My latest writing for Voices is in the week’s issue, which is jam packed full of interesting articles.
The fires that have shaped our lives this summer are over. The rains finally came, and they were gentle, but our worries are not over. Just like after the Soberanes Fire in 2016, the lives of Big Sur residents will now be dictated by the burn scars, debris flows and road closures which come after a wildfire. This is just the first winter. We will have to be vigilant for several years before there is recovery.
This was on many minds as I started my inquiries of the U.S. Forest Service and Monterey County Public Works Department this past week. There is a strong likelihood that Big Sur will be divided into islands for a time — how many islands and for how long is anyone’s guess.
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best!
My heart and soul goes out to all of you as winter rains approach. Always so terrible. Lived through many winters of isolation from a normal winter. The fire damage so close to the highway will be heartbreaking this year. My prayers go out to everyone, especially the road crews who put themselves in harm’s way to open the road as quickly as possible.