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Note: KUSP plans to continue coverage in the aftermath of the fire, with issues of restoration, rehabilitation and financial aid. We'll also be posting related community events.
As a potential archive resource, we have retained a number of dated audio reports.
Emergency: Dial 9-1-1
Fire Information: (831) 796-1990
Evacuation Information: (831) 796-1991
Mid Coast Information: (831) 626-1961
Upcoming Community Meetings / Recent Audio
Latest Official News Highlights:
Updated: Wednesday August 15, 2008
On August 15, 2008, the U.S. forest Forest has release an update version of the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)
Audio from August 9th, 2008 Monterey Convention Center
From 'Neighbor to Neighbor Big Sur Fire Relief Gala'. KUSP's Kelly O'Brien had the chance to catch up with the host of the event, 5th District Monterey County Supervisor Dave Potter. He discusses where things might go from here, now that the Basin Complex fire has passed.
Audio from MAAC Meeting in Big Sur August 4, 2008
Congressman Sam Farr, 5th District Supervisor Dave Potter, a representative from State Senator Laird’s Office, and other County Officials listened to Big Sur residents at the BSMAAC meeting. Though many Monterey Sheriff’s Office deputies were present, Sheriff, Kanalakis did not attend.
The Basin Complex Fire, which started on June 21, was declared 100% contained as of 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, after having burned 162,818 acres.
The Forest Service issued a reminder Monday Aug. 4th – that with the exception of the Kirk Creek, Plaskett Creek and Arroyo Seco Campgrounds, and six designated “day use areas” along the Big Sur Coast, all Los Padres National Forest lands within Monterey County are closed to public entry until further notice. The emergency closure also applies to national forest land in San Luis Obispo County north of San Carpoforo Creek near the Monterey County/San Luis Obispo County line. Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez said the closure is due to ongoing hazards associated with the recent large wildfires and is likely to be in effect for at least several more weeks.
Overnight camping is not permitted at these picnic sites. The use of wood campfires and charcoal barbecues is prohibited at any of the above mentioned campgrounds, picnic sites and throughout the entire Los Padres National Forest. Only portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are currently permitted.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park re-opened for camping on July 25. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Andrew Molera State Park were closed during various phases of the Basin Complex Fire. Refunds for campers who had reserved campsites in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground have been authorized until July 24, 2008. While there are still significant areas of these parks that are closed because of fire damage, the majority of the visitor serving facilities were untouched by the fire. Valley View Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur on the east side of Highway One and the trails on the west side of Highway 1 are open to the public as well as The Big Sur Lodge, the campground and the swimming holes within the campground.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park has re-opened the small parking area and the Waterfall Trail from the parking area to the overlook. All other park facilities east of Highway-1 will remain closed. "Ninety percent of our visitation to this park is due to this trail and the beauty it provides with the view of the waterfall and the Pacific Ocean," said Mat Fuzie, District Superintendent of California State Parks Monterey District. Park facilities west of Highway-1 in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are open.
Andrew Molera State Park has served as the Fire Camp and Incident Command Post for the Basin Complex Fire and is still serving in that capacity but to a much smaller extent.
Audio & Video - (fire related content)
For more audio and video files - Click here
Fire Numbers
Total acreage burned: 162,818
Date started: 06/21/08
Percent contained: 100% as of 7/27/08
Injuries: 9
Structures destroyed: 26 residences, 32 other
Suppression cost to date: $77.2 million
Unified Command: Management of the East Basin Complex transfered from California Interagency Incident Command Team 3 to a Type 3 organization on Tuesday July 29, 6:00 a.m.
Emergency Resources - Financial Aid
Emergency - Dial 9-1-1
Surfire2008.org - Community website - news, resources, volunteers, housing, blog updates, notice posting.
Surfire2008.org has posted a request from OES for info to help work towards a FEMA decision.
Community info about emergency rehabilitation and protection:
BAER - Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation
NRCS - National Resources Conservation
Services may be available to private and public landholders.
See notes from Thursday 7/17 BAER Community Meeting by U.S. Forest Service at the Big Sur Station about BAER.
Monterey County Fire Page Evacuation orders, road closures, incident reports and official documents of all kinds.
Monterey County Sheriff's Office 831-755-3722
Los Padres NF Fire Info Center: 805-961-5770 (8:00am to 8:00pm)
FEMA 1-800-621-3362
Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade (831) 667-2113
Archived Audio or Video
Audio Archive:
• Audio from MAAC Meeting in Big Sur August 4, 2008
Congressman Sam Farr, 5th District Supervisor Dave Potter, a representative from State Senator Laird’s Office, and other County Officials listened to Big Sur residents at the BSMAAC meeting held on August 4, at 6pm at Big Sur Lodge. Though many Monterey Sheriff’s Office deputies were present, Sheriff, Kanalakis did not attend.
• Interview with USFS Chief Gail Kimbell 7/25/08
• Basin Fire Morning Update with Incident Command - Thur. Jul 24
• Big Sur after the Fires.
Listen - Stories of the Basin Complex Fire. Big Sur residents look back on the recent wildfires and consider the challenges ahead. Also, Steve Stücky of the San Francisco Zen Center describes the firefight to save the Tassajara monastery. Hosted by KUSP's Robert Pollie. More info.
• Community Meetings Audios - Audio by Kelly O'Brien & James Mearns.
July 23, Tuesday - Tularcitos School Community Meeting
July 21, Monday - Cachagua Fire Info Community Meeting
July 18, Friday - Tularcitos School Community Meeting
July 16, Wednesday - Tularcitos School Community Meeting
July 15, Tuesday - Tularcitos School Community Meeting
July 15, Tuesday - Interview w/ CAL Fire IC Rich Hutchinson
July 13, Sunday - Cachagua Fire Info Community Meeting
July 12, Saturday - Cachagua Fire Info Community Meeting
July 11, Friday - Tularcitos School Community Meeting
July 11, Friday - Interview w/ CAL Fire IC Rich Hutchinson
July 9, Wednesday - Cachagua -
July 6, Sunday - from Cachagua - Listen
July 3, Thursday
• Interview w/ Monterey County Sheriff Sgt. Garrett Sanders, Sheriff's Representative to the Unified Command.- Mon. July 21.
• Interview with Incident Commander Jeanne Pincha-Tulley
Mon. July 21, 2008 Listen - Interview by Life in Fire Lane's Kelly O'Brien.
• Interview with new Incident Commander Jeanne Pincha-Tulley
Sun. July 20, 2008 Listen - Interview by Life in Fire Lane's Kelly O'Brien.
• Interview with CHP Sargent Carl Churchfield - Sat. July 19, 2008
Listen - At the Sleepy Hollow Road checkpoint, Sgt. Churchfield discusses the process of traffic control and the issuing 900+ resident passes. Interview by Kelly O'Brien.
• Rick Hutchinson of CAL Fire - July 18
Listen - Interviewed by Kelly O'Brien
• Esalen report - Tuesday - July 15th
Listen on computer Listen - mobile
Esalen staffer Harry Feinberg reports on weeks of sheltering in place at Esalen Institute.
• Talk of the Bay - Monday - July 15th -
Listen on computer Listen - mobile
Nepenthe's Kirk Gafill tells how residents watched the approach of the fire, its baffling behavior and problems with the mandatory evacuation order. Then KUSP's Kelly O'Brien Life in the Fire Lane blogger outlines the situation in Cachagua where evacuations remain ineffect.
• Interview with Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Frank Pinney
Listen - Recorded Friday, July 11, 5 pm. Speaking specifically on the successful effort to save homes and businesses in Big Sur and along the Highway 1 corridor. By KUSP's Robert Pollie.
• Talk of the Bay - Monday - July 7th -
Listen on computer Listen - mobile
KUSP's Robert Pollie talks to ecologists and climate experts about the environmental causes and effects of California's wildfires.
Video Archive:
• Community Meeting Videos: All videos by James Mearns.
(most include spanish translation)
July 9th, Wednesday
July 8th, Tuesday
July 7th, Monday
July 5th, Saturday
July 4th, Friday part 1 part 2 part 3
July 2nd, Wednesday part 1 part 2
Newspaper Stories / Comments:
Ken Wright about Monterey Sherif link - 7/12/08 - Californian
Web Site by Resident link 7/9/08 - Wall St. Journal
Website builds community link - 7/6/08 - SJ Mercury
Those who won't evacuate link - 7/5/08 - SJ Mercury
Firing Definitions - provided by the County of Monterey.
Fire crews often use fire against the wildfires they are fighting. Here are definitions of terms you may be hearing firefighters talk about:
Backfire – A fire set along the inner edge of a fire line to consume the fuel in the path of a wildfire and/or change the direction of the force of the fire’s convection column. Burning Out – Setting fire inside a control line to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line. Firing Out – Is the act of setting fire to fuels between the control line and the main fire in a burning out operation.
The Service of KUSP
KUSP is an independent, non-profit community radio station serving listeners in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, South Santa Clara, and North San Luis Obispo counties. Now in its 36th year of operation, KUSP serves 40,000 listeners per week with a distinctive mix of news/information, music and cultural programming.
KUSP’s volunteer programmers produce seventy percent of KUSP’s schedule. The balance is made up of leading nationally-distributed public radio programs such as NPR’s Morning Edition, PRI’s This American Life, and Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now
Click the blue button to donate to KUSP, or
 about volunteering, or contributing.
KUSP Mission & Vision Statements
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Blogs & Recommended
Community Links:
Late-breaking, unofficial info can be found within many of these links.
Xasáuan Today - Blog w/ current images & unofficial news, views
Life in the Fire Lane - from the smoke and ash fall in Jamesburg
Ventana Wilderness Alliance - Open forum page
Sitting With Fire - Blog about wildfires threatening Tassajara
Tassajara Account - the story
Tassajara Fire Photos - Flickr set by Mako Voelkel
USFS BAER Meeting - points of 7/17/08 Community meeting
Surfire2008.org
Resources for residents & volunteers - Big Sur specific.
Hotline: 831-667-2317
Cachaguafire.com - Volunteer fire department in Carmel Valley
Cachagua Store - A country store, thermal imaging & local gossip
Surfire News Blog - Unofficial recent news & info - Big Sur fire.
Esalen Updates - Day-by-day fire journal with photos
Photos on Flickr - Photo sharing
Photos on Yahoo - Pro slideshow
San Francisco Zen Center - News about the Tassajara Zen Center
Tarawings - Blog, photos from Palo Colorado Canyon
bigsurkate - Journal, photos from south coast
Ventana Wildlife Society - Condor update
Scan 831 - Tracking emergency situations various web sources
Firefighterblog - Fire overviews from Ret. Capt. Mike
GeoMac - satellite imagery. Click "wildfire mapping" from the page.
If you find other valuable links, please send to: steve at kusp dot org.
Sunday June 29th, From River Inn,
Big Sur by Sander W. Koning
Saving Henry Miller Library - Stan large
Wednesday afternoon, 6/25/08.
Stone House sign by Peter Fenton
Link to Peter's Flickr photos.
Stone House by Peter Fenton
Link to Peter's Flickr photos.
Graves Cyn., 6/25/08 - Stan large
From Pfeiffer Ridge - by Alana Cain
From Pfeiffer Ridge - by Alana Cain
From Pfeiffer Ridge - by Alana Cain
From Ventana parking lot
by Sander W. Koning
From Ventana parking lot
by Sander W. Koning
by Pam Balazer, USFS |
Controlled back fire on July 6, at Burns Creek Canyon. Photo by Leah Fritts
