7:30 pm – haven’t gotten the evening report, yet, but I am not sure I can wait up for it. Today, I only saw the sun once. It was blood red. The rest of the day was gray and smokey – a depressing kind of day, a day when I realized this may be the new “normal” for California in the summer, unless we do something. If Mother Nature does not end our 5-year drought soon, this is what we have to look forward to. I feel for my grandchildren.
8:30 am – Morning Incident Report (there is a new format as IMT 3 takes over. Also note new fire information number as well as email address.)
7:15 am – Today we start the 5th week of this fire … Yesterday’s firing out operations were a bit nerve-wracking for residents up on Partington Ridge. I can actually see Partington Ridge this am, and no plume, so it looks as if last night went well. They may be burning off any left over pockets, today, but will wait to hear from others closer to the “front” of this battle.
A month straight of 16-18 hour days at camps. I feel like Bill Murray in Ground hog day.
I can relate. All the days are running together, can’t tell what day of the week it is … Groundhog Day, indeed. I’ve given up on the 18 hour days, just can’t do it anymore.
bigsurkate
Can anyone please provide me with contact info, preferably by phone, for the crew who restores the dozer lines made over private property? Thanks.
My personal experience is that they contact you. I had plans drawn by a hydro geologist biologist PhD friend on how to rehab to avoid losing top soil, and they implemented that perfectly. One has to put some brush on the lips of the valles to break up the rain and keep it from washing away. It worked quite well that way.
bigsurkate
Kate,
I just finished a 26 day assignment on the fire and my last location was Division N and I can say we locked it up for you and the surrounding communities below the Division along Highway 1.
After the Basin fire I planted barley in the fire breaks on my ranch to control the erosion. It is a terminal crop only lasting one or two years giving the native species time to take hold without losing the top soil
David, thank you SO MUCH for all that you and your fellow fire fighters did for our community. We can never express our deep gratitude enough. Now, have some well deserved R&R and visit your family and home, if you can. If I can ever do anything for you, let me know.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Kate Thank you David and all the people working on our fire here.. God speed home, Longing for blue skies and the clean ocean air.
Thank you, Big Sur Kate! Get that sleep! You have greatly helped my family through a very rough week, and we all want you healthy. Your website is such a resource, especially for someone like me who is half an insider and half an outsider, socially speaking.
Mom and Dad are now back in home sweet home at Ripplewood… toughing out the smoke because that’s where they want to be.
Hoping for the best of outcomes for Partington Ridge and Points east and south. Hoping Pfeiffer grassy hill island remains grassy. A big hug for all locals… I am now heading back home to the rat race, where I will send out positive vibes into the broad California arena, Big Sur at the nucleus.
Leigh
THANKS TO ALL WHO SERVE
Bill Cox and David C thank you so much for your efforts in protecting the businesses, homes and lives of friends and family, not to mention the untold number of acres and inhabitants of forest and park lands. It’s been a blessing to have Big Sur Kate’s blog for news (thank you again, Kate) and as a way to thank those we might not otherwise be able to reach.
Appreciate the blog. I do not always agree with all of the content/rhetoric but I think starting the conversations are very important. I wanted to contribute something that may or may not be helpful:
Over the past several years I have noticed very small marijuana operations (anywhere from 5 to a dozen plants) at the end of Sobranes canyon at what seems to be the exact spot this fire originated from. I have called on at least two occasions, the state park police to report my findings, both times being told the agency is not interested in investigating.
To me there’s very little surprise a fire started here and I suspect it might be probable those who started the fire were in some way associated with these growing operations. If so, I believe more action from the state could have prevented this.
I could never say enough for all the great sacrifices all our Angel Fire Fighters have done–be well and take care of yourselves now. God Bless you all and Kate!
I was just south of Big Sur in Lucia at my brother-in-laws ranch. It was heartening to see what a strong community there is in Big Sur. At Nepenthe there were as many firefighters as tourists, and their meals were on the house. I feel the need to say thank you every time I see a firefighter as we here in CA owe them the biggest debt of gratitude. I refrained from hugging them lest they think I’m a crazy woman! Arrived back in Santa Barbara yesterday and just made it over the 154 before that was closed due to a fire in the Santa Ynez Valley. God bless our firefighters and keep them safe! And thank you Kate for your informative blog. I’ve been reading it everyday to keep up with the news in beloved Big Sur.
To David C and all the firefighters, local and from out-of-area, professional and volunteer: there are no words sufficient to express the depth and breadth of our Gratitude.
Actively backfiring above Partington, heading south towards Cold Springs. Lots of firefighters stationed on the ridge line.
Thanks for the update, Heidi. May the winds stay calm and everything go as planned.
bigsurkate
firefighters going door to door on Partington to know who is home
and look for water sources ….leaving yellow signs at the end of driveways
with info should they have to evac. They sure gave me a start when i saw them out the window and i walked out and said Uh Oh ….super friendly guys who have been at it for the last week and were like little kids about the view from the deck. Doing their due diligence. I feel in Very Good Hands and with the helicopters over head ….a bit of reality.
Thanks for the update, Cate. Be safe, all.
bigsurkate
Stayed with a beautiful family high on Partington ridge 55 years ago. Hope all can be saved.
Just got back from my town trip in SLO and I also made a point of thanking the FFs I came across. They were just going into a 48 hour break from the Chimney Fire and told me re: the new Santa Ynez fire! It seems as tho the whole dang state is just 1 big fire!
To Anon re: your belief of the Soberanes Fire starting from pot growers, I don’t buy that. Why would someone jeopardize/burn up their livelyhood? There’s plenty of campers who disregard the “no fire” ordinance on a regular basis and those are the people the authorities need to focus on.
Yes. The fire crews have done a fantastic job. Today, three firefighters parked their fire truck in my driveway and walked to my property at Partington Ridge to ask about my water sources and nearby homes. They were polite, respectful and professional in every way. Great group of guys! After I supplied correct and current information, we corrected the outdated info and incomplete maps right on my patio table. Their objective was to deliver the updated information to a main map back at base camp. Accurate information will definitely increase efficiency, especially on dark nameless unpaved mountain roads. I was happy to do my part. The guys also gave me an accurate update on the status of the fire on our ridge. I was grateful to hear their detailed answers. In closing, I would like to thank everybody involved in fighting our big fire and I also want to thank Big Sur Kate. I have checked for fire updates every day on this site. Job well done to all.
From the description Anon gave of the grows being so small, it could possibly be just an individual or a couple of individuals who are not very familiar with the whole lay of the land, thinking they can grow a small patch up there. Someone with such a small patch wouldn’t particularly be so conscientious about fire. There was a similar problem in the mountains up behind Ashland, Oregon some years ago when I was there. Numerous small grows, where just some kids or yahoos thought they could grow a stash. And, in fact, a fire started from one of those grows. Fortunately, the burn was stopped almost immediately, so didn’t grow large. In my hiking around up there, I came across 3 small grows myself….maybe a dozen plants in each. In a side note, three individuals were arrested when they showed up to try to save their “crop”.
It’s not far-fetched what with the increased population in the Mty Bay area and the increased traffic along the coast….and up Soberanes Canyon…that someone saw an opportunity and took it.
And I will add my thank you and immense gratitude to others’ for Bill Cox and David C’s service. THANK YOU.