Category: Fire Season

Living in Paradise – responsibility

Living here, in the paradise of Big Sur carries responsibilities. I have my share – and that does not include my full time job. We live here for many reasons, and we give back to the community, mostly, without either renumeration nor recognition, and that is as it should be. We live here because we are nurtured and because we are drawn to this place, and this place is drawn to us.

I’ve lived here a long time, and one thing I’ve noticed … everyone is willing to pitch in and help start, set up, get things rolling. When it is all done? Who is here to help clean up? For some people, that is their life’s work, but for others, that is the last thing on their mind.

Soon, we will become too busy to reflect on what it means to live here. The summer tourist season is upon us, the traffic causes us to pause, but even more importantly, the fire season is about to arrive. We all need to be aware, alive, and awake.

Please, pay attention, report what needs to be reported on the campfire realm, and watch out for one another. It is the time of awareness once again. Another fire was reported today on the other side of the Santa Lucias. It is just beginning, and we need to keep an eye out on our place in this world.

Highway Fire – SLO Co.

6:15 pm – It is up to 150 acres and Highway 41 between Shandon and Creston has been shut down, due to the fire.

5:30 pm – This is on Highway 41 near Shandon. One engine reports the fire has hit the highway, another reports one structure threatened and access problems. Cal-Fire has thrown a lot of resources on this fire this afternoon, including a nice little airshow. There was another near San Marcos Rd. and Nacimiento Lake, but resources sent there have been diverted to the Highway Fire. I probably won’t provide continuous coverage unless it gets away from them, which is not sound like it is going to do, although another report I have is that there is some wind on this one.

For those who like the details, here are some: At scene AA 340, T74, T75, T76, 3461, 3465, 3468, 3477, 3482, E31, WT43, D3441, H527. En route 3469, 3470, ATA 7574 and 1 addtl tanker

This is on CDF Command 1, Tac 8

BTW, AA is air attack; T is tanker; E is engine; WT is water tender; H is Helicopter, and ATA I do not know. Those without letters are presumably engines. 😉

Phoenix, from the ashes & Community

Yesterday was the summer solstice and the 3d anniversary of the start of the Basin Fire, called the Gallery fire back then. It is a time to be grateful for the spirit of Big Sur and the community that supports her. Nowhere is that more evident than at the Don Case homestead.

Joyce Duffy, of the Don Case homestead, wishes to share this with all of us – near and far.

“It is the anniversary if the lightning strike that ignited the Fire that incinerated Don’s house and then went on to consume hundreds of thousands of acres of Big Sur…The whole community suffered shock and loss.
But right now I am watching in awe the miracle of this Houseraising…the joyful energy and teamwork renders me speechless…families and businesses are sending food and coffee and ice for the carpenter volunteers who work ceaselessly in the hot sun…supportive wishes are coming from all directions. This is just a hint of what the power of Community can do, and maybe it is a chance for healing and rebirthing for all of us. On behalf of the Case family, thank you all”

Then:

Budda Bowl by Joyce Duffy

And now:

Phoenix Fireplace by Joyce Duffy

Don at building by Joyce Duffy

Going up, by Joyce Duffy

We live in a very special place, much as I imagine small towns always have been. There is nothing like a sense of place to ground one.

Wildfire & beetle infested trees

The USFS commissioned a study which revealed (not surprisingly) that beetle infested trees burn faster, hotter, and spread embers farther than healthy pine trees.

“HELENA, Mont.—The red needles of a tree killed in a mountain pine beetle attack can ignite up to three times faster than the green needles of a healthy tree, new research into the pine beetle epidemic has found.
The findings by U.S. Forest Service ecologist Matt Jolly are being used by fellow ecologist Russ Parsons to develop a new model that will eventually aid firefighters who battle blazes in the tens of millions of acres from Canada to Colorado where forest canopies have turned from green to red from the beetle outbreak.

The new model incorporates a level of detail and physics that doesn’t exist in current models, and it is much more advanced in predicting how a wildfire in a beetle-ravaged region will behave, Parsons said.

“It gives you so much more information about what to expect,” he said. “Are these people safe here or should they run away? If we put a crew on the ground here, can they make it to the top of the ridge in ample time?”

Many communities in the Rocky Mountain West have beetle kill forests in some proximity.

And the new research dispels the notion that beetle-killed trees present no greater fire danger than live ones, a theory that had gained traction after a couple of wet, cool summers tamped down fire activity in the region, Jolly said.

On the contrary, beetle-killed trees can hold 10 times less moisture than live trees, Jolly found. That means they not only ignite more quickly than live trees, but they burn more intensely and carry embers farther than live trees, Jolly said.”

For the rest of the article, see this link: Sunday’s Monterey Herald.

I was just posting to Firefighter blog how it is fast approaching the time for me to make the seasonal change in my blog from winter/spring weather to summer/fall fires. I will start to make that transition this month, change the links to the right for my fire watch links, a bit at a time. Some links span the entire year, and will remain.

Redwood Revival

Before I got sidetracked with the iPhone, I was out and about, and took some photos to share with you … some just because I live in God’s country, or paradise, or one of the most beautiful places on the planet — and some specifically to show my readers something.

These first two should lift your spirits, all you lovers of Mother Nature, as depicted here. These are redwoods that were matchsticks two and 1/2 years ago. After the Basin Fire of 2008, came the Chalk Fire and Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. was burned on both sides. Look at what they look life now! Life regenerates. Ah, yes it does.

These two shots depict the regeneration of the redwoods along Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. — burned until there was nothing left but blackened sticks. Now look at them!

Redwood Revival

Redwood Revival Repeat

Small Fire near Juan Higuera of no concern

UPDATE ON LAST NIGHT’S FIRE: According to my sources, the base of a redwood was on fire. The flames were 25’ in the air. Not certain if it was a camper or maybe struck by lightning over the weekend. Forest Service is there now. It may need to come down.

I got news of a fire near MM 48, and called my sources. It was reported to be on the east side of the highway, near or under a redwood. As of 7 pm, it was under control and no one was concerned about it. Our guess is that it was an illegal campfire that was reported. Someone trying to stay warm. Frankly, as wet and cold as everything is, I am even surprised it was reported. But there you have it, just in case you heard something.

Rocky Fire near Atascadero?

First, if you are in Santa Cruz, there is a controlled burn between you and Pacheco Pass, it may look like its coming from Coe SP, depending on your location. It is a controlled burn.

Second, I was watching and photographing the clouds, as saw smoke drift to the south. I have been investigating and determined (so far) that there was a fire yesterday on Vandenburg AFB that may still be sending up drift. I also determined there is a fire in SLO Co, out toward Atascadero. This was what was reported about 1/2 an hour ago.

Start Aprox 12:30 Location is Rocky Canyon Truck Trail near Atascadero.
50+ acres.
Moderate rate of spread in brush. No structure threat.
40% contained

This is a photo I took about 10 mins ago, but there has since been an increase, which I will show you as soon as I post this. I will update the photo below with a new one just above it.

Rocky Fire 4 pm, 10/29

While the drift is increasing, this one can’t last the night with the storm coming in.

Antelope Fire, Highway 46 SLO Co.

Just as I was going to transition from fire watch to weather watch mode, a new fire broke out along Highway 46 in SLO Co. It is near the Kern County line. As of 4:15 pm, it was reported as 300 acres and 15% contained. The forward rate has been slowed. Containment is expected by about 1 am tomorrow. NOAA has issued a frost warning for tonight in parts of the inland valleys, so that should help.

Lesson learned. It’s not over quite yet.

Controlled burn

By now, most of you in Big Sur already know about the controlled burn at Andrew Molera, but just in case you missed it, here is the announcement:

Andrew Molera State Park Prescribed Burn 10/2010

What: California State Parks is planning to conduct a prescribed burn in Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur.

When: Burning will occur when enough rain has fallen that the majority of the vegetation within drainages surrounding the burn plots will not carry fire, but grasslands and coyote brush will burn at a low to moderate intensity. Assuming weather conditions are favorable, this will occur sometime during the last week of October or the first week of November.

Why: We are burning for the second year in this project area in order to manage for native grasslands (Coastal Prairie) that exist within Andrew Molera State Park. This very diverse plant community is rare in California and has been largely replaced by European annual grassland, coastal scrub and chaparral. Our intent is to slow the growth of coyote brush and non-native grasses in parts of northeastern and southwestern Andrew Molera State Park (see map), where healthy stands of Coastal Prairie exist.

Who: This prescribed burn will be conducted by the California State Parks Central Coast Prescribed Burn Team. This crew has extensive prescribed burning experience in parks throughout the central and northern California Coast. Support will also be provided by at least one of the following agencies: Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Big Sur Fire Brigade and North Tree Fire.

Where: The 350 acre project site is divided into 12 burn plots, which will be burned separately (see map). This year we hope to burn Plot 1 and the northern part of Plot 2 on the west side of Hwy 1. These flat plots are 23 and 8 acres respectively. Portions of Plot 1 will be re-planted/seeded with purple needle grass and California oat grass one or two winters after the burn. We tried to burn these plots last year, but were not able to get the correct meteorological, environmental and logistical conditions.

More information: A Cal Fire Burning Permit, a Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District Smoke Management Permit, and a Coastal Development Permit have been issued for this project. In addition, a Mitigated Negative Declaration, a Biological Survey Report and several plant and animal surveys have been completed. A copy of the plan, permits and maps can be found at the Big Sur Station Visitor Center. If you have questions or comments, please call Jeff Frey at 667-0148.
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Weather reports are indicating more rain on Thursday night and Sunday. I’ll be keeping an eye on that. Hopefully, I’ll be posting a couple NZ photos tomorrow for your viewing pleasure.

Strange Weather

9 pm – cell over Lake San Antonio

It has been hot and muggy all day. Even now at 8 pm, it is 80 degrees inside, with all the windows open. Lots of good strikes coming down In Paso at the moment, so be careful out there!

6 pm – I have received reports from readers in Paso Robles and in Morro Bay that they have thunder in both areas.

I have been watching the thunder clouds build all afternoon to the South and East of me. First, I will try to get a radar shot posted here, and then, I will go take a shot of the thunder heads.

Give me half an hour for the radar and the photo, and then come back. I’ve got to close everything up, just in case.

And here are a couple cloud shots, the first toward SSE and the second from ESE.