February 15, 2009
Storm Watch: Big Sur Burn Areas On Alert
Residents on the Big Sur Coast and parts of Santa Cruz County brace for the effects of heavier than normal seasonal rains. Mud, land, rock slides and downed trees are a big danger in fresh burn areas. Big Sur Kate keeps watch with generous updates including links that include the incredible image below. The Basin Complex and Indians Fire perimeters are clearly outlined in the lower portion of the image.
Image NOAA.GOV (Click to Enlarge)
Labels: Basin Complex, Big Sur, Big Sur Kate
September 27, 2008
From The Ashes; Condor Chick Survives The Basin Complex Fire
Good news. A California Condor chick survived the Basin Complex Fire unharmed. Members of Ventana Wilderness Society hiked into the blackened forest to check on the well being of the chick.
Watch the video.
What directed my attention back to the plight of the Ventana condors was a "birding spectacle" in our own backyard here in Central California this evening. My youngest came in from the backyard and alerted the family there were hundreds of giant vultures overhead and landing in the trees.
Dozens of turkey vultures were soaring at roof level, circling the yard and taking turns landing in a couple of our taller cedar trees. While the turkey vulture is not the most visually appealing bird it is one of the largest and watching them skim the rooftops in number was something to see.
More vultures appeared and at one point at least 150 were soaring overhead circling, waiting for a chance to get a spot in a tree.
Numerous neighbors caught this as well and we all agreed this was special occurance. In all my time in the woods and observing nature this event finds a way near the top.
What I found out is we are on the migratory path of the giant bird here in the Valley.
In fact the Audubon Society's Kern River Preserve holds their Autumn "Nature & Vulture Festival" on this weekend every year. In 2004 the group counted over 6,000 turkey vultures near Weldon.
I recorded our informal count on their blog.
Between politics and world financial news getting in touch with something so awesome was much needed.
Watch the video.
What directed my attention back to the plight of the Ventana condors was a "birding spectacle" in our own backyard here in Central California this evening. My youngest came in from the backyard and alerted the family there were hundreds of giant vultures overhead and landing in the trees.
Dozens of turkey vultures were soaring at roof level, circling the yard and taking turns landing in a couple of our taller cedar trees. While the turkey vulture is not the most visually appealing bird it is one of the largest and watching them skim the rooftops in number was something to see.
More vultures appeared and at one point at least 150 were soaring overhead circling, waiting for a chance to get a spot in a tree.
Numerous neighbors caught this as well and we all agreed this was special occurance. In all my time in the woods and observing nature this event finds a way near the top.
What I found out is we are on the migratory path of the giant bird here in the Valley.
In fact the Audubon Society's Kern River Preserve holds their Autumn "Nature & Vulture Festival" on this weekend every year. In 2004 the group counted over 6,000 turkey vultures near Weldon.
I recorded our informal count on their blog.
Between politics and world financial news getting in touch with something so awesome was much needed.
Labels: Basin Complex
August 08, 2008
Cachagua Valley Visit, Post Basin Complex
I had to see the country.Years ago I fought fire on the "front" or ocean side of the Basin Complex burn area.
Twice we brought crews down from Santa Cruz County late in the afternoon and scraped lines around fires burning on million dollar view sites.
Nothing like a beautiful Pacific Ocean sunset as a backdrop while you tie off a polite little burn. Easy money and fun.
A different world exists on the back side of Big Sur.
On my many visits to the Carmel Valley I never ventured south the community of Carmel Valley.
Yesterday I set out to find the Cachagua Valley, the place where residents were held hostage in their own homes as the Basin Complex Fire worked its way down the backside of the Ventana Wilderness.
Miles south of Carmel Valley I turned off the highway onto the Cachagua Valley Road. The Tularcitos CalFire station sign is about a half mile up the road. No station could be seen and a closed metal gate kept me from getting a look at the grounds. I've spent time at a number of Cal Fire /CDF stations and like to see how the stations stack up. This one is hidden from view.
So up the windy, narrow road up to a summit where I could finally pull over and take a look at charred peaks in the distance.
When God built the Ventana Wilderness he put all his leftover steep slopes and canyons behind Big Sur.
He also covered the steep canyons with vegetation so thick you can't walk through it. Dare to try you are greeted by poison oak, dead and dying varieties of brush, live and dead oak trees choking varieties of conifers doing their best to make a life surrounded by their less polite neighbors.My first thought was how did they ever put this fire out.
I descended into Cachagua Valley. Four or more miles of downhill at 10 to 20 miles per hour on the 1 1/2 lane road and I'm on the valley floor. It's not a valley really, it's a road between mountains. It looks different from overhead views on Google Earth.
Sitting on the porch of the Cachagua General Store was a gray bearded man reading. I decided not to interrupt his peace with a bunch of questions. I took a good look around until it was time to crawl back out of the valley.I had to see it and I did.
During the Basin Complex fire I followed the saga of the residents of this valley. To say they were treated poorly would be kind to local law enforcement. I'll never understand why the residents were treated as they were by the Monterey County Sheriff but I did gain a little insight as I drove around the area.
Some places are primed to burn. Because of geography, topography and meteorology some places are fire disasters in waiting. This little valley is such a place.
It's dry, and sits at the base of steep faced mountains. There is nowhere to defend an approaching fire from. Even the main road is covered by tree limbs. If you attempted to fire out from the Cachagua Valley road the fire would quickly be on both sides of the highway.
Undoubtedly Basin commanders running the east side had detailed discussions about the foreseeable threat to the little valley and concluded the place had to be evacuated. Tactics chosen to persuade the residents were heavy handed and wrong. There is no dispute about this.
My "after the fact" opinion is, if the fire would have moved into the Cachagua Valley people would have died.
Residents who prepare their properties by clearing vegetation, wrapping and have gel on hand can make a case to stay and defend in most cases. The majority of Cachagua homesteads I saw from the road yesterday did not fall into this category. Many of the properties I saw were dangerous fire traps. Firefighters would compromise their own safety to rescue residents in non defensible dwellings and that is the real problem.
Readers of this blog might sense a bit of hypocrisy, after all I have blasted the Basin Command for not helping the residents of Tassajara farther up canyon.
Two different scenarios. The monks at Tassajara had a defensible space and sprinklers installed. The compound had survived a direct fire assault years earlier. Weeks before Basin firefighters drew up structure protection plans for Tassajara. The plans were not put in action and five monks were left to do their best.
In addition Tassajara is one compound, not separate properties spread about. Wildfire burning through a narrow valley with residents sheltering in place is a nightmare scenario.
Once I got back on the Carmel Valley Road I noticed all the signs thanking firefighters tacked and nailed on telephone poles every couple of miles. I liked one in particular posted on a pole in the town of Carmel Valley.
I saw no such signs in Cachagua. I think the sentiment is misplaced. An outstanding firefighting effort waged miles away saved their community.Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, brush clearance
July 29, 2008
"I Think We Saved Tassajara" A Fire Story Like No Other
Tassajara Mountain Center Director David Zimmerman recounts how he and four fellow "fire-monks" faced the Basin Complex Fire as it swept down canyon from four sides on the afternoon of July 10.
We read about preparations for the fire's arrival and circumstances that led to the decision to stay, now we are treated to a remarkable recounting of the day flames arrived.
Read the story here of the "Tassajara Five" here.
The monks were denied help from the Forest Service during and after the fire arrived even as helicopters and tankers circled above. I posted on the plight of the Center here and here. They were abandoned, even as they requested help by phone as the fire raged about the compound.
$80,000,000 was spent on the 162,000 acre Basin Complex fire and the Tassajara Mountain Center was the only structure on the entire east side of the massive blaze!
We read about preparations for the fire's arrival and circumstances that led to the decision to stay, now we are treated to a remarkable recounting of the day flames arrived.
Read the story here of the "Tassajara Five" here.
The monks were denied help from the Forest Service during and after the fire arrived even as helicopters and tankers circled above. I posted on the plight of the Center here and here. They were abandoned, even as they requested help by phone as the fire raged about the compound.
$80,000,000 was spent on the 162,000 acre Basin Complex fire and the Tassajara Mountain Center was the only structure on the entire east side of the massive blaze!
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, Tassajara
July 25, 2008
Forest Service Head Pops In On Basin Complex Fire Camp
U.S. Forest Service Chief Abigail Kimbell visited the Basin Complex incident base today. Incident Commander Jeanne Pincha-Tulley and her command staff also entertained an incident management team from South Carolina who were flown in to observe.On July 17 Ms. Pincha-Tulley was brought in from another fire to take over for the departing Mike Deitrich.
I stand by my theory she was brought in to smooth out rough edges that emerged between the community and the Deitrich team. These rough edges include the general treatment of Big Sur residents who stayed to defend their homes and more specifically residents of Partington Ridge, Apple Pie Ridge and the Tassajara Mountain Center.
True to form Pincha-Tulley has been visible and available to her firefighters and the community. A person would be hard pressed to find one negative word written about her on any fire she has managed.
So it's not surprising Ms. Kimbell is calling on the Pincha-Tulley camp. The California Interagency Incident command Team 3 (CIIMT3) operates a model USFS camp.Read how Jeanne Pincha-Tulley earned the respect of the residents of Ketchum Idaho last year here.
(Image as part of linked article)
Labels: Basin Complex
Basin Complex Scars 152,000 Acres, End Near
Basin Complex command estimates the final total acreage will be 162,818 with a final cost of $78,000,000.
Current containment is estimated is at 79% though a containment line has been around the perimeter for more than a week. Firefighters are burning out any green left inside lines, dropping snags and removing equipment.
Full scale demobilization of the remaining 1,400 fire personnel will begin on July 30.
It turns out the Pico Blanco Boy Scout camp sustained damage. Earlier reports suggested the camp came away undamaged. Firefighters were positioned at the camp as the fire swept through. According to The Californian most of the buildings were saved but some infrastructure and the camp ranger's house burned.
Surely the entire camp would have been destroyed had firefighters pulled out. Kudos to the crews that battled the flames in that canyon.
The combined acreage between the Basin Complex and the adjoining Indians Fire will exceed 240,000. Though the fires merged they will be treated as separate events. It's noteworthy the total area burned between the linked fires place it at number three on the list of largest California wildfires in state history.
While the two fires will keep their own identity they are being managed as one by the Basin ICS team. A reference is mentioned in today's morning report.
"Actions planned for next operational period:
Day Operations: In the areas of Paloma Creek, Miller and River Canyons, continue mop up and patrol. Continue interior burnout operations South of the Los Padres Dam as needed and mop up. Complete burning operations and mop up around Arroyo Seco. Provide contingency resources and mop up for the affected area of Tanbark. The Southern perimeter will be patrolled by air. Begin rehab for the East Basin and continue rehab for the Indians Fire. "
Here is an image from GeoMAC captured at 1700hrs today July 25. You can clearly see how the Basin command are blackening all green areas within the burn.
Current containment is estimated is at 79% though a containment line has been around the perimeter for more than a week. Firefighters are burning out any green left inside lines, dropping snags and removing equipment.
Full scale demobilization of the remaining 1,400 fire personnel will begin on July 30.
It turns out the Pico Blanco Boy Scout camp sustained damage. Earlier reports suggested the camp came away undamaged. Firefighters were positioned at the camp as the fire swept through. According to The Californian most of the buildings were saved but some infrastructure and the camp ranger's house burned.
Surely the entire camp would have been destroyed had firefighters pulled out. Kudos to the crews that battled the flames in that canyon.
The combined acreage between the Basin Complex and the adjoining Indians Fire will exceed 240,000. Though the fires merged they will be treated as separate events. It's noteworthy the total area burned between the linked fires place it at number three on the list of largest California wildfires in state history.
While the two fires will keep their own identity they are being managed as one by the Basin ICS team. A reference is mentioned in today's morning report.
"Actions planned for next operational period:
Day Operations: In the areas of Paloma Creek, Miller and River Canyons, continue mop up and patrol. Continue interior burnout operations South of the Los Padres Dam as needed and mop up. Complete burning operations and mop up around Arroyo Seco. Provide contingency resources and mop up for the affected area of Tanbark. The Southern perimeter will be patrolled by air. Begin rehab for the East Basin and continue rehab for the Indians Fire. "
Here is an image from GeoMAC captured at 1700hrs today July 25. You can clearly see how the Basin command are blackening all green areas within the burn.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008
July 20, 2008
Tale of Two Learning Centers, U.C. Berkeley & San Francisco Zen Center
Both maintain learning retreats in the same forest, both share a similar mission of teaching. Both respect the land they occupy. Both strive to do right by nature and society.
The University of California's Hastings Reserve is one of 36 reserves in the Nature Reserve Systems maintained by the University of California. The NRS mission statement;
"The mission of the Natural Reserve System is to contribute to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California."
The San Francisco Zen Center maintains a mountain retreat situated in the Ventana Wilderness called the Tassjara Zen Center. The Zen Center mission includes;
"The purpose of Zen Center is to make accessible and embody the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha as expressed in the Soto Zen tradition established by Dogen Zenji in 13th-century Japan and conveyed to us by Suzuki Roshi and other Buddhist teachers...."
I followed the Tassajara story as they prepared for and then met the Basin Fire with no help. We will continue to marvel at the story of the "Tassajara Five" and the brave defense of their Center.
The University of California's Hastings Reserve is one of 36 reserves in the Nature Reserve Systems maintained by the University of California. The NRS mission statement;
"The mission of the Natural Reserve System is to contribute to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California."
The San Francisco Zen Center maintains a mountain retreat situated in the Ventana Wilderness called the Tassjara Zen Center. The Zen Center mission includes;
"The purpose of Zen Center is to make accessible and embody the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha as expressed in the Soto Zen tradition established by Dogen Zenji in 13th-century Japan and conveyed to us by Suzuki Roshi and other Buddhist teachers...."
I followed the Tassajara story as they prepared for and then met the Basin Fire with no help. We will continue to marvel at the story of the "Tassajara Five" and the brave defense of their Center.
Here are the firefighting monks that saved the Zen Center as the Basin Fire swept in from four fronts on July 10.
Image Mako Voelkel Flickr
Here are the firefighters and equipment situated as a structure protection force at the Hastings Reserve while firing operations are conducted a couple of miles away.
Images: UC Berkeley Hastings Reserve blog
Two learning centers, two responses. The University of California research center deserves this protective force. The Buddhist center deserved help as well but was denied.
The obvious question is why?
.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Tassajara
New Basin Complex Commander Establishes Her Presence
On her first full day as Basin Complex Fire incident commander Jeanne Pincha-Tulley put her public relations skills to work. I suggested here and still believe her assignment is a move by the Forest Service to repair damage caused by previous command teams on both sides of the fire.This morning she will submit to an interview that can be heard on KUSP later today. In addition to interviews she has placed herself in front of residents for the past two days while shadowing the outgoing east side commander.
Public availability of near real time satellite mapping combined with local blogging allows a community to observe and (right or wrong) interpret fire activity. The ICS (Incident Command System) has not adjusted to meet the public relations requirements demanded and deserved by communities.
Pincha-Tulley possesses the skills to meet the demands of information hungry citizens. She is the only female running a national incident command team, and a mom. She is approachable, experienced and doesn't put on like she's leading a covert special ops. scheme in the mountains above the communities she's trying to save.
As predicted, the citizens of Lower Carmel Valley, Cachagua and Jamesburg were taken off mandatory evacuation when she took over even though a slight danger still existed. Why? Because the mandatory evacuation was understood by all to be more punitive than necessary. It was an insulting abuse of power and everyone knew it except the Monterey County Sheriff.
Pincha-Tulley obviously sat the old boys down and explained to them there is more to gain by freeing these people up than continuing with such a rigid sequestration. If you have followed the saga of the trapped residents of Cachagua and Jamesburg you know the anger and frustration reached a boiling point. Locals were actually calling for hostage negotiators to act as mediators between the Sheriff's Office and residents.
This combined with the incidents on Parrington Ridge, Apple Pie Ridge and of course the abandonment by fire personnel of Tassajara could end up being the defining legacy of an otherwise brilliant fire campaign.
As it stands the Basin Complex has burned 133,000 acres and sits at number nine all time on the list of largest wildfires in California history. The Basin Complex passed the 91,000 acre Old Fire and will certainly pass the 150k acre McNally Fire.
The combined acreage of the Indians Fire (81k acres) and Basin Complex are projected to overtake the 240k acre Zaca Fire for the number three spot.
The two fires will be likely remain separate. Though they merged before each was fully contained they had a separate genesis. One was lightning caused and the other by an errant campfire. The Indians Fire began three full weeks before the Basin Complex.
The Forest Service is mindful of these legacy fires. Ms. Pincha-Tulley is charged with rehabilitating the currently tarnished image assigned to the Basin Complex.
She is well on her way.
.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Indian Fire
July 18, 2008
Tassajara: Victims of USFS Bureaucratic Incompetence
Details of the heroic fight to save the Tassajara Zen Center are filtering out. Center Director David Zimmerman, one of the five "fire monks" describes the events that led to the final evacuation of the Center here.
From Zimmerman's story we learn Tassajara Center residents prepared for more than two weeks for the arrival of the Basin Fire. During much of that time they enjoyed the expertise of an off duty CalFire captain. Captain Stuart Carlson guiding them on ground preparation and safety issues.
On July 9 as the fire approached Captain Carlson summarized appropriately the changing weather and fire conditions above the mountain retreat. Once he was told by his contacts that no crews would be available for structure protection he advised the residents to evacuate. All but five did.
Basin Complex Fire command knew for weeks the situation at the Tassajara Center. On July 10, the same morning the Basin Fire descended on the compound the following line was included in the morning report;
Values at Risk: include communities, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural resources:
Next 12 hours: "West Zone: Residences south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along Hwy 1 and Palo Colorado Canyon residences. Carmel River watershed supplying CARMEL VALLEY, forest, riparian/steelhead habitat and cultural resources.
East Zone: Tassajara Road structures, cultural resources, watershed."
What happened between the night of July 9 and midday July 10 when the fire struck the Center?
What circumstances led the Forest Service to disregard their own assessment of risks faced by the "Tassajara Road Structures, cultural resources" from the time they drew up structure protection plans to when the fire arrived?
They clearly knew the Center was still occupied as evidenced in the July 10 morning report when they write, "Majority of the residents in the Tassajara community have evacuated".
Zimmerman writes regarding a conversation that took place between one of his people and Forest Service representatives on July 9;
"John Bradford, the District Ranger in King City, called her while Peggy Hernandez, Head of U.S. Forest Service and Deputy Supervisor Ken Heffner were in the room with him to let us know that they are pulling their people out and to once again ask us to leave because they cannot provide any ground crew support."
Clearly someone in the the Forest Service decided to pull the plug on Tassajara.
Even though Basin Fire command placed Tassajara on their "things to do list" on the morning of the 10th this was never read or processed by the (non firefighting) people 20 miles away in King City. Perhaps putting Tassajara on the "to do list" was only lip service, covering bases. They took a pass even though they knew there were still residents on the site and even though the Forest Service already had structure protection plans in hand.
Tassajara's own expert Captain Carlson assumed (according to Zimmerman) all along the Forest Service would send a crew in. I thought so as well when on the morning of July 10 I wrote how surely the "cavalry" would come riding in at the last moment.
I was thinking like Carlson. We both come from the same culture of firefighting.
I was under the impression the fire monks had received air support during the fire assault. That report was false. As hard as it is to believe of the 16 helicopters assigned to the Basin Complex fire not one was sent. Six fixed wing aircraft were at the disposal of Deitrich's command staff but not one was ordered to drop a line over the Zen Center?
Keep in mind the Tassajara Zen Center is the only set of buildings for miles around on that side of the fire.
I was willing to suspend judgment of the Forest Service for not sending ground crews in to aid the monks as long as I believed they supported them by air. I am perplexed by the complete abandonment.
Firefighters like to fight fire. Saving people and battling flames is what they sign on to do. No firefighter on the Basin Fire would have turned down the opportunity to help the monks. Firefighters did not turn their backs on these folks, the suits comfortably situated in offices far away did.
Fire officials cannot claim the road was too dangerous to bring firefighters in because there was a Forest Service crew on the Center grounds 24 hours before the fire blew through.
The bureaucrats are lucky the "Tassajara Five" came out OK. A rolling rock or burning tree branch could have easily taken any one of them out. Being bureaucrats they probably had an "accident investigation plan" already prepared.
*Read all four Firefighter Blog posts labeled Tassajara.
Here's an article describing how a member of the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade broke ranks to help neighbors save a family home on Parrington Ridge.
From Zimmerman's story we learn Tassajara Center residents prepared for more than two weeks for the arrival of the Basin Fire. During much of that time they enjoyed the expertise of an off duty CalFire captain. Captain Stuart Carlson guiding them on ground preparation and safety issues.
On July 9 as the fire approached Captain Carlson summarized appropriately the changing weather and fire conditions above the mountain retreat. Once he was told by his contacts that no crews would be available for structure protection he advised the residents to evacuate. All but five did.
Basin Complex Fire command knew for weeks the situation at the Tassajara Center. On July 10, the same morning the Basin Fire descended on the compound the following line was included in the morning report;
Values at Risk: include communities, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural resources:
Next 12 hours: "West Zone: Residences south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along Hwy 1 and Palo Colorado Canyon residences. Carmel River watershed supplying CARMEL VALLEY, forest, riparian/steelhead habitat and cultural resources.
East Zone: Tassajara Road structures, cultural resources, watershed."
What happened between the night of July 9 and midday July 10 when the fire struck the Center?
What circumstances led the Forest Service to disregard their own assessment of risks faced by the "Tassajara Road Structures, cultural resources" from the time they drew up structure protection plans to when the fire arrived?
They clearly knew the Center was still occupied as evidenced in the July 10 morning report when they write, "Majority of the residents in the Tassajara community have evacuated".
Zimmerman writes regarding a conversation that took place between one of his people and Forest Service representatives on July 9;
"John Bradford, the District Ranger in King City, called her while Peggy Hernandez, Head of U.S. Forest Service and Deputy Supervisor Ken Heffner were in the room with him to let us know that they are pulling their people out and to once again ask us to leave because they cannot provide any ground crew support."
Clearly someone in the the Forest Service decided to pull the plug on Tassajara.
Even though Basin Fire command placed Tassajara on their "things to do list" on the morning of the 10th this was never read or processed by the (non firefighting) people 20 miles away in King City. Perhaps putting Tassajara on the "to do list" was only lip service, covering bases. They took a pass even though they knew there were still residents on the site and even though the Forest Service already had structure protection plans in hand.
Tassajara's own expert Captain Carlson assumed (according to Zimmerman) all along the Forest Service would send a crew in. I thought so as well when on the morning of July 10 I wrote how surely the "cavalry" would come riding in at the last moment.
I was thinking like Carlson. We both come from the same culture of firefighting.
I was under the impression the fire monks had received air support during the fire assault. That report was false. As hard as it is to believe of the 16 helicopters assigned to the Basin Complex fire not one was sent. Six fixed wing aircraft were at the disposal of Deitrich's command staff but not one was ordered to drop a line over the Zen Center?
Keep in mind the Tassajara Zen Center is the only set of buildings for miles around on that side of the fire.
I was willing to suspend judgment of the Forest Service for not sending ground crews in to aid the monks as long as I believed they supported them by air. I am perplexed by the complete abandonment.
Firefighters like to fight fire. Saving people and battling flames is what they sign on to do. No firefighter on the Basin Fire would have turned down the opportunity to help the monks. Firefighters did not turn their backs on these folks, the suits comfortably situated in offices far away did.
Fire officials cannot claim the road was too dangerous to bring firefighters in because there was a Forest Service crew on the Center grounds 24 hours before the fire blew through.
The bureaucrats are lucky the "Tassajara Five" came out OK. A rolling rock or burning tree branch could have easily taken any one of them out. Being bureaucrats they probably had an "accident investigation plan" already prepared.
*Read all four Firefighter Blog posts labeled Tassajara.
Here's an article describing how a member of the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade broke ranks to help neighbors save a family home on Parrington Ridge.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Tassajara
July 17, 2008
Basin Complex Fire East Front Activity July 17
According to GeoMAC Basin Fire command has bit off a lot of acreage during their firing operations today. Residents in the Cachagua and Jamesburg.
communities are seeing a lot of smoke overhead. If you believe the scale represented on the software imagery below there is almost 8 miles of open fire line at the moment. At this pace they may get to their predicted 161,000 acres after all. The morning report showed the fire at 123,000 acres with 61% containment.
communities are seeing a lot of smoke overhead. If you believe the scale represented on the software imagery below there is almost 8 miles of open fire line at the moment. At this pace they may get to their predicted 161,000 acres after all. The morning report showed the fire at 123,000 acres with 61% containment.
Significant events today July 17:
"The Evacuation Order will remain in effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the Lower Cachagua area. The Backfiring operation continued throughout the previous operational period with good progress in Div RR. The firing operation progressed from DP-306 East to the Div RR/NN break and then South towards DP-211. Crews continue to improve and fire out the containment line in Div GG. Crews will continue to hold and mop up on all Divisions."
Update 1800 hrs:
The firing operations may have produced spill over or spot fires outside the dozer containment lines. I'm not willing to say this as a matter of fact because the MODIS software is suspect to some degree.
Click to enlarge image
Update 2000 hrs.
The evening report makes no mention of any problems with the firing operations today. Here are some relevant passages from the report;
Significant events today: The Evacuation Order remains in Effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the Lower Cachagua area. Approx. four miles of line has been Backfired in Div RR carrying fire down the Dozer line towards DP-207. CIIMT #3 (Pincha-Tulley)arrived at The East Basin ICP and will shadow CIIMT #1 (McGowan)for future transition.
Actions planned for next operational period: Continue to improve control line and Backfire as necessary along Control line from Div NN down to Div PP. Crews will continue to monitor and hold the Backfire operation in Div RR. West Zone: Crews will continue to mop up and patrol all Div. and backhaul all equipment.
Other notes--A forecasted trough of low pressure will approach the west coast on Saturday bringing southerly winds and more seasonable temperatures however this will bring a shift in wind direction over the fire area.
Acreage 128,350 with 65% containment.
No fireline to build which means they have a dozer line around the entire fire.
*The arrival of the Pincha-Tulley team is an interesting development. I suspect it's an attempt on the part of the Forest Service to address the embarrassing public relations mess they created in Big Sur, Tassajara and now Lower Carmel Valley where some residents have been confined to their homes for more than a week now.
Ms. Jeane Pincha Tulley is very good at public relations. Last year her team was assigned to the Castle Rock Fire that threatened the Sun Valley Idaho area. Her team headquartered in town where she held more than one informational town hall meeting. She even organized guided tours of the incident base. (I kid you not).
Pincha-Tulley was is just coming off the Canyon Fire in Plumas County.
She should have timed out, the Basin Complex is on the back side. There is no need for her entire team at this time. I think the Forest Service is trying to make good here.
The residents of Lower Carmel Valley/Cachagua/Jamesburg can look forward to their sequestration from society ending very soon.
Here is a video of the rock star treatment Pincha-Tulley received at one of her "town hall" meetings in Sun Valley. The screaming and yelling is something you never hear at a public fire briefing. After you look at it you will see why they brought her in.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008
July 16, 2008
Basin Complex Commander Deitrich Exits Quietly
Basin Complex Fire Commander Mike Deitrich slipped out of camp July 14 with no fanfare from what I see. Deitrich was not honored by Big Sur in the same manner commander Molumby of the the Zaca Fire was feted by grateful Santa Barbara residents last year.Molumby and his staff were toasted by Comedian (and Montecito resident) Jonathan Winters at the toney rooftop restaurant of the Hotel Andalucia.
Deitrich didn't even get a bowl of granola.
Deitrich managed the Basin Complex Fire wonderfully. Tactically it was brilliant, he did his job minimizing injury to firefighters and saving the buildings in Big Sur. While dozens of homes and outbuildings burned, scores more were saved by some very good fire management.
The public relations side of the equation is another story. The community allowed him to slip out the back door without a celebration because while he was good at firefighting he failed at public relations.
He failed to appreciate the character of the community. He only needed to work with them. They stayed, as it was their right. They wanted to help. He could not officially allow that but he didn't offer to help them when they needed it.
Two examples where he blew it was Apple Pie Ridge, where one family member was arrested at gunpoint, and at Tassajara where five resident monks were left alone to save their compound.
The monks worked 6 hours beating back spot fires and spraying down flames that hit them from all sides July 10.
The family and friends on Apple Pie Ridge also fought alone to save their homes and outbuildings. One brother, an ex seasonal firefighter used a backfiring technique to save the property. He was arrested. I'm not making a judgment on that but the situation could easily have been avoided.
For instance the Tassajara Zen Center the Apple Pie residents were known to fire command. In the case of the Zen Center they actually had a structure protection plan drawn up. Deitrich knew better than the residents those properties were doomed if unattended. He knew residents intended to stay yet he committed no firefighters on the ground.
Antipathy is born from such action, or inaction.
All he had to do to have a statue, (or redwood totem) erected in his name was to personally go up to the brothers on the hill with a couple of engines and a water tender in tow. For the monks one experienced blue card crew of 17.
Instead he punted the monks to fate and one of the brothers to faces charges.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008
Basin Complex; Carmel Valley Residents Remain Evacuated
Those living in Cachagua in Lower Carmel Valley are still under an evacuation order. It's clear fire commanders will keep residents of the Cachagua community out of their homes while they 'fire out" canyons above. Residents are still being kept out even though the firing operations are being conducted 5 miles away, uphill.
Significant events today July 16: (inciweb)
"The Evacuation Order remains in effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the community of Lower Cachagua. Backfire operations continued today with good progress in Div RR. Crews were able to carry fire from DP 309 up to DP 306 and turn East towards Carmel Valley Road. The King City ICP was closed and move to the Tassajara ICP."
Seems residents should be caravaned or ferried in. One possible reason the Monterey Sheriff's Office is playing hardball with the Cachagua community might be found in the Cachagua Store Blog. The Monterey County Sheriff has managed to insult residents and in this day wronged or angry citizens can sound off about it (and have) big time!
Read down a few posts on Cachagua Store blog and the picture becomes clear quick why the Sheriff will punish the community as long as he can. Sadly for Cachagua he's now in a position to do so. Read the fine print from the ICS-209 dated July 14.
"On July 14 the Basin Complex command team added a member of the Monterey County Sheriff's Department (Oakley) as Unified Commander on the east side of the fire."
I can guess how that appointment was made. Knowing Basin Commander Deitrich was on his way out the Sheriff (or his representative) offered, "ehemm, we'll take that side of the fire".
Poor Cachagua. They have cops with a grudge making decisions that side of the fire. Wow!
...and the public relations mess of the Basin Complex Fire continues.
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Significant events today July 16: (inciweb)
"The Evacuation Order remains in effect for the Carmel Valley Road to Piney Creek Road and for the community of Lower Cachagua. Backfire operations continued today with good progress in Div RR. Crews were able to carry fire from DP 309 up to DP 306 and turn East towards Carmel Valley Road. The King City ICP was closed and move to the Tassajara ICP."
Seems residents should be caravaned or ferried in. One possible reason the Monterey Sheriff's Office is playing hardball with the Cachagua community might be found in the Cachagua Store Blog. The Monterey County Sheriff has managed to insult residents and in this day wronged or angry citizens can sound off about it (and have) big time!
Read down a few posts on Cachagua Store blog and the picture becomes clear quick why the Sheriff will punish the community as long as he can. Sadly for Cachagua he's now in a position to do so. Read the fine print from the ICS-209 dated July 14.
"On July 14 the Basin Complex command team added a member of the Monterey County Sheriff's Department (Oakley) as Unified Commander on the east side of the fire."
I can guess how that appointment was made. Knowing Basin Commander Deitrich was on his way out the Sheriff (or his representative) offered, "ehemm, we'll take that side of the fire".
Poor Cachagua. They have cops with a grudge making decisions that side of the fire. Wow!
...and the public relations mess of the Basin Complex Fire continues.
.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008
July 14, 2008
Tassajara's "Fire Monks" Story Remains Untold
SF Gate's cartoonist Tom Meyer makes the point that it was the resident monks of the Tassajara Zen Center that fended off flames, not firefighters who watched from a safe distance. Meyers cartoon shows a little boy admiring the monk shouting out, "when I grow up I want to be a Fire Monk".
Firefighters + Monks seem an unlikely combination but in reality they share similar characteristics. Both are inherently humble, both sacrifice for the greater good, give before taking, do for their brothers and sisters and neither get paid a bunch.
It should not be a surprise to find monks, when pitted against fire, disregard self and face the danger. Here they defined bravery and heroism and gave foothold to an urban legend.
For those new to this story, the Tassajara Zen Center was overrun by fire last week. From the beginning of the Indians Fire that started in late May and then the Basin Complex Fire that began in mid June that the compound would be in jeopardy.
July 10 at 1:30 pm the fire worked towards the compound down-slope from all sides. Though the Zen Center had been ordered evacuated, five monks stayed. The day before the five turned their car around at a check point and made their way back, dedicated to saving their home.
The monks, with help from Basin Fire air resources successfully beat back the fire. Curiously fire engines were ordered to stay a safe distance away as the monks stomped out spot fires and squirted water on flames. A few outbuildings burned but the compound was saved.
Fire personnel had helped prep the buildings and grounds days and weeks before. Some buildings were wrapped and vegetation was trimmed back. When the time came they were not around. I posted my thoughts that day that surely fire authorities would divert ground resources to help the remaining residents. They did not.
I can assure you the firefighters being kept a safe distance away were chomping at the bit to get up the road to help. This is a dream situation for wildland firefighters, setting up for the attack, then fending off the beast. This was a ready made set up for an adrenaline rush.
They were denied, the monks were left on their own with helicopters helping from above. Who kept the firefighters out? Understand air attack aircraft watched the scene below unfold. All knew there were residents on the ground. Possibly in their view the residents could handle it?
In any case engines would have had to be positioned at the compound before the fire arrived. Satellite images show the road is narrow and fire engines would have had to use that road to get to them. The fire blew down that road. One road in with no escape.
I read one report that the engines closest to Tassajara had a different mission, they were ordered to keep the advancing flames from breaching established dozer lines. If true it was an important mission. The dozer lines were established to keep the fire from the populated areas of lower Carmel Valley.
Even so it's a hard to rationalize why the only set of buildings for miles around on that side of the fire were ignored by ground crews.
One possible explanation is the Forest Service culture. Unlike Cal Fire the Forest Service approaches fire with a more defensive posture. This is the only rationale I can use to resolve this and other situations on the Basin Complex where residents were left to defend their own homes. In the Cal Fire culture initial attack fire crews arrive on scene and set up around structures (generally), once they guide the fire around one structure they move on to the next one and so on until there are no more (defensible) structures to save.
Forest Service engine crews will do the same as exemplified by the bravery of the Engine 57 crew lost on the Esperanza Fire in October 2006 . Did the tragic death of the crew of Engine 57 affect the way the Forest Service approaches fire today?
There are geographic differences between the Tassajara site and the site of the tragic Engine 57 burnover. The Tassajara Center is in a canyon, the Engine 57 crew was at a hilltop home site above a drainage with Santa Ana winds pushing. Tassajara expected a backing or downhill fire. Absent wind a fire burning downhill will move slower by a factor of 16 (+ or -) than a fire burning uphill.
No matter, a decision had been sent down, no engines were going to be committed.
Until fire officials open up about it, (and I have no reason to believe they will) the residents and "Fire Monks" of Tassajara will have to wonder why they were left on their own.
A lesson to take away from this is one taught in Ketchum Idaho last year. Several multi-million dollar homes were actually defended by private firefighting companies. It wasn't the homeowners who hired the private firefighters, it was the insurance companies who insured those homes.
Perhaps the next time fire threatens Tassajara the Center administrators should secure the services of private industry. Same goes for the residents of Apple Pie Ridge and other remote homesteads.
*UPDATE: From the San Francisco Zen Center. An initial account of the fire from the five (still) inside.
(Thanks to reader MB in Port Angeles)
*UPDATE: Readers were kind enough to send a link to a photo of the five monks who single handedly saved the Tassajara Mountain Center from the Basin Fire.
Firefighters + Monks seem an unlikely combination but in reality they share similar characteristics. Both are inherently humble, both sacrifice for the greater good, give before taking, do for their brothers and sisters and neither get paid a bunch.
It should not be a surprise to find monks, when pitted against fire, disregard self and face the danger. Here they defined bravery and heroism and gave foothold to an urban legend.
For those new to this story, the Tassajara Zen Center was overrun by fire last week. From the beginning of the Indians Fire that started in late May and then the Basin Complex Fire that began in mid June that the compound would be in jeopardy.
July 10 at 1:30 pm the fire worked towards the compound down-slope from all sides. Though the Zen Center had been ordered evacuated, five monks stayed. The day before the five turned their car around at a check point and made their way back, dedicated to saving their home.
The monks, with help from Basin Fire air resources successfully beat back the fire. Curiously fire engines were ordered to stay a safe distance away as the monks stomped out spot fires and squirted water on flames. A few outbuildings burned but the compound was saved.
Fire personnel had helped prep the buildings and grounds days and weeks before. Some buildings were wrapped and vegetation was trimmed back. When the time came they were not around. I posted my thoughts that day that surely fire authorities would divert ground resources to help the remaining residents. They did not.
I can assure you the firefighters being kept a safe distance away were chomping at the bit to get up the road to help. This is a dream situation for wildland firefighters, setting up for the attack, then fending off the beast. This was a ready made set up for an adrenaline rush.
They were denied, the monks were left on their own with helicopters helping from above. Who kept the firefighters out? Understand air attack aircraft watched the scene below unfold. All knew there were residents on the ground. Possibly in their view the residents could handle it?
In any case engines would have had to be positioned at the compound before the fire arrived. Satellite images show the road is narrow and fire engines would have had to use that road to get to them. The fire blew down that road. One road in with no escape.
I read one report that the engines closest to Tassajara had a different mission, they were ordered to keep the advancing flames from breaching established dozer lines. If true it was an important mission. The dozer lines were established to keep the fire from the populated areas of lower Carmel Valley.
Even so it's a hard to rationalize why the only set of buildings for miles around on that side of the fire were ignored by ground crews.
One possible explanation is the Forest Service culture. Unlike Cal Fire the Forest Service approaches fire with a more defensive posture. This is the only rationale I can use to resolve this and other situations on the Basin Complex where residents were left to defend their own homes. In the Cal Fire culture initial attack fire crews arrive on scene and set up around structures (generally), once they guide the fire around one structure they move on to the next one and so on until there are no more (defensible) structures to save.
Forest Service engine crews will do the same as exemplified by the bravery of the Engine 57 crew lost on the Esperanza Fire in October 2006 . Did the tragic death of the crew of Engine 57 affect the way the Forest Service approaches fire today?
There are geographic differences between the Tassajara site and the site of the tragic Engine 57 burnover. The Tassajara Center is in a canyon, the Engine 57 crew was at a hilltop home site above a drainage with Santa Ana winds pushing. Tassajara expected a backing or downhill fire. Absent wind a fire burning downhill will move slower by a factor of 16 (+ or -) than a fire burning uphill.
No matter, a decision had been sent down, no engines were going to be committed.
Until fire officials open up about it, (and I have no reason to believe they will) the residents and "Fire Monks" of Tassajara will have to wonder why they were left on their own.
A lesson to take away from this is one taught in Ketchum Idaho last year. Several multi-million dollar homes were actually defended by private firefighting companies. It wasn't the homeowners who hired the private firefighters, it was the insurance companies who insured those homes.
Perhaps the next time fire threatens Tassajara the Center administrators should secure the services of private industry. Same goes for the residents of Apple Pie Ridge and other remote homesteads.
*UPDATE: From the San Francisco Zen Center. An initial account of the fire from the five (still) inside.
(Thanks to reader MB in Port Angeles)
*UPDATE: Readers were kind enough to send a link to a photo of the five monks who single handedly saved the Tassajara Mountain Center from the Basin Fire.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Tassajara
July 12, 2008
Quick Notes On California Fires July 12
The Basin Complex Fire added only 860 acres today. The five Zen Center residents who successfully defended their compound the other day did so with some aid from air support. Numerous Forest Service engines were ordered to stay some distance away as the monks actively fought smaller spot fires that erupted throughout the afternoon.
Call this one getting cold in a hurry, however this note appears in the July 12 evening report:
Significant events today:
West Zone: "An Evacuation Advisory from the intersection of Highway 1 and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park south to Lucia is in effect. East Zone: Mandatory Evacuations of Upper Cachagua. Voluntary Evacuations of Upper Cachagua, Paloma Creek, Lower Carmel Valley Road and Arroyo Seco."
GeoMAC no longer shows the perimeter of the 83,000 acre Indians Fire. This means to me these two fires will likely be treated separately for historical purposes by the Forest Service.
The BTU Lightning Complex that burned through Concow and parts of Paradise earlier in the week has cooled to a great extent as well.
The SHU Lighting Complex is still very active as the Motion and Moon Fires have open flame fronts. Tired ground and air crews are still working with limited re enforcement. National Guard and crews from foreign soil are being dispatched to some fires so some help is coming.
The Lime Complex, Hell's Half Complex, and the Iron & Alps Complex in the Trinity Alps show active fire fronts. Many of these fires will burn until it rains.
Click here for the NIFC Fire Summary report for July 12
Call this one getting cold in a hurry, however this note appears in the July 12 evening report:
Significant events today:
West Zone: "An Evacuation Advisory from the intersection of Highway 1 and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park south to Lucia is in effect. East Zone: Mandatory Evacuations of Upper Cachagua. Voluntary Evacuations of Upper Cachagua, Paloma Creek, Lower Carmel Valley Road and Arroyo Seco."
GeoMAC no longer shows the perimeter of the 83,000 acre Indians Fire. This means to me these two fires will likely be treated separately for historical purposes by the Forest Service.
The BTU Lightning Complex that burned through Concow and parts of Paradise earlier in the week has cooled to a great extent as well.
The SHU Lighting Complex is still very active as the Motion and Moon Fires have open flame fronts. Tired ground and air crews are still working with limited re enforcement. National Guard and crews from foreign soil are being dispatched to some fires so some help is coming.The Lime Complex, Hell's Half Complex, and the Iron & Alps Complex in the Trinity Alps show active fire fronts. Many of these fires will burn until it rains.
Click here for the NIFC Fire Summary report for July 12
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Lime Complex, shu lightning complex
July 11, 2008
Basin Complex Fire Takes a Breather
The GeoMAC mapping image of the Basin Complex fire reveals no active burning at 6:00 pm July 11. It's hard to believe there has been no advancement on any front since noon today. Commander Deitrich reports the fire has grown to 113,000 acres, an increase of 4,000 acres since this morning.
The Basin incident command maintains their conservative tone in this evening's report. They still expect the fire to grow to 170,000 acres and do not expect containment until July 30.
Eighteen helicopters and six fixed wing aircraft remain assigned but the total number of firefighters assigned to the incident has dropped by nearly 100 to a total of 2,050.
Thirteen engines were released today while 53 overhead positions were added. These are most likely division and branch supervisors rotating in to take over for guys timing out.
One reason the fire slowed today is the red flag warning expired before sunrise this morning.
Fire command has to be very happy with the fire behavior today. Residents in lower Carmel Valley may have caught a break.
It was a good day but it's not over yet. Here is the five day weather forecast for the Carmel Valley.
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The Basin incident command maintains their conservative tone in this evening's report. They still expect the fire to grow to 170,000 acres and do not expect containment until July 30.
Eighteen helicopters and six fixed wing aircraft remain assigned but the total number of firefighters assigned to the incident has dropped by nearly 100 to a total of 2,050.
Thirteen engines were released today while 53 overhead positions were added. These are most likely division and branch supervisors rotating in to take over for guys timing out.
One reason the fire slowed today is the red flag warning expired before sunrise this morning.
Fire command has to be very happy with the fire behavior today. Residents in lower Carmel Valley may have caught a break.
It was a good day but it's not over yet. Here is the five day weather forecast for the Carmel Valley.
.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008
Basin Complex Fire; Midday Look July 11
From the Tassajara Zen Center complex the fire has moved rapidly east running towards the Arroyo Seco drainage. It met up with the N/W edge of the Indians Fire burn and continues marching east and N/E towards the dozer lines (indicated by white lines in the graphic below) beyond. I believe these are hard lines and are intended to define the eastern perimeter of the Basin Complex.
The above image is a view up canyon east looking west. The image below is presented from the south looking north. The Google Earth KML overlay is a fair (but not perfect) representation of fire activity. Red dots indicate the most recent fire movement.
Consider downloading Google Earth. Once downloaded refer to the Forest Service Active Fire Mapping Program page for the files. One click and the overlays appear.
The finest interpretation of the Basin Complex Fire using Google Earth overlays is Xasauan Today.
Here is another look with another overlay from NASA funded FIRMS, a University of Maryland project.
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The above image is a view up canyon east looking west. The image below is presented from the south looking north. The Google Earth KML overlay is a fair (but not perfect) representation of fire activity. Red dots indicate the most recent fire movement.
Consider downloading Google Earth. Once downloaded refer to the Forest Service Active Fire Mapping Program page for the files. One click and the overlays appear.
The finest interpretation of the Basin Complex Fire using Google Earth overlays is Xasauan Today.
Here is another look with another overlay from NASA funded FIRMS, a University of Maryland project.
.
.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Google Earth
Basin Complex Fire Drives Deeper Into Wilderness
If you subscribe to the dots and line on the GeoMAC software map image below firefighters caught the spot fires ahead of the north front. They also halted a further advancement south, for now. They still expect the fire to spread southwest toward Naciamento-Fergusson Road in the next 24 hours according to the morning report.
What to expect in the next 12 hours;
West Zone: Continue firing on the north containment line from Big Pines and moving east. Provide structure protection. Holding, patrol and mop-up in Mescal Ridge, Skinner Ridge Trail and Old Coast Road areas. Construct contingency dozer line from Palo Colorado Road east towards White Rock Ridge. Continue mop-up in the community of BIG SUR and Palo Colorado Canyon area.
East Zone: Contain spot fire in Rodeo Flats area. Hold current lines and provide structure protection as needed.
"Fire continues to be very active on the northern and northeastern flanks. Crews are holding dozer lines with limited resources. East Zone: Numerous structures and improvements located in the proximity to Carmel Valley Road and Tassajara Road areas. Limited access, extremely steep, rugged terrain and continuous heavy fuel loading also exist.."
The fire is at 108,000 acres and is 41% contained. Six firefighters have been injured and 58 structures have burned including 27 homes.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008
Question Why Tassajara Received No Help
The Tassajara Zen Center blog offers some details about the battle to save the compound yesterday.
In part;
"....the Tassajara grounds are an island of green in a sea of black. A testament to the recently installed sprinkler system and the twice daily irrigation of the site.
The fire approached quickly from three sides shortly after 1pm and passed over Tassajara mercifully fast. The crew were able to move around outside the safe space and keep the sprinkler system working.Several small buildings were lost: the Bird House, the compost shed, the wood shed and the pool bathroom. The radio-phone and half of the lower garden were also destroyed."
Here is my question; did they receive air support in the way of helicopter or tanker drops? If not why?
Readers will recall my post yesterday describing the situation as the Basin Complex fire approached the isolated cultural center.
Apparently Center representatives were told by fire officials it was too dangerous to commit ground resources to save the buildings.
It would not be fair to second guess this, that's a field call. What I would like to know is if they were helped in any way from above?
Update:
Kathryn had submitted a comment to the queue in yesterday's post that may have answered my question, in part.
Kathryn offered at 1:57 pm July 10 to Firefighter Blog;
"I just got off the phone with MoCo EOC and was told that Tassajara is receiving both ground and air support at this time. The fire is within 1-1.5 miles. "
That comment was unfortunately overlooked by me. This morning I found two comments that were temporarily orphaned.
Thank you Kathyrn!
I look forward to the full story.
In part;
"....the Tassajara grounds are an island of green in a sea of black. A testament to the recently installed sprinkler system and the twice daily irrigation of the site.
The fire approached quickly from three sides shortly after 1pm and passed over Tassajara mercifully fast. The crew were able to move around outside the safe space and keep the sprinkler system working.Several small buildings were lost: the Bird House, the compost shed, the wood shed and the pool bathroom. The radio-phone and half of the lower garden were also destroyed."
Here is my question; did they receive air support in the way of helicopter or tanker drops? If not why?
Readers will recall my post yesterday describing the situation as the Basin Complex fire approached the isolated cultural center.
Apparently Center representatives were told by fire officials it was too dangerous to commit ground resources to save the buildings.
It would not be fair to second guess this, that's a field call. What I would like to know is if they were helped in any way from above?
Update:
Kathryn had submitted a comment to the queue in yesterday's post that may have answered my question, in part.
Kathryn offered at 1:57 pm July 10 to Firefighter Blog;
"I just got off the phone with MoCo EOC and was told that Tassajara is receiving both ground and air support at this time. The fire is within 1-1.5 miles. "
That comment was unfortunately overlooked by me. This morning I found two comments that were temporarily orphaned.
Thank you Kathyrn!
I look forward to the full story.
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Tassajara
July 10, 2008
Basin Complex Fire Now 6th Largest in State History
The good news, the Tassajara Hot Springs/Zen Center survived a full assault of the Basin Complex Fire flames. The Center posted the good news on their site late this afternoon. The four men and one woman who stayed at the Zen Center beat back flames and saved the compound. Surely the place would have burned to the ground without their efforts.
The bad news is the fire is running wild to the east, northeast and south guided by low humidity and high temperatures. The fire has now burned 100,000 acres and is 40% contained. Combined the Basin Complex and Indians Fire have claimed 183,000 acres, more acreage than the 178,000 acres burned in the Marble Cone Fire in 1977.
The Indians/Basin fires are now the sixth largest wildfire in California history. Fire authorities may count the two fires as separate events but they have merged and there is active burning within both perimeters. Basin Complex Fire command is fighting it as one fire. The Indians Fire incident base was closed and the two camps joined forces earlier in the week. Currently the 5th largest is the Witch Fire (198,000 acres 2007).
2,140 firefighters and support staff are assigned to the fire, down another 50 or so from this morning's report. Six fixed wing aircraft and 13 helicopters are fighting the Basin Complex from overhead.
The next 24 hours:
West Zone: "Fire is expected to spread north toward Blue Rock Ridge/Devils Peak and east toward Elephant Peak. East Zone: Fire spread to east toward Tassajara Rd and Arroyo Seco. Spread to southwest toward Naciamento-Fergusson Road."
Commander Deitrich is still maintaining a final acreage estimate for the Basin Complex at 170,000. The combined acreage of the Indians/Basin Fire could challenge the largest fire in State history. The Cedar Fire holds that spot at 273,200 acres.
The bad news is the fire is running wild to the east, northeast and south guided by low humidity and high temperatures. The fire has now burned 100,000 acres and is 40% contained. Combined the Basin Complex and Indians Fire have claimed 183,000 acres, more acreage than the 178,000 acres burned in the Marble Cone Fire in 1977.
The Indians/Basin fires are now the sixth largest wildfire in California history. Fire authorities may count the two fires as separate events but they have merged and there is active burning within both perimeters. Basin Complex Fire command is fighting it as one fire. The Indians Fire incident base was closed and the two camps joined forces earlier in the week. Currently the 5th largest is the Witch Fire (198,000 acres 2007).
2,140 firefighters and support staff are assigned to the fire, down another 50 or so from this morning's report. Six fixed wing aircraft and 13 helicopters are fighting the Basin Complex from overhead.The next 24 hours:
West Zone: "Fire is expected to spread north toward Blue Rock Ridge/Devils Peak and east toward Elephant Peak. East Zone: Fire spread to east toward Tassajara Rd and Arroyo Seco. Spread to southwest toward Naciamento-Fergusson Road."
Commander Deitrich is still maintaining a final acreage estimate for the Basin Complex at 170,000. The combined acreage of the Indians/Basin Fire could challenge the largest fire in State history. The Cedar Fire holds that spot at 273,200 acres.
Labels: 2007 fire season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Indains Fire
The Battle For Tassajara Hot Springs
The Zen Center at Tassajara Hot Springs has been preparing for the arrival of the Basin Fire for almost two weeks. Fire crews have been in and out over the course of the last two weeks but now they are gone according to supporters and friends of the Center.
I have been covering the Basin Complex Fire since the start and all the information I have gathered left me believing firefighters would be available to help the residents of Tassajara should the fire make its way to them.
It seems apparent the fire will visit Tassajara. Barring an unexpected change in the weather the five persons remaining at the center can expect the fire to test how well residents prepared the property.
The fire looks to be within .5 miles or closer to them at the moment. I don't want to second guess Basin Fire command and I won't, but it seems to me this compound deserves some resources.
The monks and other residents have cooperated fully with fire representatives and have prepared the grounds carefully, even under supervision to an extent. The Center serves as a spiritual center for many. The occupants are decent guardians of the land and need help.
From the looks of the image below there seems to be adequate escape zones. The fire survived the Marble-Cone Fire and personal accounts recall those on the ground did have adequate safety/escape zones. To what extent the grounds have been improved now I can't say but the property doesn't look like anything that can't be defended with a few engines, a hand crew or two and some air support.
The Center is the only set of buildings on that side of the fire, really the only place that needs defending. Certainly fire officials are watching the situation. I personally believe the Calvary will come riding to the rescue before things really heat up.
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I have been covering the Basin Complex Fire since the start and all the information I have gathered left me believing firefighters would be available to help the residents of Tassajara should the fire make its way to them.
It seems apparent the fire will visit Tassajara. Barring an unexpected change in the weather the five persons remaining at the center can expect the fire to test how well residents prepared the property.The fire looks to be within .5 miles or closer to them at the moment. I don't want to second guess Basin Fire command and I won't, but it seems to me this compound deserves some resources.
The monks and other residents have cooperated fully with fire representatives and have prepared the grounds carefully, even under supervision to an extent. The Center serves as a spiritual center for many. The occupants are decent guardians of the land and need help.
From the looks of the image below there seems to be adequate escape zones. The fire survived the Marble-Cone Fire and personal accounts recall those on the ground did have adequate safety/escape zones. To what extent the grounds have been improved now I can't say but the property doesn't look like anything that can't be defended with a few engines, a hand crew or two and some air support.
The Center is the only set of buildings on that side of the fire, really the only place that needs defending. Certainly fire officials are watching the situation. I personally believe the Calvary will come riding to the rescue before things really heat up..
Labels: 2008 Fire Season, Basin Complex, California Firestorm 2008, Tassajara
