Issued late Wednesday afternoon.
I suggest locals print out a copy of this (or more for distribution) and carrying them with you. Highlight the $5,0000 fine. Also you might wish to make it a habit of taking photographs of the vehicles camped along the side of the road, particularly on Nacimiento, making sure the license plate is visible. Make sure your camera and/or phone are set to date stamp these (either in Metadata or on the photo itself) and keep these for a couple weeks before dumping them, just in case they are needed. Let’s all hope for a safe and quiet summer.
Might want to print and carry this, too:
That won’t stop this problem. It has been my experience that many tourists do not speak or read English.
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While that is true on the highway, those I run across in the back country almost always do. The few who don’t are the Hmong squirrel hunters from San Jose, but usually at least one in their party does.
For those who don’t speak English, a simple drawing of a campfire with the universal “no” symbol (red circle w/ diagonal line) should work. Carry a couple of those, too.
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Okay, Lyndall, I added one to print for non-English speaking campers you might run across.😜
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Suggest we get this in all public promotional material made by the county. state and chamber of commerce from Paso Robles to Santa Cruz including Carmel, Monterey etc.. Including Chinese and other foreign nationals that are heavy smokers.
Robert K
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While I agree the information needs to be out there in force and having “official documentation” to back it up may be handy in a few situations, translation into various languages and wide distribution of “Pursuit to 16USC 551 and…” would not only be a waste of money, time and effort, it would have little good impact. Most people don’t read the fine print, especially when on vacation.
Go visual. BIG and SIMPLE. The one above is a good start.
A map of the Soberanes Fire with a dot for the illegal fire with another showing the entire burn area. Maybe throw in the cost. (use all those zeros, NOT the word million) Again – visual.
It’s people’s nature to be drawn to gore and destruction and while that may not say much for mankind, it is what it is. You’ve got to know your audience and no pun indented, fight fire with fire.
Show that little kid’s burnt bicycle.
Lost houses.
Hurt animals (I’d go with cartoon like figures here) 🙁
Before and after pictures.
Show the pain and suffering.
Get Smokey the Bear front and center. (helps to educate the future “tourists”)
Visual. Crosses all language barriers.
I think that would be a better use of funds and effort as opposed to hiring translators.
Unless you speak Mandarin and want to tackle it yourself…
Link for order
http://www.ventanawild.org/phpbb3/download/file.php?id=2270&sid=58c7a12139cc6a8caa1ad088a089d873
The readers here could translate it..but the message should be simple 10-20 words, and include cigarettes as much as campfire imagery.
That would be great. (translation) There is definitely a wealth of resources in the area. I did not mean to imply that words do not have a place in situations because explaining things to people in a way that it becomes their reality, that they own it, is absolutely necessary.
Visuals quickly grab their attention, a first layer of defense so to speak. And for some people that may be all we get… especially for that group of people that I have seen here so fondly called… well – several names come to mind.
😉
I am the fire chief of a volunteer station in our section of the Cleveland National Forest (Trabuco Canyon). What works for me is the reminder that the Forest Service will prosecute the offender and recover, if possible, the cost of fighting the fire. A few years ago an owner’s son started a fire with his hibachi in a strong wind. His father received a bill for $360,000 and had to sell the family’s home to pay for his son’s foolishness. Since then I have changed my “No Campfires” signs to include this warning. There are still campfires, but they have reduced by half.
Good idea.
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Tho I ilke the idea of taking pics of the vehicle w/ the license plate showing, I’m not sure that wiil hold up in a court of law. I’m thinking re: the Carmel Pine Cone pic of the idiot parked in the middle of Hwy 1 on Bixby Bridge with the license clearly showing and I heard nothing could be done to ticket, because of the ability to Photoshop the pic. Do you know the law on that Kate?
I do want to say one nice thing re: responsible campers, as there are some among the multitudes of idiots. Coming home one night (the night before the restrictions were set in place) I came across a couple having a fire on the dirt pullout, but kept going since it was late and I was tired. The next morning I put a shovel and 3 gallons of H2O in my car (it was time to start carrying that with me anyway) and the spot they were in was dealt with perfectly. I couldn’t even tell where they had the fire! We need more of them, but without the fire now!
Vigilance neighbors!!
The person who took the photo would have to testify that he or she took it, that it is accurate, and not altered, etc. but no problem in court. Haven’t you heard of those tickets for running a red light when your photo is taken??? Besides, the purpose of the photo is so you can be able to tell the USFS who, what, when, and where.
glad to hear of the camper who cleaned up after themselves.
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