11:00 am – going nicely, now. Up to .30″ for the storm, and about .15″/hour rate at the moment. More than was predicted, at least up here. It has hovered between 41-42 degrees all day, so nice fire going.

8:00 am – nice gentle rain going on, now, added another .4″ so far.

7:00am – Only .21″ but I’ll take it! We MIGHT get a few more sprinkles today, but a better chance is coming on Saturday.

Having significant difficulties with internet and blog postings. I have a number of posts set to automatically post, like Friday’s Photos, and straightened everything out this am, I think. None of my pending posts were showing up, the last few days, in fact, my wordpress software was showing I’ve never posted a single thing! S-u-r-e. Looking at ads for satellite internet and tv. I’m kinda fed up with this.

With lots of smiles and lots of laughter we came together in love, as Jesse taught us.

Northern Monterey County. 400 acres, 30% contained. For further:
http://calfire.blogspot.com/2014/03/ca-beu-encinal-fire-vegetation-fire.html

This is a precursor for the summer. One Cal Fire representative said on camera that the chaparral is burning like it was August!

The vernal equinox is Thursday, March 20, at 9:57 am. The signs are beginning at my place!

My rosemary is outta control. Has been for years. Once a year, we take a chain saw to it, and give it a haircut … Not too drastic – the bees love it, and a number of things are beginning to bloom. Remember, I am behind those of you down lower.
This is my dwarf Myer’s Lemon. It is in a pot, so I can bring it inside for the frost and cold nights.

I’ve had 11 lemons on this little guy. Ive picked 4. Couldn’t be done, one friend told me. Well …

I LOVE Spring. Maybe cuz I was a Spring baby.

This week, I was seemingly flooded by announcement requests. Often times, people want to publish an announcement a month out, and then again a week or two before as a reminder. I cannot do that. In order to keep this blog from being overrun with announcements, I decided long ago to only do announcements for non-profits, schools, and the like. Now, I need to remind people that I will ONLY do ONE announcement per event, and events on the same day may be combined into one post. The submitting party can request when it is posted, but I cannot make any promises. I will do my best to publish as close as possible to the time requested, absent fires, floods, and road closures, and my moody internet cellular service. I do the announcements as a public service – well, the whole blog is a public service, actually.

I try to limit my blog posts to one a day, except in an emergency, so as not to flood my followers with emails, tweets, or FB. In the past when this influx of announcement requests has happened, I created a separate page for announcements, rather than this front page. If requests continue at the rate they have come in this week, I will reinstate that policy. It often happens in the Spring, as we prepare for the summer onslaught. If I do, I will post a reminder that events will be found there. Thank you all for your support to this blog and our community.

Fire Restrictions Lowered on Los Padres National Forest

GOLETA, CA, March 14, 2014…Recent rainfall across Los Padres National Forest has brought some minor relief to fire danger. Officials have decided to reduce fire restrictions on the forest effective immediately. The green-up of grasses will help by temporarily reducing potential for new fire starts. However, due to the extreme drought conditions, wildfire potential still exists. Larger vegetation such as brush and trees remain critically dry.

Under the reduced fire restrictions, campfires and charcoal barbeques will be allowed in all areas of Los Padres National Forest. A California Campfire Permit, available free of charge on the Forest’s website, is required to build a campfire outside of a designated Campfire Use Site. A list of Campfire Use Sites and information about how to acquire a campfire permit is available at all Los Padres National Forest offices.

Visitors who construct wood or charcoal fires outside of designated Campfire Use Sites also must clear all flammable material for a minimum of five feet in all directions; have a shovel available for preparing and extinguishing the fire; have a responsible person in attendance at all times; and extinguish the fire with water, using the “drown, stir and feel” method. Prohibitions on smoking and target shooting in Los Padres National Forest are also being lifted.

Forest officials stressed that fire restrictions will again go into effect in May barring significant rainfall over the next two months.

The following fire restrictions will remain in effect:
· Spark arresters are required on all off-highway vehicles, chainsaws, and other internal combustion engines and equipment;
· A permit is required for all welding, grinding, cutting, or use of explosives;
· Tracer ammunition is prohibited at all times;
· Fireworks are prohibited in Los Padres National Forest at all times and in all places.

Visitors are encouraged to “Know Before You Go,” and call the local ranger station for more information on conditions and restrictions. Please remember to do your part in preventing wildfires.

7:45 – first reported around 7 am, not too many deatails, yet, but apparently it is into the vegetation. CHP says no vegetation:

7:24 AM 10 [18] VEH FIRE ONLY – NO VEG INVOLVED [Shared]

This blog post disappeared and I have tried to re-upload the NWS graphic to no avail. Already have a post ready for tomorrow am, so will probably let this one go. Sorry, folks, but sh** happens and technology sometimes has a mind of it’s own.

Okay then. I FINALLY got it up and look how much of the state is under a red flag warning!

SOUTH COAST COMMUNITY FUEL HAZARD REDUCTION PROJECT

POST GRANT PUBLIC MEETING

COMMUNITY CENTER AT PACIFIC VALLEY SCHOOL– SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2014 1:00PM-3:00PM

Dear Big Sur Friends and Neighbors:

December’s Pfeiffer Ridge fire has reminded us again how devastating a wildfire can be in the wild land-urban interface in which we all live. Two years ago the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade applied for and was granted, through the Monterey Fire Safe Council a US Forest Service grant of $178,000. This money was used to create defensible space along strategic roadways, driveways, on ridge tops and along slopes in order to reduce future fire danger and make your homes more accessible to fire equipment and personnel in the event of a fire. We have completed the fuel reduction work associated with this grant. As a result, the roads and private properties benefitting from this project are now safer.

This grant was made possible by matching in-kind contributions from the following:

The Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, the New Camaldoli Hermitage, Lucia Lodge,​Treebones Resort, Gorda,​Big Sur Unified School District, Kate Novoa, Betty Withrow and Cal fire

I would also like to thank Dick Ravich who advised us every step of the way on our grant. Jonathan Pangburn our Forester who obtained the necessary permits and wrote all the prescriptions for the ground work. Pam Peck, who managed our finances and stepped in to help with many of the grant management efforts. And last but not least: Tom Nason of Ventana Engineering our contractor for the project who did a spectacular job for us.

As part of this grant, a public meeting will be held at the Community Center at Pacific Valley School on March 15th to highlight the execution of the grant and what follows in each neighborhood. There will be some presentations and discussions on the grant work; maintenance of the work performed; creating defensible space and what you can do to protect yourself. There will be refreshments served and educational pamphlets for you to take home. We encourage everyone who could be affected by our next wildfire to attend.

Looking forward to seeing you on the 15th,

Sincerely, John Handy

Board Member, Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade