Fire threats and dangers of deep South OC? (San Diego, Santa Ana: apartments, new home)

[thenext88]

I want move away from people/population in general and just focus on my family in some peace and quiet. So I've been looking at places like Ladera Ranch and Esencia: small communities that are built for young families, are unique and interesting in their own ways, and feel special.

I didn't quite see the "fire risk" when I visited Ladera Ranch since it's pretty grown in and your views are mostly obstructed by vegetation, but when I went to the other side of the hill to look at some homes in the newer and much less grown in Esencia, as beautiful as the mountain and hill views are - something I'd never get tired of seeing, I'm now worried the entire area is one giant tinderbox.

Just curious on others' thoughts on this or those who may live in such areas: is it just a risk you take and live with or it something that's always on the back your mind? Looking at a CA fire risk map, these areas show up as "Tier 2 Elevated". I guess there is at least some peace of mind they are not "Tier 3 Extreme"...

[NewbieHere]

Actually Ladera Ranch copies boring Irvine, anyway, I let you go on. I know it’s popular to bash Irvine.

[thenext88]

Originally Posted by NewbieHere

Actually Ladera Ranch copies boring Irvine, anyway, I let you go on. I know it’s popular to bash Irvine.

Irvine feels like the tech area of NorCal to me. It's not bad, it's just not what I am looking for. I have a 15 month old son, and I work from home as does my wife. We will be spending much of our days outdoors with him at local parks, pools, etc (once the threat of COVID passes). Ladera / RMV win pretty handily for the phase of life we are entering. All of that is walkable. Demographics of those areas also line up better with us (not by race, but by age).

They're also more affordable than Irvine - Anyway, I've removed my opinion of Irvine. My annoyance of it mostly friends and family (who don't even live there) that keep recommending it. I just don't want the same here.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by thenext88

I want move away from people/population in general and just focus on my family in some peace and quiet. So I've been looking at places like Ladera Ranch and Esencia: small communities that are built for young families, are unique and interesting in their own ways, and feel special (unlike Irvine for example which represents the boring cookie-cutter 9 to 5 lifestyle which I do not want).

I didn't quite see the "fire risk" when I visited Ladera Ranch since it's pretty grown in and your views are mostly obstructed by vegetation, but when I went to the other side of the hill to look at some homes in the newer and much less grown in Esencia, as beautiful as the mountain and hill views are - something I'd never get tired of seeing, I'm now worried the entire area is one giant tinderbox.

Just curious on others' thoughts on this or those who may live in such areas: is it just a risk you take and live with or it something that's always on the back your mind? Looking at a CA fire risk map, these areas show up as "Tier 2 Elevated". I guess there is at least some peace of mind they are not "Tier 3 Extreme"...

There is always the risk of fire in South County, but it's not something that many dwell upon. Local authorities do make an effort to remind people of that reality, especially when winds are brisk and there has been little precipitation. Small brush fires are not unusual. If I'm correct, we live in a near desert in terms of rainfall. It's wise to have a disaster bag packed in case there is a fire or earthquake and evacuation is needed.

BTW, one may occasionally see smoke coming from the southern areas of Camp Pendleton and San Diego County.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by pacific2

There is always the risk of fire in South County, but it's not something that many dwell upon. Local authorities do make an effort to remind people of that reality, especially when winds are brisk and there has been little precipitation. Small brush fires are not unusual. If I'm correct, we live in a near desert in terms of rainfall. It's wise to have a disaster bag packed in case there is a fire or earthquake and evacuation is needed.

BTW, one may occasionally see smoke coming from the southern areas of Camp Pendleton and San Diego County.

Concur, there are often fires on Pendleton, usually in October. October is THE fire month. Not just for Pendleton, but for the entire region. The combination of a long hot dry summer, and the onset of Santa Ana winds sucking the moisture out of everything in their path, create perfect conditions. Then of course the sparse winter rains come, which now create mudslides from the fire-barren environment. Then in the Spring, things bloom and grow and the cycle continues ad infinitum.

[Fontucky]

I remember when one of those fires on Pendleton* blew into San Clemente courtesy of an ass kicking Santa Ana that popped up just in time to drive the CP fire into a destructive fire front. 15 homes destroyed and 66 damaged. January 1976.

Then of course, there's Laguna Beach, home to a number of devastating wildfires and many hundreds of homes lost.

*started by welding operations aboard base

[TimTheEnchanter]

People shouldn't talk of Irvine as if it is one place, it isn't. It is a city of neighborhoods and each neighborhood has its own characteristics. University Park is nothing like Stonegate or Woodbury; Orchard Hills is nothing like Oak Creek or Woodbridge; and so on. Ladera Ranch is virtually indistinguishable from the new areas of Irvine, Foothill Ranch, Aliso Viejo, etc.

[MrJester]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

People shouldn't talk of Irvine as if it is one place, it isn't. It is a city of neighborhoods and each neighborhood has its own characteristics. University Park is nothing like Stonegate or Woodbury; Orchard Hills is nothing like Oak Creek or Woodbridge; and so on. Ladera Ranch is virtually indistinguishable from the new areas of Irvine, Foothill Ranch, Aliso Viejo, etc.

Exactly. This talk of Irvine being all identical across the board is overblown.

Even with newer neighborhoods you have Tortola Springs vs. the Great Park Neighborhoods, which are not even planned by the Irvine Company. Then you have a hodge podge of apartments in the Irvine Business Complex, most of which are not Irvine Company apartments.

I guess there's just a general bashing of all new residential architecture being bland and soulless. A century ago people probably said the same thing about brownstones being built in Chicago. Now they're architectural classics.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by MrJester

I guess there's just a general bashing of all new residential architecture being bland and soulless. A century ago people probably said the same thing about brownstones being built in Chicago. Now they're architectural classics.

Well, yeah. It generally takes time for anything to be recognized as a classic, and very often those things were considered either boringly plain or weird when they were created.

The things that people rave about the minute they first appear very often end up dated and rejected by future generations. This is the very definition of trendy vs. timeless.

On the other hand, not everything becomes a timeless classic. Some architecture (literature, fashion, et al.) starts out drab and ends that way, too. Time will tell.

[MrJester]

Originally Posted by saibot

Well, yeah. It generally takes time for anything to be recognized as a classic, and very often those things were considered either boringly plain or weird when they were created.

The things that people rave about the minute they first appear very often end up dated and rejected by future generations. This is the very definition of trendy vs. timeless.

On the other hand, not everything becomes a timeless classic. Some architecture (literature, fashion, et al.) starts out drab and ends that way, too. Time will tell.

Right. When the Eiffel Tower was new, people complained about it being this giant metal, industrial monstrous eyesore.

People for the most part are not raving about Irvine new home architecture. They might be raving about the comfy interiors, but not the beige exteriors.