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Welcome to the WRA Website Our Mission is to provide a liaison between the mountain communities and public safety agencies, to support the volunteer fire departments and community safety activities. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT-EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR - 27 November 2008
CURRENT NEWS
San
Marcos Wildland Volunteer Fire When the Gap Fire raged this past July, its flames charged practically unchecked toward the eclectic patchwork of homes along Old San Marcos Road. Luckily, communities like the Trout Club, Painted Cave, West Camino Cielo, and Windermere Ranch had a plan in place. Unofficially founded in the wake of 1977’s Sycamore Fire, the San Marcos Pass Volunteer Fire Department has been the first and last line of defense for some 700 homes immediately east and west of Old San Marcos Road. When disaster struck in their backyard during the late afternoon hours of July 1, they, right in step with the U.S. Forest Service, were the first emergency units on the scene, battling around the clock until the threat subsided more than 48 hours later. Born out of necessity 20 years ago, the all-volunteer department has grown, thanks in large part to its fiscal management agency, the Wildland Residents Association, formed in 1982 into a highly trained, well-outfitted, über-organized community-based fire brigade known throughout the state for its effectiveness and all-around bad-ass nature. Looking to fulfill the mantra of “planning, prevention, and preparation,” all of the department’s members are trained to federal firefighting standards, many are actual graduates of the fire academy, train as a group on a monthly basis, have at their disposal two fire engines, two brush patrol trucks, cutting-edge structure protection gear, their own information radio station, and, most importantly, are armed with local knowledge. It was the latter that no doubt
played a major role in saving all of the area homes during the Gap
Fire, despite fingers of flame reaching right up to the sides of some
residences. As one of the department’s founding members, Ted
Adams, put it recently, “It’s not their fault, but even
the local county guys don’t know the ins and outs of the community
the way we do. … You just have to assume that nobody is going
to be there to help you.”
Photo: Paul Wellman
Community Alert airs on
Tuesday, 11 AM and 9 PM and again on Saturdays at 1 PM.
Work Continues
on Route 154 Improvements PROJECT UPDATE December 1 - 5, 2008 New turn lanes and turnout areas
on Route 154 are open for use at Route 246, Paradise Road, and
east of Painted Cave Road. During the week of Dec. 1st, work will
continue at Vista Point and on the new passing lane east of Route
246.
GOLETA, CA…Recent rains and cooler weather has reduced the risk of wildfires in Los Padres National Forest, and the Forest Service will lower fire restrictions effective December 5. In addition, the closure prohibiting public entry to portions of the Monterey Ranger District has been modified to allow access to some areas of the forest. Starting Friday, campfires and charcoal barbecues will be allowed in all areas of Los Padres National Forest. A California Campfire Permit, available free of charge, is required to build a campfire outside of a designated Campfire Use Site. A list of Campfire Use Sites and information about how to acquire a campfire permit is available at all Los Padres National Forest offices and on-line at www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres. Visitors who construct wood or charcoal fires outside of designated Campfire Use Sites also must abide by the following rules: " Clear all flammable material
for a minimum of five feet in all directions. Prohibitions on smoking and target shooting in Los Padres National Forest also will be lifted on December 5. The following fire restrictions will remain in effect in Los Padres National Forest: " Spark arresters are required
on all off-highway vehicles, chainsaws and other internal combustion
engines and equipment. Even though fire restrictions are being reduced for the winter months, Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez issued a reminder that fire season is year-round in Los Padres National Forest. "History has shown us that we can experience a major wildland fire at anytime during the year," said Hernandez. "A few days of hot, dry and windy weather could mean the return of very dangerous fire conditions." Due to safety hazards resulting from the Basin, Indians and Chalk Fires, most of the Monterey Ranger District, including the entire Ventana Wilderness, will remain closed to public entry through the winter. Hazards include falling trees and limbs, rockslides, and the potential for mudslides and flash flooding. The following areas of the Monterey Ranger District will remain open: " Campgrounds, day use areas and
forest lands west of Highway 1 along the Big Sur Coast For more information regarding the closure and conditions on the Monterey Ranger District, contact the King City office of the Forest Service at (831) 385-5434. CURRENT FIRE INFORMATION LINKS AUTOMATED ROAD CONDITIONS LINKS CALTRANS HIGHWAY STATUS LINK or call 800-427-7623 CHP Traffic Incidents CALTRANS VIDEO LINKS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ROADS Current road information link EMERGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION SOURCES In the event of a large emergency
or disaster, the County will work with all bona fide news organizations
to distribute emergency public information. The County's "Stations
of Choice" for emergency news include the following AM stations-KTMS-990;
KZSB-1290; KUHL-1410; KINF-1440, plus the San Marcos Pass Radio Station
SMPERS 1040 AM, and the following FM stations-KCSB-91.9; KSYV-96.7;
KTYD-99.9; KSBL-101.7 and KRAZ-105.9. In addition, the Spanish language
FM stations, KSPE-94.5 and KIST-107.7 are also designated "Stations
of Choice" in the cooperative agreement with the County.
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