Category: 2009 Fire Season

A spate of winter-like weather

Normally, in June, I can look down on the fog. Not the last few days. Low clouds have been hanging over me as if it were winter. I want to put my comforter back on the bed, but alas, I packed it away for the summer. Of course, this will help delay fire season, so it is all good.

I have been trying to upload a photo all morning, and no luck. I give up.
New Shelf

Well, finally. Not one I would normally post, but …
This is my new storage shelf, 2 ft. deep. Soon I will have baskets, old trunks, and old suitcases to store stuff in up there. I’ll take another, once I have it organized as I want.

That’s my comforter up in the corner, out of reach, naturally. I had a tall person place it up there, and now need a ladder or another really tall person to get it down!! Any real tall volunteers? Just kidding. I’ll survive.

Now that I can post photos again, I just can’t stop.
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Maybe I should have replaced the lavender before I shot this? And dusted.

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Can you tell I am a knick knack collector?? It’s a addiction. I need an intervention.

Two Minor Fires — One Big Sur, one Santa Barbara

As of 8:30 pm last night, LPNF WildCAD is reporting this as 1/4 acre in heavy brush between Palo Colorado and Old Coast Rd. Nothing being reported this morning, 6/9, which is a good thing.

The second was about a mile from the Gaviota rest stop in Santa Barbara. As of 11 pm, Wildfire is reporting this one is holding at 15 acres.

I finally get around to posting new photos, and I am preempted by fires. Just look below.

June 3, 2009 – Dakota

While we wait on the fate of our State Parks, while we hope for more rain (and little lightning, please), I thought I’d bring everyone up-to-date on Dakota.

It has been over a month that she had been confined to quarters. She is not allowed outside until her wound has closed up. She still has a gap of an inch or more which is taking a very long time to heal. She went to the vet again on Friday. Every night I must irrigate it with a betadine/saline solution — a lot of it. Neither one of us likes this process. We have to do this for 2 weeks, and then she goes back to the vet. This has been a long and difficult road for the two of us.

We’ll both be glad when she can go outside on her own again.

On another note — I had a lot of fire clearance done yesterday. Everything is looking so good!! My view, which is always great, is even more spectacular now.  Also “groomed” some Oaks, and what a difference that makes. I want them ALL groomed like that. One more day next week, and it is all done. A photo when my camera arrives. It gets shipped tomorrow. Yeah!!

That smoke you may see or smell…

… is probably coming from Ft. Hunter-Leggett, where fire training exercises are being held. I’ve been watching it since shortly after noon, and it has intensified. Later, it dissipated.  I have just become extremely sensitive. Duh, I wonder why??

The controlled burns over there have gotten out of hand  in the past, but this one does not look like it ever did.

I admit, I never got to the stories and photos from yesterday. They are coming, really. I mean it. Just not tonight.

Big Sur State Park update

As promised, Big Sur State Park opened in time for Memorial Day Weekend. On Friday, May 22nd, at approximately 1:30 pm, a ribbon cutting ceremony launched the opening of the Bailey Bridge to a crowd of dignitaries, local residents, and anxious visitors. 90 minutes after the State Park opened, all campsites were filled for the weekend, and by the end of the day, over 1000 reservations were made for this summer.

 Camping reservations began Friday and can be made through Reserve America at www.reserveamerica.com or by calling (800) 444-PARK (444 7275).

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On another note, from KION-TV, residents should not be alarmed to witness a low-flying airplane over parts of the west-central California Coast, part of the Los Padres National Forest, and an area east of Greenfield starting around May 22. 

For about two months, an airplane operated under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will be making low-level flights. The survey will cover the cities of Big Sur, Soledad, Greenfield, and numerous other towns in the area with the purpose of collecting and recording geologic measurements. 

This survey is designed to remotely study geologic and hydrologic units that lie below land surface. It is part of an ongoing USGS program to identify features such as changes in rock types, ultimately providing a better understanding of the geology and hydrology of the area.

Big Sur Summer

Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of the summer tourist season in Big Sur. But residents are “spoiled” by the closures experienced this past year. This weekend’s significant influx of visitors, while greatly appreciated, has brought many hospitality workers back to the reality of living and working here — the crowds that keep us alive.

“After a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony, visitors poured in Friday. Every Memorial Day weekend site was sold out in 90 minutes. Another 1,000 reservations have already been booked for the rest of summer,” reported the Monterey Herald.

Several of my visitor-serving friends were on overload on Saturday, dealing with the sudden rise in population here in Big Sur. They had been inundated. Usually, our hospitality industry gets a couple of dry runs before the big opening day, and workers have the opportunity to get ready for the flood of tourists. This could not happen this year, due to closures of the Los Padres National Forest and the State Parks essentially since June of last year. Now, we are on a fast track to catch up with lost revenues and to get used to the large crowds. We got spoiled, and we got lazy, without our visitors.

Welcome back, everyone. Let’s keep this a safe and sane (by Big Sur standards) summer.

(Just flew back last night and I have a lot to catch up on. Being “unplugged” for 16 days was great — no phones, no internet, no news. Will write about my adventures on slow “news” days in the coming weeks. Also looking to post another Random Big Sur Photo for identification soon.)

Ring of Fire

Arrived in SF yesterday to hear about the horrific wildfire in Santa Barbara. News reports indicate 30,000 homes evacuated as of this morni ng, unknown (to me) number of houses destroyed. I will be boarding an airplane around noon, and will be unable to keep up with developments. Check the various links to the right, or visit your favorities to keep up with the Jesusita Fire in the Los Padres National Forest.

Two South Coast Incidences today, 4/25/09

There were two fire-related incidences reported today. One was a possible wildfire in the Nacimiento area. One was an abandoned campfire on Plaskett Ridge. The USFS-KC sent a very nice young lady named Tammy over to check on both.

The Nacimiento report was a false alarm. It was a burn pile, near a residence being closely monitored by the owner. The second, which the ex reported to me, and I passed along to the USFS, was not “originally” abandoned, as the ex had seen people there, but after he left, it WAS abandoned, and when the USFS got there, it was still hot, and Tammy made sure it was good and out. 

Thank you, USFS!!

Also, Tammy informed me that the current plan is to open the  forest on May 1, 2009. I did not think to ask if that was the entire forest, or just the portion down here. (Gotta get better at that!) She did say that it should help to take the strain off of this unburned (since 2000) area. That should be good news for the VWA folks.

Fire at Salmon Creek, 4/24/09

Noon – nothing more, so I can only assume no news is good news. I will continue to monitor, but given the cool, foggy conditions, I think it is a good bet that this little fire is either out, or on its way to being out. 

8:20 am – No details, yet. Heard on scanner. I will post more information as it becomes available .

From chp website:

7:57AM 1039 27-S1
7:57AM MTRY CTR ALREADY DISPATCHED FIRE
7:54AM BRUSH FIRE / 50 YRDS X 50 YRDS NR THE RANGER STATON
RESPONDING OFFICERS STATUS
8:16AM CHP Unit Assigned

This posted on Wildland Fire, hotlist:

From the Salinas Californian wire 50-yard brush fire reported in Big Sur
April 24, 2009 
The California Highway Patrol reports that a brush fire has broken out near the ranger station at Highway 1 and Salmon Creek Arch Culvert in Big Sur.
As of 7:54 a.m., the fire was reported as 50 yards by 50 yards in size. 
Fire fighting teams are responding.

Considering the cold, damp conditions, I don’t expect this one to be a problem. But, like Capt. Mike says, it means the ground is ready. *sigh*

Hot Temperatures

Heat wave advisories posted throughout the region for yesterday and today, and then hopefully, a cool down. Lucia reported 100 degrees on the coast, yesterday. I did not notice how hot it got up here, as I was otherwise engaged. Stay cool and fire safe, everyone! And NOAA weather discussion had this to say:

“TREND OF COOLING TEMPS BACK DOWN TO BELOW NORMAL LEVELS WILL

 CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK."