[BC] Grass fires and tower loss in California

[PeterH]

On Jul 16, 2009, at 8:22 AM, borchert, mark wrote:

> A grass fire in Sacramento, Calif., destroyed one radio tower July 15,
> and damaged at least one other, according to Fox40 News, KXTL.  
> After the
> intense flames burned through guy wires the 600-foot structure fell to
> the ground according to Capt. Jim Doucette of the Sacramento City Fire
> Department. The tower broadcast Radio Disney with the call sign KIID
> 1470AM.

The towers were only 199 feet tall, not 600 feet.

The ESE tower fell quickly, when the steel reached its yield strength.

The C tower was felled as a safety precaution. It was already leaning  
significantly, also as a consequence of yield.

The WSW tower was still standing as of close of business yesterday.

Most likely, an STA will be filed for ND operation at low power.

I would expect the array would be rebuilt in-kind, most probably  
including replacement of the WSW tower as well, as the station went  
on-air in 1945, and those components are way beyond their economic  
lifetime.

The only 600 foot AM towers in the region are KFBK's two 360 degree  
Franklins (180 over 180 degrees), and those towers are many miles  
north of the central city, where the affected 1470 site and the 1240  
site immediately across the American River are located.