During the day, we were dealing with the Carmel and River Fires, both started by lightning. A little after 8:30 pm, a arsonist started the Dolan Fire south of Esalen. It raged until the end of September.
Here are some photos.
The control line holding the burnout from Prewitt Ridge along McKern Road to Nacimiento-Ferguson Road is still holding. Tonight’s photos show two members of the Del Rosa Hotshots (blue hard hats) and other firefighters working with bulldozers to light and hold this burnout the day before yesterday (Thursday 9/17/2020.)
People were fighting fires all over the state due to lightning strikes. With this last storm yesterday, we lucked out. Only 1 strike in the Ventana, and it didn’t start a fire, fortunately. Let’s all “knock on wood” and be grateful. Still have a couple months to go, so continue to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all time. Casey retired from the USFS after his injuries. Anyone in contact with him that cares to report, please do so.
Kate, thank you for the reminder to “knock on wood” and be grateful. The third photo down taken from your place looks like a beautiful painting. It’s amazing how deceiving our perceptions can be if we aren’t aware of the horrifying context of the real situation. Thank you for the photo remembrance of the exhausting work of the firefighters, and especially the mention of Casey. I do not know any of these firefighters, but I do hold them with deep gratitude. Crossing my fingers for the next few months for safety and peace 🤞✌️.
Thank you, Lauren. It is always such a journey to recover from these traumas, to us and to the land and its critters. We heal. We always do, but today, I count us fortunate. We recognize the sacrifices the young men and women firefighters make for all of us.
Along with the firefighters, I’m sure this whole community is extremely grateful to you, too! ❤️
kate, has there been an official cause for Carmel fire? My Sky Ranch rental burned down, and all was lost….grandma/grandpa memories, gifts, travel souvenirs, tail and mane hair from beloved horse (predeceased), and just stuff too…but pain lingers.
I am a long time veteran of all of fire and flood disasters over many years. As Principal at Carmel Middle (14 years) we used our gymnasium to host all and every disaster. The lower field at CMS was used as a heliport, with both Cal-Fire and USFS fighters in and out pretty much all day, We were also a staging area for the big rigs, and vehicles from just about every part of Central and Northern California. When the bridge went at Rio Road, several CMS staffers and me drove our “host Big Sur students during the week” back home for the weekends. The route was down Highway 101 in CUSD Vans ending up at the beginning of the Nacimiento-Ferguson road in King City. The floods were one thing…but it was the uncertainty of which fire was going to go where that was chaotic. Of course…our best source of information then and now….was Kate.