While we need the rain, it is hard to complain about weather like this, when much of the nation is snow-bound.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Also, an update on the Alm’s Ridge Rd.: “For the past 4 days these 2 guys (Jim and Tom) have been working on the lower part of the Alms Ridge road.  Really nice guys and they have done a great job.  Although, they did say that they needed 2 weeks, and some culverts to do the job right.  The FS gave them 4 days- I guess It took them one day to get here…they said they were putting in an extra day (at their own expense) so they could do the job in a good way. ” Hopefully, Alm’s Ridge can get approval for the needed culverts, to keep this from happening.

I wanted to add this update because often times, we only hear when the USFS messes up, not when they are responsive and working with us to mitigate the problems. Kudos to Bradford and his team!!

**UPDATE** This page is out of date. My understanding is that NOAA weather radio is no longer in service in Big Sur. The service was temporary and ended toward the end of last winter. However, Dick Ravich is looking for a transmitter tower site so a grant be applied for for a permanent NOAA weather radio installation.

o All Big Sur Residents,

(Please help by spreading the information in this email to others in Big Sur.) 

The National Weather Service’s weather radio transmitter is now on the air in Big Sur!  

The time has come to purchase “Public Alert certified” NOAA-weather emergency-alert radios if you want to receive NOAA-weather-radio emergency-alerts this winter.

Jim Lacalamita at Peninsula Communications in Salinas donated many days of time to get this system working, and Bill Post generously donated space on his transmitter tower.  We all owe them and many others much thanks for helping make this happen.

Jim has offered to purchase “Public Alert certified” weather radios for Big Sur residents and to provide them at his cost of $40 each.  The radio is a First Alert model WX-200, manufactured by the Sima Products Corporation.  Jim has evaluated these radios (including looking inside) and says they look good.  On this radio the NWS signal is on channel 4 (162.475MHz).

If you wish to purchase one or more First Alert model WX-200 weather radios email Dick Ravich now at bigsursat@sprynet.com to place your order.  Make your check payable to Peninsula Communications in the amount of $45.60 for each radio you order.  This includes sales tax and shipping to Salinas.  Mail your check to Dick Ravich PO Box 428 Big Sur, CA 93920.  Jim must order these radios in lots of 10, so the faster you respond the better the chance you can join in the first order.  We will get the radios to Big Sur and distribute them.  You may also pay for the radios at that time, but please email your order now.

If you wish to purchase a different “Public Alert certified” weather radio on your own, we have included a list of others below.  We highly recommend that the weather radio you purchase be a “Public Alert certified” radio.  See below for details on why.

The transmitter’s broadcast frequency is 162.475 MHz, which will probably be channel 3 or 4 on your NOAA weather radio (channel may vary by make and model, check your radio’s manual).  Make sure the transmission you are listening to is broadcasting on this frequency, and they announce it as KEC-49, transmitting from Post Ranch Inn.  If you are listening to another frequency you may not receive warnings and alerts intended for Big Sur.  See below in this email for other important warnings.

If you already own a programmable weather radio, you should program it with the following code if you want to hear only emergency alerts intended for the Big Sur area, 706053.  This procedure is described in the owner’s manual.

If your weather radio cannot be programmed with the above code, you do not have a recently-manufactured “Public Alert certified” weather radio, which means your radio may also be lacking other important features.

You should know that this transmitter installation is temporary.  National Weather Service says it will remove the transmitter after May 15th of this year.  However, we are working on a permanent solution, so hopefully NOAA weather radio will continue to be available in the Big Sur area for years to come.

Here is a list of some of the “Public Alert certified” radios you may want to consider (with approximate Internet prices):

First Alert/Sima WX-200  ($40 – $65)

Reecom R-1630  ($55)

Reecom R-1650 with AM/FM  ($70)

Midland WR-100B  ($25 – $45)

Midland WR-300 with AM/FM  ($45 – $50)

Although it lacks some of the features of a “Public Alert certified” weather radio, following is a programmable scanner that includes the ability to alert when triggered by a NOAA weather radio emergency alert or an AM/FM radio emergency alert (e.g., from KUSP): 

Uniden BC370CRS scanner, includes alert capability  ($136.00)

Why a “Public Alert certified” weather radio?  The Consumer Electronics Association, in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed a standard for weather radios with certain features that make these radios ideal for issuing emergency warnings.  The trade name for the standard is “Public Alert.”  Here are some of the features of Public Alert radios:

• They can be set to be silent (so you don’t have to listen to them 24/7) and to unmute when they are triggered by a broadcast alert signal, to emit a loud warning sound (to get your attention), to sound a verbal warning of the hazard and to display and save a text warning.
• You can set them to warn you only about certain types of hazards (see this NOAA web page for an explanation).
• They can be programmed with a code that limits the warnings they trigger-on to only those intended for Big Sur, so you won’t be awakened by warnings for other areas (generally, from Mal Paso Creek on the north to San Luis Obispo county line, inland well into the Los Padres National Forest).  This code is called a SAME code (see this NOAA web page for more on SAME codes).  The SAME code for Big Sur is 706053.
• Attached is a map showing the SAME codes for different parts of Monterey county.
• An optional external antenna can be connected to improve reception.
• They can optionally be set up to turn on a light or other external warning device when there is a emergency alert.
• They have battery backup in case the power goes out (e.g., the First Alert/Sima WX-200 uses 4 AA alkaline or rechargeable batteries to automatically power the radio for up to 2 days during a power failure).

WARNING:  The National Weather Service transmitter currently relies on telephone service to work.  If phone service to the transmitter stops working, you will receive NO warning on your weather radio.  To learn if the transmitter is working, set your weather radio so you can hear its 24-hour-per-day weather report on 162.475 MHz (channel 3 or 4).  If you hear the broadcast, the transmitter is working. 

Also, if your phone service fails, you will receive NO warning from Monterey County’s telephone-based emergency warning system.  

This means if all phone service in Big Sur fails, NO emergency warnings will be issued in the area through either of these systems.

The NWS signal may not cover all parts of Big Sur due to the mountainous terrain.  

Pay attention to the amount of rainfall.  Always act on your own, without warning, if you suspect there is a possibility of debris flows, mud flows or flooding.  Phone and radio warning systems are only a back-up for your good sense!

Here is a list of some of the people who have helped to get this warning system working:

Jim Lacalamita and his crew (Peninsula Communications in Salinas)

Bill Post

Terry Green and Brant Herrett (manager and engineer, KUSP FM)

Tom Evans (and others, National Weather Service)

Dan Priano (manager, Post Ranch Inn)

Mike Caplin

Mary Trotter

Trey Kropp

Dick Ravich

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!

It has been so dry, so hot, and so windy for so long, I forgot it is JANUARY, for pete’s sake. Don’t get me wrong, I like this weather – well, except for its fire potential. But we need rain. We’ve only had 11 3/4 inches up here so far this season, and that’s not a helluva lot. I need to get out my 15 years of calendars and compare it to other years.

Next week, in the middle of the week, it looks like that MIGHT change. Good. My garden and I have just about dried up.

From a friend: “Scanner just went off for a smoke investigation on the Nacimento/Coast Ridge Road.  Somebody from Lucia called it in– Nakarubi area.  Forest Service is investigating – non burn day.”

” Ok – Martha talked to the owner at the fire site – old stump from Chalk Fire flared up – sending pump truck.  Sounds like everything is under control.”

And FWIW, I cannot see ANY smoke from here, so whatever it is is very small.

Humidity rapidly dropping. Nepenthe is only 13%, Chew’s Ridge is 9%. I haven’t checked mine, but will post when I do. Winds still strong out of the east. Temperatures up in the 70’s already, in fact, the LOW at Nepenthe was in the 70’s. Dangerous combination here, folks. PLEASE be extra cautious, as no rain in the forecast.

This is from today’s NOAA forecast discussion: “NOT SEEING ANY RAIN IN THE FORECAST

 THROUGH JAN 23RD...WHICH IS STARTING TO GET WORRISOME." 

It has been very windy all day. At 7 pm at night, it is 60 degrees up here, humidity is 22%. And this from a reader: “It is currently 71 with 20% humidity at my house near Pfeiffer Beach and a wind out of the East. . . .  This is prime fire weather and so very dangerous.” 

I concur. No rain in the forecast for the next 10 days, either. It is only going to get worse. Personally, I think the USFS needs to rethink its campfire policy for the LPNF, and will be suggesting the same to Bradford.

I received the following this morning. You might want to make a note for future reference.

The Big Sur temporary NOAA Weather Radio broadcast is now operational.  It is broadcasting on a frequency of 162.475 MHz from Post Ranch Inn.  A permanent solution is in the works.  The temporary solution will be in place through at least May 15, 2009.  A formal announcement can be found at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/versprod.php?pil=PNS&sid=MTR <http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/versprod.php?pil=PNS&sid=MTR>

This also received from CalTrans:

BIG SUR — The helicopter operation of the emergency contract to construct a rockfall drapery system to prevent landslides at various locations on both directions of Hwy. 1 just north of Torre Canyon Bridge has been postponed, Caltrans officials today announced. 

Work is now tentatively scheduled to occur on Tuesday, Jan. 20, and Wednesday, Jan. 21. Initially, work was scheduled to begin on Jan. 12. Construction hours are from 9 am to 4 pm on both days. Up to 45-minute traffic delays are expected for this operation.

NOTE: THE DATES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20-21ST~~

Today’s Date:Wednesday, January 7, 2009

District:            5 (Santa Barbara, SLO, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties)

Contact:            Susana Z Cruz (español) or Colin Jones

Phone:            (805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

HELICOPTER OPERATION FOR ROCKFALL DRAPERY PROJECT ON HWY 1 IN BIG SUR–NEXT WEEK FOR ONE TO TWO DAYS ONLY

 

BIG SUR—The helicopter operation of the emergency contract to construct a rockfall drapery system to prevent landslides at various locations on both directions of Hwy. 1 just north of Torre Canyon Bridge begins next week, Caltrans officials have announced.

Work is scheduled for two days from Monday, Jan. 12, to Tuesday, Jan. 13 but may be completed early due to factors such as weather, winds and visibility. Work hours are from 9 am to 4 pm both days. Up to 45-minute delays can be anticipated for this operation.

This work is part of the on-going emergency rockfall protection project resulting from the Basin Complex Fire. The rockfall drapery system will be used to prevent rockfall on this steep and denuded slope. Vegetation on the slope was lost as a result of the Basin Complex fire. The slope is now extremely prone to landslides. 

The contractor for this emergency project is AIS Construction Company of Ventura.

Caltrans reminds motorists that ‘we’re here to get you there’.

For traffic updates on other state highway projects in Monterey County, residents can call the District 5 toll free number at 1-831-372-0862 or can visit our website at www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/maint/road/upmon.htm

Everyone is out of the office for holiday, but the assistant resources officer. This is what she sent:

Hi Kathleen, 

I want to pass on some information related to the South Coast Ridge Road.  Per the Chalk BAER Report engineering recommendations, the District will be performing post-storm patrol and monitoring on the road after major storms to find and fix minor problems (minor rock fall, downed trees, etc.), and to document larger problems to pass on to the contractor.  As you already know, a contract is in place for any major work that may need to be performed.  In the event of an emergency (eg. the road becomes impassable), you should call 9-1-1 (primary dispatch).  Primary dispatch, in turn, will contact the Forest dispatch center who will follow the appropriate procedure to alert the contractor. 

As I mentioned in the voicemail message I left you earlier today, after today, I am planning be out of the office until next Monday.  If you have any additonal questions prior to then, the office, (831) 385-5434, will be open tomorrow and Friday from 0800 – 1630.  I hope this information is helpful and you will share it with your neighbors. 

Katherine Malengo
Assistant Resource Officer
Monterey District – Los Padres National Forest
406 South Mildred Avenue
King City, CA 93930
(831) 385-5434, ext. 219
kmalengo@fs.fed.us

Nothing in the forecast but beautiful weather until Sunday, so it will be a quiet week here on bigsurkate, which is a good thing, as I have lots of work to do, then lots of partying to do. Whoo hoo! I, for one, can not wait for 2008 to be over. It has not been an easy year for any of us, but we were given many opportunities to find out what we are made of, how strong our friendships are, and all the blessings that fill our lives. Thank you for being part of mine. Maybe a photo or two before we say good-bye to 2008.