Cachagua Community Fire Meeting Notes from tonight...

July 13, 2008, about 10:30 pm...

Just finished processing and uploading to KUSP the audio from tonight's Cachagua Community Fire Meeting.

It'll take a bit to run through some of the points brought up tonight. 

The meeting was more of an opportunity for folks to get some information straightened out with the IC, CalFire and the Monterey County Sheriff's Department about what has worked and what hasn't worked during the Mandatory Evacuation order, in particular. 

Other subjects were broached, including - OBOY!!! - the status of the fire! 

But, if you've been hanging out with us here at "Life in the Fire Lane" today, and with no small thanks to contributors to the 'blog, you're just about caught up on the status of the fire.

Bottom line: it's a tough fire to control, but they're doing all they can, the country is rough and they're strengthening new dozer lines.

Buck Silva, Field Operations Chief for the Unified Command - this man, along with IC Jerry McGowan, in my humble opinion, KNOWS how to fight a wildland fire - gave the crowd the rundown on the blaze and its progress.

That said, neither Buck, nor Jerry, nor Rick Hutchinson - good men, all - are local. Their job is to get this fire handled. So, clearly, Jerry was before us dealing some issues regarding evacuations, of which he expected others in the Unified Command to take care. 

That things had not gone as smoothly as he, and we, and the Sheriff and CHP had hoped... Jerry got an earful about. And, being a "the buck stops here" kind of guy, he apologized a couple of times to our neighbors who were inconvenienced and upset. The IC called for all to view this operation as a partnership, to continue together in the spirit of cooperation and he encouraged dialogue.

Things needed airing out, and they got aired. You can catch the action right here at KUSP's website, for the Jamesburg/Cachagua version of Sports Center.

Now for the fire:

• The "slop over" from yesterday is still slowly "backing down" Chews Ridge by the Observatory - meaning the fire is spreading at slower rates and lower intensity, usually moving into the wind and/or down slope - as opposed to being "driven up", which can be fast and ferocious.
• In addition, the fire line is holding for the moment at White Oaks.
  

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Here's a MODIS map from Jim Kasson

from about 4pm today. Jim says "This afternoon’s MODIS data looks pretty darned good." 

Here's why... Jim notes:

1. No new fires over the line at White Oaks Camp.
   
2. Fires around Black Butte are well away from fire lines
   
3. Fire activity continues SE and West of Miller Mtn. Will these fires join?
   
4. Fire at Elephant Mtn is well away from fire line.
   

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And here are some pictures from Eric Walters...

This is a shot of the fire from the same spot and angle a two different times of day.... one at 7 am and the other at 8 pm, showing the progress of the fire.

Eric writes: 

"You can see in this comparison photo how the fire has advanced down that slope today. Let's hope the Cachagua Fire dozer crew's line holds. Kudos to Terry Bishop and crew, widely known as one of the best dozer operators there ever was. They have put in a new line on the north side of Anastasia Canyon that will hopefully hold this advancing fire."

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Cachagua Fire's Offer You Can't Refuse...

As always, our own Cachagua Volunteer Firefighters step up wherever they can to assist us... the difference being that they are just our friends and neighbors puttin' on a Fire Service... and they'll be right next door when everyone else has gone on to another wildlands fires somewhere else in the country.

Bear Kimber, EMT from Cachagua Fire and I were chatting after tonight's meeting and, typical of those in Volunteer F.D.s and our Cachagua crew in particular, I get the impression that Bear's heart really is in to being there for this community when we need assistance.

She told me that she and the crew are available to Jamesburgers and Cachaguans and ESPECIALLY if you're holed-up in the Mandatory Evacuation Areas and have special needs. 

If you need medicine, food, an escort in or out of the Evac Zone, or a sort out of a checkpoint disagreement, they'll do the best they can to help.

Call them at  659-7700.

Here's Bear at the meeting with her piggy Emily... it's a donation piggy. So, when this is all over, let's not forget the people who stood shoulder to shoulder with us!

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The Red Cross will close the Evacuation Centers...

The reason is that they're not getting used, which is actually a good thing, since not many have been displaced in Carmel Valley or Arroyo Seco.

By the way, it appears that neither of the Red Cross facilities mentioned in the earlier Basin Complex Fire Updates are described incorrectly. Both are "Centers" and not "Shelters."

"Centers" are places you can go to snack and get fed, be welcomed and warm, meet friends and neighbors, get assistance and the like.

"Shelters" are places where, in addition to the above, evacuees may sleep for extended periods.

Call the Red Cross at (831) 796-1991 if you need information about centers or shelters.

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A Good Night Kiss,  from Steve...

Steve, our neighbor up on Lambert Flat, wished me a good night via email in the following manner:

"Family safely in village. Big visible flames in Anastasia Canyon are steadily skunking their way north and west. Sleep well."

Thank you, Steve... you, too!!

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Sunset at John's Place...

 

Through the smoke, the trees and the lavender

                  (photo by John Russo)