Notes the 8/4 meeting on the Cuesta/Willow Canyon Fire of July 27, 2012

8/4/2012 Pam Poco

The meeting was held at the home of John & Cindy Della Penna (813 Vista del Mar) and was very well attended by residents whose homes surrounded the canyon where the fire occurred, including several from the Seascape Uplands[1].  Three representaives from the Aptos/La Selva Fire Department were present, including the Fire Chief Jeff Terpstra.[2]

There were several large issues that were discussed at this meeting including the following, which will be described in further detail below:

1)    Who is responsible for maintaining the gulch?

2)    What are the primary fire issues?

3)    What can homeowners do to reduce the risk of fire.

A follow up meeting is planned in the near future (1-2 weeks?) with a broader set of representatives from the various agencies associated with the management of the canyon/gulch.  I will send out an email to the Seascape Uplands group when the details become available.  Unfortunately, I only have emails for 43 of the over 100 lots in our area, so please feel free to spread the news about the fire and follow up meetings.  I will also post information on our Seascape Uplands Blog: http://seascape-uplander.blogspot.com

Maintenance Responsibility.  The first big issue associated with the fire is who owns the gulch.  The Fire Department is frustrated with a lot of finger pointing between the various agencies with jurisdiction in the area.  Until recently, the 66 acres in the gulch were privately owned.  It was transferred through the land conservancy to the State. Some of the agencies involved mentioned by Chief Terpstra include the California Department of Fish and game, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Resource Conservation District. The Center for Natural Lands Management was not mentioned.

There does not appear to be money for maintenance projects in Cuesta/Willow canyon.  And of course with all of the jurisdictional lines, it is difficult to get anyone with jurisdictional authority to stand up and spend their limited funds on fire reduction. One of the follow-up actions from this meeting is to get representatives from the various agencies together with the interested homeowners to discuss jurisdictional problems associated with responsibilities and maintenance issues. The Aptos/La SelvaFire Department will be helping to set up the follow-up meeting with the various parties.

Until the early 90’s the canyon/gulch area was fairy well maintained from a fire-reduction perspective with fire roads and a 100’ clearance barrier.  However, with the identification of the salamander issues and the establishment of the preserve and other conservation efforts, the ability to minimize the fire risk was negatively impacted.  The local fire district has been concerned for years about the fire issues associated with our canyons.  It is important to note at this point that we are in the Aptos/La Selva Fire district.  They have local responsibility for fire fighting paid for through our property taxes.  That means any additional fire support is not augmented by state funding and would be paid for out of our district. 

Fire Issues.  There was a very good discussion of fire issues.  Native California plants in this area are designed to burn.  We are fortunate that our proximity to the coast usually keeps the humidity up and the fire danger lower than many other areas of California.  The primary concern for homeowners is the fuel (e.g. combustible materials) in and around homes.  The Fire Chief stated that the brush, Scottish broom, and pampas grass that are part of the habitat for the salamanders is also fuel for our fires.  However, it is fuel in the proximity of our homes that is of primary concern.

It is unclear when the fire actually started. Some reports came in that it may have been as early as 10-11 p.m. on July 26. However, the first official call came in shortly before 4 am on July 27 from 140 Zanzibar. (Way to go, Uplander!)  The Fire District has been trained on our area and is familiar with access points, and they can get through any of our gates.  While it was unclear at first as to the exact location of the fire, it was quickly identified.  A Command Point was established on Vista Del Mar, where they had excellent visibility of the fire.  Fortunately, there was no wind, it was near the top of a knoll, and the humidity was high, so there was little risk of the fire rapidly spreading. 

To maximize efficiency the Fire Responders sought information on the best way to access the area from the residents.   (No one knows the current situation of our area and how to access it like those who hike in it.)  Their 4-wheel drive vehicle out of La Selva responded to the Pinehurst access point, while other vehicles were directed as needed.  Since there was no immediate risk, the Fire Department took the time to deliberately deploy in order to most efficiently fight the fire.  The first vehicle quickly went through its 500 gallon water capacity.  Fortunately, other engines were close enough to tie into a Fire Hydrant so they had the necessary water to fight the fire in the most rapid manner.  (They ended up using 10,000 gallons of water.) 

It is thought that the fire was started by kids partying.  There is an ongoing arson investigation. Anyone with information about the people involved in starting the fire should call either the Sheriff or the Fire Chief (685-6990, x113).

Other useful or interesting fire information: 

·      The Fire Department can call for mutual aide, but in this case it wasn’t needed. 

·      They can easily use the reverse 911 call to notify residents should an evacuation be needed.

·      Those green water hydrants can supply up to 1,000 gallons per minute.

·      This is a good water supply area.  The Command Center notified the water company to make sure enough pumps were running.

·      We can get aerial support if needed.

·      Keeping the fire out was the hardest part of the fire-fighting effort as cutting brush has to be done by hand.  (Cal Fire came in to help.  Our Fire Department had to pay overage fee to have them show up early and provide the crew breakfast.)

·      Fires burn worst when there is a dry, north wind.  Should that have been the situation at the time of the fire, the response would have been stronger.

·      They did not use their sirens when they came into the neighborhood because it was night-time with no traffic, and there was no immediate danger.

·      If you see or hear of a fire nearby, do not go out and start hosing down your area.  You will be draining water from that needed by the professional fire fighters and will have essentially no impact on reducing your fire risk.

What can homeowners do? There were several questions about what homeowners can do to reduce the fire risk.  In my opinion, those with jurisdiction would be very wise to get involved to try to reduce the fire risk because residents whose homes are at risk will be sorely tempted to clear the areas around their homes even if State-owned and ask for forgiveness later. If the State and Federal Agencies truly want to be good stewards of the land they are responsible for protecting, they need to stand up to the plate.  We need to push such agencies to the plate through our joining together and speaking with one voice.

More than one homeowner asked about removing trees that they feel are threatening their homes.  It was pointed out that there can be severe fines for taking unauthorized actions on State-owned land.

There are some resources worth seeking out if you are concerned about reducing your risk.  “Living with Fire in Santa Cruz County” may be found online at http://www.rcdsantacruz.org/pages/resources/publications.php  It includes step by step guidance on ways to create a more defensible space around your home.  You can also call the Aptos/La Selva Fire Protection District (685-6690) to schedule an inspection pointing out specific risks. The Fire Department is also a good resource if you should have a vacant lot or rental with fire issues, such as a back yard of 3-5’ weeds.

It is important that should you be aware of any suspicious activity in the canyons that you call 911.  The Fire Chief discouraged the use of the regular number for anything that is urgent, such as situations where kids are partying in an area where they don’t belong.  When you dial the 7 digit numbers, it is automatically assumed there is not an urgent issue.

Seascape Uplands members need to be cognizant of the restrictions in our CC&Rs, particularly in regards to any spraying or brush removal in the Preserve.  Please contact David Laabs (831.345.9675, laabsbws@aol.com) if you have specific issues associated with the salamander areas.

That’s pretty much the extent of my notes. I will follow up with more information as it become available, particularly in regards to the next meeting with those representing the various jurisdictions.

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[1] See http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_21177679/fire-burns-two-acres-cuesta-canyon-area for the short article if you are not familiar with the fire. 

[2]The Aptos-La Selva Fire District home page is http://www.aptosfire.com/ .