent areas, about 2,700 homes were destroyed, Walden said. Just 400 new housing units were built in all of Jackson County in 2019, he said. Now families need almost seven times that many new homes.

A sign that reads "Heart broken" is displayed in front of a destroyed vehicle at Coleman Creek Estates mobile home park in Phoenix, Ore. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein)AP

The congressman said hes heard that a rumor is circulating about housing vouchers being necessary to access temporary housing.

Theres no such thing as housing vouchers, he said. This is all taken care of without that [when people register with FEMA].

The money is there, he added. No one should be sleeping in their car. Lack of resources is not an issue.

Walden expects the federal response will be swift and significant thanks to President Donald Trumps major disaster declaration on Tuesday. He says the U.S Army Corps of Engineers is already on the scene.

Youll see an increased presence of federal disaster-assistance personnel in the state, he said.

Walden joined U.S. senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and fellow U.S representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici in a statement Wednesday morning announcing the disaster declaration.

The damage from the wildfires across Oregon is catastrophic, and the scale of the recovery is beyond the capabilities of the state, DeFazio, a Democrat from Lane County, said in the statement. Im grateful for the White Houses swift action in declaring a major disaster.

Merkley, also a Democrat, added that he had driven over 600 miles from Portland to Medford and back -- meeting with first responders, talking to people who have suffered terrible loss, witnessing unimaginable devastation. Its clear that our state is going to need an unprecedented amount of support in our response and recovery.

In his virtual press conference, Walden said he has visited the southern Oregon towns of Phoenix and Talent and seen the burned-out buildings, the lots with nothing left standing, the mobile homes reduced essentially to cinders.

I think people are still in a state of shock and disbelief, he said. The fire was so hot and vicious. Theres not a lot left behind.

He added that, during a meeting Wednesday morning with FEMA officials, he recommended that they come down to southern Oregon in particular, given the scale of home losses there.

People are going to be displaced for some time, he acknowledged.

The good news, he added, is this [federal assistance] system will start to work right away now that we have the national disaster [declaration] in place.

-- Douglas Perry

dperry@oregonian.com

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Heartbreak and devastation: Residents begin to venture out

There was little standing water along Nine Mile Road, but debris littered the area and surrounding residential roads. Signs above businesses were twisted and shredded like sheets of paper, and along thoroughfares like Chemstrand and Roberts roads lines of cars took turns navigating around downed trees and dangling powerlines.

In Cantonment, residents of the Bristol Park area saw a heartbreaking repeat of flooding that devasted the area in 2014. The Escambia County Sheriffs Office, National Guard and Escambia County Fire Rescue spent much of the morning using high water vehicles to rescue people in homes in area.

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Nearby, emergency responders blocked off access to Highway 297-A near Corral Drive and Ashbury Lane. A small lake had formed just outside at the nearby Ashbury Hills neighborhood, forcing commuters hoping to check on their loved ones and properties to find another way home.

Brandon Anderson, a resident of the Oak Lodge Mobile Home Park, brought out chainsaws Wednesday morning to help take a part massive trees blocking the entrance to the park on Lillian Highway.

Soon, he had more than a dozen neighbors helping the effort.

Thankfully they just came out and and started joining us, Anderson said.

During the worst of the storm, Anderson said he saw flashes of light, what he thought to be power lines snapping.

I felt my house shaking. Theres a lot of light blasts, its a little scary, he said.

He said his home sustained no serious damage, unlike many of his other neighbors, one of which had a tree land on their home.

Kenneth McElory said he woke up at 4 a.m. to screaming winds and green flashes of light around his house.

The next thing he knew, a massive tree fell into his living room.

Another tree fell on his car before he could escape.

To provide our community with important public safety information, our newsroom is making stories related to Hurricane Sally free to read. To support important local journalism like this, please consider becoming a digital subscriber.

McElroy said that besides feeling homelesss, he was optimistic that things would get better - someday, if not today.

You cant get down on yourself, it willmake it worse, he said. At least everybody is accounted for.

McElroy said that despite the tragedies that seem to be piling upon top of each other in 2020, he has hope.

A pandemic, and a hurricane, whats next? he said. Sunny days and good times.

The neighborhood surrounding Lillian Highway had many trees down and blocked roads Wednesday as well as no power.

Lillian Food Mart, a convenience store in the neighborhood, did open despite having no power. Dozens lined up to get snacks, drinks and ice.

One of those was Austin Jordan, who said he came out Wednesday morning looking for food. He said he wasnt prepared for the storm because he didnt know how bad it would be.

He said he heard loud banging and wind howling, but his home sustained minimal damage.

Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is reporting that 60% of its water wells are down from Hurricane Sally.

ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody said a morning press conference that water customers may see lower water pressure.

Water has been cut off to Pensacola Beach after a water main to Santa Rosa Island broke.

Woody didnt have an estimate for when water service would be restored.

No boil water notices have been issued yet.

Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said there are unconfirmed reports that a section of Three Mile Bridge is missing. He is warning all residents to stay away from the bridge at this time.

Photographs posted on social media are showing damage to the surface of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. The images indicate a crane fell on the bridge and knocked away a section of the road way.

The Florida Department of Transportation said it has been unable to assess any possible damage to the bridge due to ongoing high winds. A spokesperson for the department said crews will be dispatched to assess the situation once conditions are safer.

Flooding in downtown Pensacola, Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. This was filmed on Jefferson at the Holiday Inn Express and Pensacola Little Theatre. Cars are almost completely submerged. People are standing on the hotel porch trapped. Pensacola News Journal

Much of downtown Pensacola was underwater Wednesday morning, with floodwaters turning streets into white-capped rivers and downed trees bookending Palafox Street.

Downtown was mostly empty, save for police officers and a few brave onlookers.

Nick Zangari, owner of New York Nicks Badlands bar, was sitting in the doorway of his dark, empty bar on Palafox looking out into the street. Zangari has been at the bar since Monday, saying he wanted to keep an eye on his building. But he didnt expect things to get as bad as they did overnight Tuesday.

I have a generator, AC unit, everything back at home (in Tiger Point), he said. But I didnt think Id need it.

On the 16th anniversary to the day of Hurricane Ivan, Zangari said Ivan may have been strong than Sally, but it packed more of a punch because it was so unexpectedly strong.

With Ivan we were more prepared, because it was coming right for us, he said. Nobody thought this was coming for us, and we didnt think it would be this strong.

A few blocks down, on Jefferson Street, floodwaters were submerging cars around the Holiday Inn Express and Pensacola Little Theatre. The floodwaters looked more like the Gulf of Mexico as winds tossed the water around.

People could be seen standing on the porch of the hotel, trapped and looking out over the water that used to be a parking lot.

The city of Gulf Breeze is reporting a water main break somewhere within city limits and citing an "immediate need" for citizens to conserve drinking water.

Escambia County Fire Rescue, National Guard and the Sheriffs Office are actively working on water rescues and life saving measures in the Bristol Park and Woods area that has 269 homes. We are working with FEMA, Urban Search & Rescue and engaging the Coast Guard.

Santa County officials are getting their first images of devastation caused by Hurricane Sally and it's every bit as bad as predicted.Emergency vehicles are only responding to high water calls, due to the high wind and the excessive rain.

"We are starting to see the impacts of the heavier eyewall cells that are coming through," wrote Santa Rosa Public Safety Director Brad Baker. "We are seeing higher winds and heavier rainfall than we've seen in the last few hours."

The county is reporting roadways flooding andmore tree and power lines down and requests residents to stay home.

"If you are home, we are having some increased water levels in the Bay area, so if you are trapped in your house and the water is rising, please call 911," Baker said. "Other than that we ask you to please stay home."

President Donald Trump has approved federal emergency aid for 13 Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Sally.

The authorization clears the release of personnel, resources and funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program, will be provided at 75% federal funding. This assistance is for Bay, Escambia, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties.

Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding. This assistance is for Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson and Liberty counties.

According to FEMA, Category B emergency protective measures are actions taken by a community before, during and following a disaster to save lives, protect public health and safety, or eliminate immediate threat of significant damage to improved public and private property through cost effective measures.

Jeffrey L. Coleman has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.

National Weather Service inMobile reporteda trained spotter estimated 30 inches of rain in NorthwestPensacola. NAS Pensacola recorded 24.8 inches of rain and wind gusts up to 92 miles per hour.

NWS reports5.5 feet of storm surge in Pensacola Bay and two hours of high tide are ahead of us. Penascola is getting the worst of the surge.

Jimmy Patronis,Florida's chief financial officer andstate fire marshal, announced Wednesday morning that he has deployed three urban search and rescue teams to respond to widespread flooding in our area. Patronis said he will also be headed to our region this morning to meet with emergency response officials and determine what type of support they need.

East Pensacola Heights gets hammered with heavy rain and wind as Hurricane Sally hits Pensacola. Pensacola News Journal

Hurricane Sally made landfall this morning just west of the Florida/Alabama line as a Category 2 with 105 mph winds.

This put Pensacola in the eastern eye-wall, the strongest part of the storm, according to an advisory fromEscambia County's emergency manager to the Santa Rosa Island Authority. In addition, the next strongest rain/wind band has set up over Okaloosa and Walton counties.

A Flash Flood Emergency is ongoing from Pensacola to Ft. Walton Beach. Historic river flooding will also occur over the next couple of days.

Conditions will remain unchanged this morning due to the slow movement of the storm. It will likely be around 1 p.m. before we begin to see some weakening of winds and rain bands as the center of Sally moves into southern Alabama.

The south and west side of the storm is considerably weaker,howeverintermittent heavy rain bands, a few tornadoesand tropical storm force wind gusts will continue into this evening in the eastern Panhandle and western Big Bend.

There is widespread flooding and debris on roads across the area. Citizens are advised to remain in place and to stay off the roads as much as possible.

Interstate 10, eastbound and westbound, at the Escambia Bay Bridge is closed due to high sustained winds. The Three Mile Bridge, Theo Baars Bridgeand theLillian Bridgeremains closed as well, according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.

Gulf Power reported just before 6:30 a.m. that 72 percent of the household accounts in Escambia County were without power as rain and wind continued to hammer the Pensacola area. As of 6:30 a.m., 115,377 homes were without power.

Live: Power outage map

Pensacola is expected to get raked by Hurricane Sallys eyewall over the next several early morning hours, bringing unprecedented amounts of rain and Category 2-strength winds to the already battered western Florida Panhandle.

The slow-moving storm, which reportedly made landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama just after5 a.m. Wednesday, surprised forecasters by strengthening into a very strong Category 2 storm overnight, with winds at 110 miles per hour just one mile per hour away from being a Category 3 major hurricane.

It got really close to a Category 3, said Dave Eversole, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mobile. Were hoping that we see actual landfall probably somewhere along the Baldwin coast here around sunrise, and that would keep (Pensacola) in or very close to the eyewall for at least a few more hours.

Hurricane Sally is seen in this satellite image as of Wednesday morning at 5 a.m.(Photo: NOAA)

Part of the eye came ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama just before 5 a.m.

Rainfall reports in Pensacola topped 18.25 inches as of 1 a.m., prompting a rare flash flood emergency warning from the National Weather Service.

Flash flood emergency is a rare (warning) issued by the NWS, its when we have a flash flood that is posing a significant risk to lives and property, Eversole said. That means theres people out there literally pulling people out of homes and rescuing people out of cars. Its right along with a tornado emergency, its one of our two most serious warnings.

There were several tornado warnings issued from Escambia to Bay Counties overnight Tuesday, although there have been no confirmed tornadoes yet. That is expected to change in the morning as people are able to leave their homes and assess damage.

The Pensacola Police Department tweeted at 1:48 a.m. that there are too many road issues to count.

Flooded roadways and intersections, along with hazardous debris in roadways (locations) have become too numerous to list, PPD said. Please stay off the roadways now. If you lose electricity and have a generator, do not place it inside, near an open window or in a garage. This can be deadly.

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Parts of downtown Pensacola are flooding as well. Videos posted to social media show East Main Street by the Holiday Inn Express turned into a river, and Mike Wood with PPD said floodwaters are beginning to creep up Palafox Street.

Im with The Weather Channel, they were set up at Palafox Pier but that's now flooding, Wood said. Its making its way up Palafox now. Its nothing major yet, but theres a lot of high winds and rain right now.

All bridges in the area are closed due to high sustained winds, including the Three Mile Bride, Garcon Point Bridge and Navarre Beach Causeway.

Sallys path and landfall is eerily similar to Hurricane Ivans, which made landfall on the same day Sept. 16 in 2004, 16 years ago, in nearly the exact same place that Sally is projected to land. Ivan was a stronger Category 3 storm and devastated the area.

Even after the eyewall passes, Pensacola is still slated to receive torrential amounts of rain as the system makes a very slow crawl to the north/northeast.

Tevin Wooten, an on-air meteorologist with The Weather Channel, compared Sallys speed to that of a turtle as he battled the 2 mile per hour storm from Navarre.

A turtle swims at about 10 to 12 miles per hour. Turtles crawl, or walk if you will, between 3 and 4 miles per hour, he said. So Sally, quite literally, is moving at a turtles pace, if not slower.

Sally has been an unusual storm due in part to the uncertainty in her path and intensity. She was originally forecast to make landfall near New Orleans, then Mississippi, then Mobile Bay, and now, finally, shes partially come ashore near Gulf Shores and is expected to completely come ashore around Baldwin County.

Annie Blanks can be reached at ablanks@pnj.com or 850-435-8632.

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Heartbreak and devastation in Pensacola after Sally: Residents begin to venture out - Pensacola News Journal

Howard

LUMBERTON Two Lumberton City Council members walked out of Wednesdays special called meeting after one of them claimed racism was the reason the governing panel voted to deny a rezoning request.

After Council voted 4-3 against approving the request made by Moss Neck Trust regarding a property on Hornets Road, a second motion was made to officially deny the request, at which time John Cantey said he felt racism was the reason for the councils action.

Over this past year, in 2020, this council has systematically set back the people here in the City of Lumberton, Cantey said. This council has systematically voted nay, 4-4, broken ties by the mayor, that its almost on the borderline of racism.

Cantey, one of three African American council members, cited a previous vote to deny housing in East Lumberton, a vote against the wishes of the people concerning a cell tower in South Lumberton and a vote against allowing an African American individual to remain on the Airport Commission.

As long as this council is going to be split, it only hurts the citizens of this city, Cantey said. Until somebody calls this council out on it, it will never stop.

After Canteys comments, Councilman Leroy Rising said his vote had nothing to do with the issues raised by Cantey.

I want to go on the record and say it has nothing to do with racism, Rising said. It has to do with drainage, thats a big factor in Lumberton, and lot size. And I would encourage anyone to bring a development with R11 (zoning) or larger, that would create quite a better situation for Lumberton and the future of Lumberton.

After Cantey and Councilman Chris Howard left the meeting, the vote to deny the request passed 6-1. City Clerk Laney Mitchell-McIntosh, citing procedural rules, said Cantey and Howard would be recorded as having voted in favor of denying the rezoning request because they left the meeting without being excused.

On the first motion, Cantey, Howard and Melissa Robinson voted to approve the request. Rising, John Carroll, Karen Higley and Owen Thomas cast no votes. Robinson was the lone no vote on the second motion. Councilman Eric Chavis, whose absence was excused, was not at the meeting.

Moss Neck Trust requested the property be rezoned as R6-residential so a subdivision of class-A manufactured housing could be developed.

Carroll said when making the motion to deny the request that the citys Planning Board had unanimously recommended the council not approve the request because of drainage issues on the property.

Its not that Im opposed to the development, Carroll said. I just think we need more time, and if they want to bring it back they can address some issues we have, and maybe wed be willing to look into it.

Drainage concerns were raised by Rising during the Sept. 9 regular meeting when the rezoning request was first brought before Council. The issue was tabled until Wednesdays special called meeting.

Earlier in Wednesdays meeting, Cantey said he felt an accurate assessment on drainage couldnt be determined without a hydraulic study.

That is normally something that happens later in the process, during the subdivision planning phase, City Attorney Holt Moore said.

Rising also raised concerns about the lack of a conditional use permit containing the conditions stated by Moss Neck Trust in their request. The rezoning request included conditions that all units would be new class-A manufactured homes, all would have concrete footings and brick foundations, all lots would be a minimum of 8,000 square feet in size and there would be no more than four lots per acre.

The normal requirements for R6 zoning, which is designed to allow mobile homes, include less square footage per lot, more lots per acre allowed and homes built as long ago as 1976.

Rising and Carroll questioned what would happen to the zoning if for any reason Moss Neck Trust didnt follow through with the project. They asked if the property would then be available for any potential use allowed in an R6 zoning district.

Moore said other potential uses of R6 would be allowed, but the conditions regarding lot size, foundations and the density of lots would be passed on to future owners of the property.

Cantey at that point acknowledged the drainage concerns, but he and Robinson both said providing Lumberton residents still displaced after hurricanes Matthew and Florence took precedence.

I dont want to see us in the paper again denying the residents of the City of Lumberton a place to live, Cantey said. If weve got to get out here and find some grants to fix the drainage or borrow some money, thats what we need to do, but its been four years (since Hurricane Matthew) and we still have people not in their homes. Right now, our residents need a place to live and a place to start rebuilding with their families.

Ive spoken with residents who are still displaced, Robinson said just before making the motion to approve the request. I think this will help address the housing shortage for affordable homes for people who are displaced. I understand about drainage and appreciate the information weve received from the Public Works Department. But I think this housing is what we need right now.

City Manager Wayne Horne said there are more than 200 homes being built in Lumberton at various locations, including a pair of 72-unit housing developments.

Moore said after the meeting there are no official sanctions or repercussions that can be levied against Cantey or Howard for leaving the meeting unexcused, other than their votes being counted as positive by default.

The rezoning request was the only item on Wednesdays agenda.

Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at [emailprotected]

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Cantey says racism behind Lumberton City Councils halting of housing project - The Robesonian

By Faye Gaston

Joyce L. Perrin, Vice Chairman of the Union Springs Planning Commission, provided in-depth public comments regarding the petitions for "conditional use" of mobile homes in the City of Union Springs.

Her complete written explanation was included in the minutes of the August 3, 2020, public hearing. She explained how mobile homes affect property values and tax bases. Perrin has been a resident of Union Springs for eighteen years. She has served on the Union Springs Planning Commission for several years and attended classes concerning the duties of members of the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission decided the 1996 Comprehensive Plan needed updating. So a new in-depth Comprehensive Plan was developed.

In 2012 Auburn University assisted in the planning. Public meetings were held. The first ones were conducted by Auburn University (Downtown Revitalization) and later ones by SCACA (Comprehensive Plan).

All were well attended by the public. Most concerns expressed were about run-down stick-built homes and mobile homes. Mixing these structures caused concern for lowering property appraisals when sales and taxes occurred.

There was the cost of removing metal/mobile home structures once their life expectancy was complete. The Comprehensive Plan was completed between 2012-2014 with SCADC assistance.

The Planning Commission spent weeks holding public meetings during the zoning map changes. The new zoning map was evaluated with SCADA (state agency).

Three active mobile home parks were located in the city and these were designated as the proper place for mobile homes to create "like property" appraisals. The other alternative was to prohibit mobile homes in the city. It was understood that all mobile homes would be located in these three mobile home parks or outside the city limits.

It was never intended to consider a "conditional use" of mobile homes in the city, nor mixing stick-built homes and mobile homes in zoning areas of R3, R2, or R1 housing.

These presently petitioning for "conditional use" of mobile homes have not attempted to secure placement in a local mobile home park or secure a lot outside the city limits.

Perrin feels she must follow the directives of city residents during the planning meetings for the Comprehensive Plan. If these petitions for "conditional use" continue, she feels compelled to make a motion to amend city ordinances to not allow mobile homes in the city limits, "as this is done in many incorporated cities due to loss of tax base and lower property values."

Perrin said before she moved to Union Springs, she had lived in mobile homes for over twenty years, both old and new, in cities and un-zoned counties.

It was understood that by local city zoning commissions you would locate your mobile home in a mobile home subdivision or mobile park so that stick home values would not diminish.

She gave a personal history of being an Appraiser, Broker, Auctioneer, and Developer in the business of Real Estate. She gave examples of her work in these areas in the City of Guntersville, Alabama. Joyce Perrin is the owner of Promiseland Realty & Development located at 126 Prairie Street in downtown Union Springs.

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Perrin explained the effects of mobile homes in Union Springs - Union Springs Herald