Here is a quick sketch of why we should take our opportunity to have input into the CWPP seriously. This was provided to me by Mike Caplin, who gave me permission to post it here.

“Here is a quick sketch of the significance of CWPPs.

I think of CWPPs as a gift from Congress to tiny communities near National Forests and BLM land.

The concept of CWPPs is a creation of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (HFRA, attached and highlighted).

Any “at-risk community” near federal lands managed by the US Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management can write a CWPP, and in it the community can say how the community thinks wildfire fuels (vegetation) should be managed on the federal land to protect the community from wildfires starting on the federal land, and can say how the community thinks federal fuel reduction grant awards should be prioritized in the community’s area.

The federal agency is not required to do the fuel reduction work, but there are a number of incentives and directives once the community makes the recommendation in a CWPP.

First, the Secretary (of Agriculture or Interior) is directed to give priority to “authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects” that implement a CWPP.

Second, authorized hazardous fuel reduction projects on federal land recommended in CWPPs are provided expedited review under the National Environmental Policy Act (different degrees of red tape are cut depending upon whether the project is within the “wildland urban interface” (WUI) for the at-risk community, and whether the project is inside the WUI and within 1 1/2 miles of the boundary of the at-risk community.

Third, an at-risk community can use the CWPP to say where the WUI boundaries are for the at-risk community (wherever the community thinks it is needed to protect the at-risk community), and apparently to decide where the boundaries are for the at-risk community.

Fourth, the Secretary shall consider (authorized hazardous fuel reduction) recommendations made by at-risk communities in a CWPP.

Fifth, the at-risk community can say in its CWPP where the priorities are in its area for federal grant money to be awarded to perform fuel reduction work on private land.

Sixth, 50% of all federal fuel reduction monies must be spent in WUI areas.

Big Sur qualifies as an at-risk community. So, it can say in a CWPP, for example, where its WUI is, how it wants fire breaks maintained in the Los Padres National Forest, and how it wants other wildfire fuels to be maintained in the LPNF. It can also say which areas should be which priority for federal fuel reduction grants.”

So, send an email to Steve Daus or come to the meeting on the 29th 7-9 at the South Coast Community Center. If you do not have YOUR say about the areas of concern, I will certainly have mine. In fact, I sent my concerns to Steve already.

Drove down the coast today, in what we call a slow soaker, and encountered a slide (actually it looked like two separate slides) at Old Faithful, just north of Coast Gallery. One lane closed, while lots of equipment working the slide. It appears to be mostly mud, with some rocks. It held up traffic for about 1/2 hour. So, be aware if you are traveling Highway One today, and be particularly vigilant, if traveling after dark.

Connie McCoy’s take on the slide, as posted in the comment section, was: “By the way, I don’t think that was a spontaneous slide at Old Faithful–I think it was a knock-down.” Thinking back to what I saw, she has a point. There were independent contractors involved as well as Cal-Trans.

My rain gauge reads 1/2 inch of rain. Seems like a lot for just a slow soaker. But that’s the thing about these things.

This is what I’ve been up to, while I’ve been away  from my blog. Had a slight accident and injured my knee. I really have to thank Avis for checking up on me, bringing me lunch, picking up supplies for me on her town run north, which is where I was stuck in a Motel 6. She was a god send. The Advil PM she turned me on to did not make it into the photo:

…has returned. I will post about that later, other than to say that the smoke I saw off the coast of Mexico was probably from a fire in Tijuana, not our own California fires.

Tonight, two items of interest:

1. Slight chance of rain Tuesday through Thanksgiving. We’ll keep an eye on the weather reports as the time gets closer.

2. The Harvest Festival, usually held at the Grange during Thanksgiving weekend is being moved to the Big Sur Station to be held under tents, in case of rain.

And one last thing. Apparently, due to first the eruption of the Chalk Fire the second time, and then the rain and road closure events, and probably due to a  faulty memory disk, I forgot to post more Jade Festival Photos. I’ll try to get some up tonight or tomorrow!