For some unknown reason, I have never tried to grow tulips before. These are my very first…not of just the season, but of my life! I think I like these!

Flash Flood Warning for Colorado and Dolan Fire Burn Scars Sun, 3/27/2022 7:00 PM to Mon, 3/28/2022 6:00 AM PDT

National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flash Flood Watch from Sunday, 3/27/2022 7:00 PM to Monday, 3/28/2022 6:00 AM PDT for the Colorado and Dolan Fire burn scars along the Big Sur Coast.

Heavy rainfall could trigger flash flooding of low-lying areas, urbanized street flooding, and debris flows in and near recent wildfire burn scars. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris. There is potential for power outages and slides across Highway 1–drive with caution.

More Info: https://inws.ncep.noaa.gov/a/a.php?i=67724415

(NOTE: MCOES titled this a Flash Flood “Warning,” but the NWS calls it a ”Watch” which means to be aware of the possibility, whereas ”Warning” means it is imminent. It is not imminent at this point, but may become so at 7 pm tonight.)

My apologies, it appears the BSMAAC agenda materials had an incorrect zoom link. Please use this one:

Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council meeting 

9:45AM is the AB 361 meeting for BSMAAC

10:00AM is the regularly scheduled BSMAAC meeting

https://montereycty.zoom.us/s/96623076393

Or One tap mobile:

    +16692192599,,96623076393# US (San Jose)

Or join by phone:

1 669 219 2599  

Webinar ID: 966 2307 6393

Sarah Hardgrave | Chief of Staff

  to District 5 Supervisor Mary L. Adams

New Free Tow-chain Cover Program: Prevent roadside sparks – Prevent Wildfires!

A leading cause of wildfire in our county is dragging tow chains that spark and ignite roadside vegetation. To prevent this, Robles Firewise and Tularcitos Ridge Firewise volunteers have joined forces to provide FREE tow-chain covers made from retired firehose.

In the coming weeks, you can find free tow-chain covers in buckets like those pictured below throughout Carmel Valley (and eventually throughout Monterey county) at gas stations, hardware stores, Hacienda Hay & Feed, the Trail & Saddle Club, etc. and In Cachagua, buckets will be placed at neighborhood mailboxes.

Simply unscrew the hooks on your trailer chains, slide the cover over the chain, and re-attach your hooks. 

Special thanks to state and local fire departments and Carmel Valley CERT for donating the hose; to Alfredo Mendieta for helping translate the signs into Spanish; to Meredith May, Laura Anderson, Steve Park, Jenn Jackson, and Steve Imbimbo of Tularcitos Ridge Firewise, and Stacey Wood and Alondra Valdez Klemek of Robles Firewise Group for collecting supplies, cutting hose, laminating signs, and assembling and/or distributing the buckets.

If you are interested in having a bucket at your place of business; if you need to request a refill of tow-chain covers; or you would like to volunteer to cut more hose for the program, please go to either www.Roblesfirewise.com

Or www.Tularcitosridgefirewise.com

Attached please find the agenda packets for the BSMAAC meeting scheduled for next Friday, March 25, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., as well as a Special Meeting to occur on Friday, March 25, 2022 at 9:45 a.m.

The meetings will be conducted virtually. 

Join Online: https://montereycty.zoom.us/j/91371272380

Join One-tap mobile: US: +16699006833,,91371272380# or +12133388477,,91371272380#

Join via telephone: US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 213 338 8477

Webinar ID: 913 7127 2380

AGENDA
III. Approval of the November 12, 2021 Minutes
IV. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items – limited to 3 minutes
V. New Business
a. Caltrans Speed Zone Survey, Peter Hendrix
b. Presentation by the Fire Safe Council For Monterey County on the need for
locations to install ALERTWildfire cameras to cover the Big Sur area
VI. Old Business
a. Big Sur Byway Organization Status Update, Martha Diehl b. Caltrans Bridge Railing Project Status Update
VII. Reports from Member Agencies
a. Big Sur Resident, North Coast
b. Big Sur Resident, South Coast
c. Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
d. Community Association of Big Sur
e. Monterey County Planning Department
f. Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District g. California Coastal Commission
h. Caltrans
i. California State Parks and Recreation
j. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
k. United States Forest Service
l. 5th District, Monterey County Board of Supervisors m. 30th District, California State Assembly
n. 17th District, California State Senate

o. 20th District, United States Congress
VIII. Report from Other Agencies on Issues Pertinent to Big Sur
IX. Adjournment – 1:00 p.m.
Next Meeting – Friday, June 3

For minutes and agendas from the last three calendar years, please visit:
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/planning/cca/BSMAAC/bsma_main.htm

One reader said this link did not work for her but that this one did:  https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/housing-community-development/planning-services/committees-hearings-agendas/big-sur-multi-agency-advisory-council

Note: This schedule is weather dependent as rain or wind may affect the use of specialized equipment. Rain is expected on Monday…

Date:	Wednesday, March 23, 2022
District:	05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact:	Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers
Phone:	(805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD: HIGHWAY 1 AT BIXBY BRIDGE TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT FOR FOUR NIGHTS BEGINNING MONDAY MARCH 28

MONTEREY COUNTY – Maintenance work on the Bixby Bridge (PM 59.5) will result in full overnight closures of Highway 1 at Bixby Bridge for four nights beginning Monday March 28. This is a continuation of work initiated last July to effect repairs to the concrete on the bridge structure. 

This work is scheduled at night to minimize disruptions to travelers on the complete run of the Big Sur coast. The best way to reduce any element of surprise is to rebroadcast information about these overnight closures of Hwy. 1 with everyone within your circle of concern. Thank you in advance for your shares.

The hours of the overnight closures will be from 10 pm to 6:00 am.

Highway 1 at Bixby Bridge will be closed:

Monday March 28              10 pm to 6 am

Tuesday March 29             10 pm to 6 am

Wednesday March 30        10 pm to 6 am

Thursday March 31            10 pm to 6 am

This schedule is weather dependent as rain or wind may affect the use of specialized equipment.

Note: Due to the use of a large crane and other heavy equipment on the bridge during the closure, the roadway would take at least 30 minutes to reopen for emergency vehicles.

Caltrans is working closely with the California Highway Patrol to coordinate traffic control and emergency response during closure hours.

In case of an emergency requiring travel across the Bixby Bridge during the hours of the closures, residents and all travelers are advised to call 911

There is no detour for this closure and traffic control will direct motorists to return along Highway 1 in the direction from which they came.

Message and directional signs will alert motorists in advance of the closure area.

These closures are necessary for contracted maintenance crews to perform repairs and inspections on the bridge support for the safety of all travelers.

Spring is actually here, officially.

I am only including those from Big Sur to Highway 68 and this week because there are so many new areas that will have some construction.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

             TAMC CONE ZONE REPORT

ROAD AND LANE CLOSURES SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 20 – MARCH 26

MONTEREY COUNTY – Here are the major scheduled road and lane closures for Monterey County from Sunday, March 20 through Saturday, March 26 – newest information is in red. Please keep in mind that construction work is weather-dependent.

Highway 1: Granite Canyon Bridge: Long – Term 
One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound and southbound Highway 1 at Granite Canyon Bridge for bridge work from 8 am to 12 am.

Highway 1: Little Sur River Bridge: Long-Term 
Temporary traffic signals have been activated on northbound and southbound Highway 1 just south of the Little Sur Bridge as part of a planned construction project. The traffic signals will operate 24/7 and motorists may expect 10-minute traffic delays. Message and directional signs will be in place to assist travelers. 

Everything below here, pretend it is in red.

Highway 1: Palo Colorado – Rocky Creek Bridge: March 21 – March 25
One-way traffic controls will be in place along northbound Highway 1 between Palo Colorado and Rocky Creek Bridge for utility work from 8 am to 3 pm.

Highway 1: Garrapata Creek Bridge: March 21 – March 24
One-way traffic controls will be in place and there will be intermittent closures along northbound and southbound Highway 1 at Garrapata Creek Bridge for work along the highway from 8 am to 4 pm.

Highway 1: South Carmel Hill Dr. – Stewart Pl./Flanders Dr.: March 21 – March 25 
One lane closure will be in place along northbound Highway 1 between South Carmel Hill Drive and Stewart Place/Flanders Drive for drainage work from 8 pm to 6 am.

Highway 1: Ocean Avenue – Carmel Valley Road: March 21 – March 22 
One lane closure will be in place along southbound Highway 1 between Ocean Avenue and Carmel Valley Road for tree work from 8 pm to 5 am.

Highway 1: Eighth Street: March 22– March 23 
One lane closure will be in place along southbound Highway 1 at Eight Street for bridge work from 9 am to 2 pm.

State Route 68: Prescott Lane – Forest Hill Boulevard: March 21 – March 24
One lane closure will occur along westbound SR 68 between Prescott Lane and ForestHill Boulevard for utility work from 8 am to 4 pm.

Both the online seminar and the article appear to be very interesting and timely. If you are interested in either one, read this post.

by ForestWatch on MARCH 16, 2022  in FIRE, LAND MANAGEMENT

Register for March 30 Webinar featuring panel discussion with article co-authors.

ForestWatch’s Conservation Director, Bryant Baker, recently co-authored a peer-reviewed scientific paper about forest and fire management in the western U.S. that is being published in the April issue of the journal, Biological Conservation. The full article is now publicly available online.

The paper, Have western USA fire suppression and megafire active management approaches become a contemporary Sisyphus?, was led by renowned forest and fire ecologist Dr. Dominick DellaSala, Chief Scientist at Wild Heritage, who just today testified about current forest management policies before the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Environment. Other co-authors include Dr. Chad Hanson at John Muir Project, Dr. William Baker at University of Wyoming (no relation to Bryant), and Luke Ruediger at Klamath Forest Alliance.

There is ongoing scientific debate about current forest management and fire suppression practices. This new paper adds to a growing body of evidence that questions the widespread use of intensive commercial thinning and other fuel reduction activities, especially as strategies to protect communities from large weather- and climate-driven wildfires. The authors note in the article:

Treating wildfires using bottom-up fuels reduction approaches when top-down extreme climate factors are increasingly overriding such efforts…could push ecosystems beyond resilience thresholds…at the further expense of biodiversity and the climate.

For the rest of this article see Forest Watch link here: https://lpfw.org/forestwatch-co-authors-peer-reviewed-article-on-forest-and-fire-management/