For specific area updates, see our Outdoor School Updates page, and for more fire information and resources, see our California Fire Information page
Tell your tale! Most of you will have stories from the inferno, whether they
are inspirational, depressing, exciting, tragic or hopeful, it's the telling
that
heals. I think it will be neat to follow the healing process of the land as well
- share your experiences - fire ecology lessons, studies, restoration projects!
Feel free to share your thoughts about fire, even if you weren't in these latest
fires. Send
me
your
stories
and
I
will
publish
them
here
-
For specific updates about outdoor schools, check this page
November 11, 2007
Steve Morris, Fox Outdoor Educator and AEOE Outings and Adventures Coordinator, reports:
Fox is still closed however we plan on reopening next week. We have all been working at Cuyamaca which was not affected at all by the fires. Palomar might be closed for a while (at least until December) however all 3 outdoor schools survived any structural damage! The Palomar State Park is closed and there is a NO FIRES order throughout the entire San Diego Backcountry. Other than that, no one on either staff has reported losing property and we will be ready when all the sites reopen.
October 27, 2007
Arrowhead Ranch Update: KNX 1070 AM reported today [10/27/07] at 4:18 p.m. that Kathy Farley, her husband, and two kids, opened up Arrowhead Ranch to the Firefighters. They served over 1,000 meals this week and made 600 beds available (on a rotation basis - not sure if they actually have 600 beds - but that's how many people got to use them... )
HUGE kudos to Kathy and Arrowhead!
Update: Arrowhead Ranch now has a 2007 Fire Info page: http://www.arrowheadkidscamp.com/2007fireupdate.html
Here is her story from that page:
THE GRASS VALLEY FIRE OCTOBER 22, 2007
As everyone one has heard about the wildfires spreading across California; several guests, families, teachers and school districts have voiced their concerns about mountain safety. I feel that it is very important that you know from the perspective of an owner, a resident, and a mom how the events of that morning transpired.No one could have predicted the way the winds would shift or the speed to be expected from the gusts. At approximately 4:00am on Monday October 22, 2007 a power line was downed. It had been stripped from its moorings by the powerful winds the night before. Unfortunately the result was a major fire on the west side of Lake Arrowhead called the "Grass Fire."
The fire began on the other side of Lake Arrowhead in a little community called Deer Lodge Park. The area is spread out with homes, ranches and is a popular destination for dirt biking trail riders. The landscape is partial desert with sand and brush accompanied by some of the Cedar trees and Pines you see everywhere on the mountain. The active power line swung in the wind and the line began to spark as it was a live wire. The sparks began to fly in the wind traveling toward the pine area where leaves and needles had collected, resulting in the first all out fire of our season. The fire began to roar up the hillside where the trees are plentiful and the forested area was prime kindling. Beyond the trees stood homes that had a view of the upper and lower desert.
Due to the vast amount of resources focused on the Malibu Fire, we [at first] had [only] the local departments of fire and forest to assist in fighting this particular fire. We [eventually] did receive backup and it was at that point that containment began. [In spite of the assistance] of several fire fighting companies, the winds prevailed and continued to blow embers toward the homes on the ridge. As you probably heard on the news, we lost many homes in this fire. It was very sad to see so much of the devastation in our own backyard. It was hard to witness what happened to our neighbors and friends. We are working together as a community to bring together the necessary tools, support and help that is needed.
She goes on to explain their evacuation plan and to reassure people that, "Our fire escape plans, whether it be on a weekend or weekday, are the same. Evacuation orders are usually given with plenty of time to leave the area safely." and "Your children will leave this mountain before I would pick up my own children. The reason for this is that all of our school sites are fire "stations" in the event of a fire. The local mountain schools would keep the students for as long as needed and as long as it was safe. Our local schools also have higher brush clearance policies than the average homeowner."
Pali Mountain has a fire update page on their website - click here for information
According to their website:
"Pali Mountain was spared any major damage this week from the wildfires (Slide Fire) that have swept across Southern California. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have called and have sent their well-wishes. It is greatly appreciated.
The fire was contained mainly to the backside of the camp thanks to the bravery of the local (and not so local) firemen and women. While the vast majority of the camp was spared, we did lose 3 cabins, the amphitheater and the riflery range. Many of our Pali family members were not as fortunate, losing their homes in the fire.
We hope to be on-site later this week to begin the clean-up process. We've already scheduled and been granted the appropriate paperwork to erect temporary buildings and for the demolition to proceed on the affected parts of camp. 95% of the camp is in great shape and ready for our guests. We will re-open the weekend of November 9-11, 2007.
Again, we truly appreciate being in your thoughts and prayers."
Pali has a video slide show of the fire up on YouTube! Click here to watch it
October 26, 2007
YMCA Camp Surf has been fine all along, We cancelled groups and were able to host some evacuated families. It was great to be here for them.
YMCA Camp Marston is still evacuated but we are optimistic. We are pretty sure everyone is OK. We have one staff member that we know of that lost her home. Tara [Murgatroyd - Marston's Outdoor Education Director and AEOE Southern Chair] is here at Surf now with her staff waiting for the all clear to go back up. Lots of schools cancelled and disappointed kids.....
Zayanne G. Thompson
Program Department Head
YMCA Camp Surf
[and AEOE Chief Financial Officer (CFO)]
October 25, 2007
AEOE friends, I guess you all figure that when I was not there to do my Sunday workshop [At the southern Fall Conference] that I was assigned to a fire. After 4 long days I was finally demob (released) for R&R. I have been put on stand-by for any other possible fires in the Santa Monica Mountains area. I wish all those who have duties and responsibilities in Outdoor Camps to be safe and that their place of learning survives the fires.
Frank Padilla, Jr
AEOE Southern Member at Large
Frequent workshop presenter - science magic, safety, and more
October 23, 2007 - News from San Diego
It appears all hell has broken loose! All three SDCOE sights (cuyamaca, palomar, fox) were closed on sunday before the week even began, with the latter two in severe danger with a possibility of total destruction (the Poomacha fire started this morning, we are at the mercy of the winds). Thankfully no one is there and as far as I know everyone is safe. I know Julian has been ordered to evacuate today so probably Marsten is cleaned out but safe for now.
As for me, with my house in Carlsbad 10 miles from the blaze and no camp in the foreseeable future, instead of waiting for something to get better I am off to Mexico to breathe fresh air and be free from all the chaos (Mexico and fresh air used in the same sentence?). I will be back this weekend hopefully to find my home and camp untouched. However I am prepared to find them both destroyed.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Steve Morris
Southern AEOE Outings and Adventures Coordinator
Outdoor Education Program Specialist
Denver C. "Fox" Outdoor School
October 23, 2007
Hi, all. Here's the unofficial update from OCDE Inside the Outdoors Outdoor Science School. As far as we know, both of our sites (Calvary & Cedar Crest) have NOT burned, but were evacuated on Monday. Recent updates say that there is fire moving towards Pali Mountain (not one of our sites). We have closed all 6 of our sites this week, but are expecting to run the four sites on [the Barton Flats/Forest Falls] side of the mountain next week. We are also very concerned about several of our staff who live in Green Valley Lake and Running Springs...as far as we know, they are OK, but we are still waiting to hear about their homes.....SOOOO scary!!!
For those of you that have been evacuated or are dealing with the threat of fire, I sincerely wish you and your families all the best and I hope that you all are safe. If anyone of you has been evacuated or just can't handle the smoke and you need a place to stay, please give me a call (c: 909-744-4484) .
For those of you that have called or emailed, thank you for your concern.
Fondly, Kris Pamintuan, Southern AEOE Member at Large
See information and photos on how the fire destroyed the Pioneertown offices of Boojum Institute in 2006 HERE
Thanks to all the donations and support, Boojum today has new offices and a new location in the San Jacinto Mountains - see their website for current information.
• From Kathy Graves-Farley, CEO/Owner, Arrowhead Ranch Outdoor Science
School
I am the owner of Arrowhead Ranch Outdoor Science School located in Lake Arrowhead.
We evacuated out of Arrowhead on Saturday the 24th of October. We threw things
in the car that we would never use. My family never imagined being gone for
more than 2 or 3 days. We were disallowed from returning for 10 days.
What did happen that was highly emotional and exciting was that I was asked to return amidst the fire. I was called to open up the camp dorms for the firefighters to sleep in. They had been sleeping on floors, bathrooms tiles, anywhere they could lay their heads to rest. I came up escorted by the fire department. they brought me "home." It was a wonderful sight, There was no ash to sweep. There was no smoky smell. It seemed untouched, but for the pine branches that blew down to the trees and driveways. It was amazing. All that ravaged and burned was on the Rim, highway 18. Here inland, there was home. An odd feeling when you are prepared for the worst.
When I got to the camp, I cried. I saw it still standing tall, alone. The relief I felt was not for me or the staff to be able to return to work. My relief was in the fact that kids would be able to come to camp. I was more devastated at the thought of all those kids who had tried to fundraise, who wanted to come to camp. I felt so raw thinking they would not be able to come because the camp had burned. I am here for those kids who work so hard at the chance to be kids for a week at science school. I was elated when I saw the camp standing, they would come back. They would be able to experience the magic of outdoor science school.
We are so grateful to the outpouring of thoughts, wishes, and good will toward us. Thank you for all your support and assistance... It was a rough time. A very stressful time for an owner as well as staff, and residents. We are better for this situation and grateful that it took place so we could learn.
Sincerely,
Kathy Graves-Farley
Arrowhead Ranch Outdoor Science School
"Where children experience life as an adventure, not a race"
• Great story of YMCA Camps Marston And Raintree Ranch near Julian - especially read the update for 11/3, 11:35am - great story
• Link to a San Diego Story about Camp Wolahi, a CampFire USA camp near Cuyamaca and Marston that burned in the Cedar Fire.
• Thoughts on Fires from Pete Devine of Yosemite Institute - he has weathered some big fires up in Yosemite, including one that burnt most of Foresta, where he lives.
• From Janice Smith, AEOE State Historian, who lives in Julian:
Hi
everyone, Just wanted to let everyone know that I am doing OK after the fires
in San
Diego
and Julian,
but
we did
suffer
the
great
loss of Mark's home
in Harrison Park, the one Mark and I were working on over the past year and
I was going to move into next month. We are very fortunate though that my house
in Kentwood did survive, (so we can stay in Julian) although the hills around
it are burned and homes gone. We are living in the Kentwood house now with
the dog and two cats and we have all power and phone service back. So, we have
a lot to be grateful for. The devastation to parts of the Julian area is shocking.
The neighborhood of Harrison Park where we lost the house is completely gone
with the loss of approx. 200 homes, including all of the trees and brush. It
is hardly recognizable, like a war zone. The saddest thing is that all of our
friends there also lost their homes and everyone now is scattered in different
areas around the county. My heart also goes out to so many other friends around
the area and a few of the Cuyamaca staff that also lost their homes.
I couldn't help but cry when I took the drive through Cuyamaca State Park. I'm sure you have heard that most of it was burned including the area around the outdoor school. I realize the difficult situation this places on the outdoor school program. I hope, for the sake of the staff and the students in San Diego, that they can recover and adapt in time.** I will miss the big trees though. I also wonder about the loss of wildlife and of course how the loss of so much of their habitat will affect them in the future. I have seen birds returning to the burned out areas and have found deer and fox or coyote tracks through the ash. A friend of mine spotted an injured mountain lion out on their property with a research collar on and called to report it to the research project. I have not heard any conclusions on how the lions fared though.
On the brighter side, I know that nature will heal her wounds and recover in time. There is a gentle rain today that will help the plants to grow again and start to replenish the streams. Most of our friends are already making plans to rebuild with ideas of a new vision for the populated areas with better roads and more fireproof homes. People everywhere are coming together to help in any way they can which is strengthening the bonds in our community. I am trying to help out by hosting a music benefit this Friday for the community at the local pizza place. I have a whole line up of local musicians that want to join together and sing again with all proceeds going to the Julian Fire Relief Fund that helps out local fire victims. Check out www.julianfirehelp.com.
Like the theme of last year's conference... change happens. And through the metamorphosis we will all grow in ways we never imagined possible and I know a new world and way of living in it awaits us.
Take care of each other, Janice
**Cuyamaca's program will go on, held at a Christian Conference Center in Mt. Palomar until January. The State Parks Department is cutting hazard trees in Cuyamaca now, preparing for their return. Update on Cuyamaca here
• From Jodi Connelly (past AEOE Webmaster & Claremont 6th
grade teacher, Sycamore School)
Fire Experience from Upland (San Antonio Heights area)
We were very fortunate Saturday night. The fire burned to within a block
and a half of our house. We were up all night watching the show. We spent a lot
of time on the roof with the hose. No need for binoculars, the fire was so fast
and so hot that it sounded like a freight train and moved like the bullet train.
The wind blew cinders on us in such quantity that it sounded as though it was
raining. We lost power at about 11:30 pm when the fire burned down into power
lines and three transformers exploded. It was like watching bombs being dropped.
Most of the homes in the area were saved. There were about 15 that burned either
to the ground or were damaged badly. One house was in between multiple other
houses and was not exactly in the line of fire and yet half of it burned to the
ground. It could have been so much worse. We were very lucky that the winds were
not as bad as in San Bernardino and that our fire department was so on the ball.
Our immediate area was evacuated and more than likely we should have left as
well, but the officers never came up our street to tell us to evacuate. We were
prepared to do so however. Not something I want to do again any time soon.
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