Well, golly gee whizzies..... doesn't that "sound" just "wonderful" ! ? ! ? HOWEVER.. Remember Oct 1995 ? .. ............In a little coastal area called Point Reyes Station the Elected Officials had been saying the very same thing for many many years....... that they had the foggiest, wettest air on the West Coast. That a serious fire could not possibily happen to them.. In October 1995 it took 2000 firefighters, 108 engines, 7 air tankers, 7 helicopters, and five days of hard firefighting to teach them a " lesson" they will not soon forget. For one of the newspaper accounts of what happened......... Click <HERE> > a new page will open, click on link at mid-page / download to your machine. |
There is yet one more reprehensible activity that the East Bay Regional Parks Dept Senior Management Officials have apparently engaged in ..... and has been documented. Click <HERE> for the letter. |
We have all seen how winds from off the crest of a ridge or cliff are able to cause enough "lift", or updraft; that engine-less craft known as Hang-gliders are able to soar for extended periods of time. The San Pablo Ridge, and Pearl Ridge areas have that type of updraft. For a map of wind direction, and Ridge location, click <HERE> |
The El Sobrante Valley is a wind-corridor to the Sacramento Valley. The wind direction can change dramatically in just a few hours. Quite often the wind will start up at around sunset, ripping through the trees all night long. . . . and in the morning will be a surreal dead-calm. With tree limbs and other debris scattered everywhere. . . . . . . . . . The East Bay Regional Parks management has said that these winds don't exist in such a manner as to pose any sort of a problem. After considerable difficulty, we have managed to record a sunset-time-video of these . "winds-that-don't-exist". . .Click <HERE> for this video / new page will open > click on link at center-page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( RealPlayer plugin required.) |
You have probably heard the Meteorologist at your favorite television station mention the Bay Area weather "microclimates". . . . . The El Sobrante Valley has frequent overnight winds that can equal the wind at the summit on Mount Tamalpais. Click <HERE> for a map that indicates the three primary wind directions. |
West C.C.County Supervisor John Gioia has stated in face to face conversation with members of the La Colina Homeowners Committee, that he has NO intention whatsoever of implementing, or considering the recommendations of Battalion Chief Hooper. . . . . . . . . click <HERE> for Chief Hooper's letter. |
- - NOTICE of NEGLIGENT BREACH of PUBLIC SAFETY - - LOCATION : San Pablo Ridge / Pearl Ridge ; lies within Wildcat Canyon Regional Park ; > Along the North Slope interface with the adjacent improved properties and occupied dwellings on the southern edges of El Sobrante, Calif., within West Contra Costa County. JURISDICTION : East Bay Regional Park District ; > owns and manages the Wildcat Canyon Regional Park ( a State-mandated special park district operation ) > Board of Directors: Carol Severin, President; John Sutter, Vice-President; Ayn Wieskamp, Treasurer; Ted Radke, Secretary; Beverly Lane; Douglas Siden; Jean Siri; ......................................................... ................................................... STATEMENT of COMPLAINT : >For eight years, East Bay Regional Parks Department have maintained conditions on and about SanPabloRidge, that by any reasonable estimation could easily become the flashpoint for a Firestorm , similiar to that which enveloped Oakland in 1991. >There is an extremely heavy fuel load on steep hillside, needed to feed such a fire..... and limited restricted access (bottlenecks) on our narrow two-lane roads.... >And Most importantly.... We have the same high winds from off the top of the Ridge that would "fan" any fire up and over the firecrews..... Forcing those crews into choosing between scattering their trucks throughout the hills, or trying to contain the Initial Blaze Site. AND IN ADDITION : >East Bay Regional Parks Department has taken out / allowed to fall into disrepair, the firetrails that would allow the firetrucks access.... have taken out the 20foot fuelbreaks needed to slow down the spread of a blaze.... have allowed the dead brush, wildgrasses, and the debris from the chaparral to build up.... year after year after year. >The overgrowth includes several patches of chaparral that have reached 18feet high; and are within ten feet of adjoining homes. Our documentation includes videotaped statements taken at 'Town Hall' homeowners meetings that show E.B.Park Fire Officials ardently recommending that the *minimum* of FireProtection is perfectly reasonable..... due to their "guesstimate" of how fast the north slope fuel load would "probably" burn....... that an Eucalyptus "crown fire" couldn't possibly get out-of-control in the contradictory (and) high-velocity winds we frequently experience along these ridges. These conditions and attitudes are viewed as completely reprehensible, and an abrogation of the duty and responsibility of the East Bay Regional Park Dept. to protect the adjoining communities. The fire dangers that their vast expanses of sprawling grasslands and forested areas present should not be underestimated. ( to view location map of Wildcat Canyon.... click <HERE> ....) That the Wildcat Canyon Master Plan and the attendant E.I.R. give considerable mention to the slide and fire hazard dangers, *should be warning enough*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DEMAND for ACTION : Abatement of Hazardous Weeds and Rubbish Sagebrush, Chaparral, and any other brush or weeds which attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property. In ADDITION : The re-establishment of firetrails and fire breaks, in accordance with Contra Costa County fire abatement standards. ............................................................... ............................................................ .. |
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- - NOTICE of NEGLIGENT BREACH of PUBLIC SAFETY - - LOCATION : San Pablo Ridge / Pearl Ridge ; lies within Wildcat Canyon Regional Park ; > Along the North Slope interface with the adjacent improved properties and occupied dwellings on the southern edges of El Sobrante, Calif., within West Contra Costa County. JURISDICTION : East Bay Regional Park District ; > owns and manages the Wildcat Canyon Regional Park ( a State-mandated special park district operation ) > Board of Directors: Carol Severin, President; John Sutter, Vice-President; Ayn Wieskamp, Treasurer; Ted Radke, Secretary; Beverly Lane; Douglas Siden; Jean Siri; ......................................................... ................................................... STATEMENT of COMPLAINT : >For eight years, East Bay Regional Parks Department have maintained conditions on and about SanPabloRidge, that by any reasonable estimation could easily become the flashpoint for a Firestorm , similiar to that which enveloped Oakland in 1991. >There is an extremely heavy fuel load on steep hillside, needed to feed such a fire..... and limited restricted access (bottlenecks) on our narrow two-lane roads.... >And Most importantly.... We have the same high winds from off the top of the Ridge that would "fan" any fire up and over the firecrews..... Forcing those crews into choosing between scattering their trucks throughout the hills, or trying to contain the Initial Blaze Site. AND IN ADDITION : >East Bay Regional Parks Department has taken out / allowed to fall into disrepair, the firetrails that would allow the firetrucks access.... have taken out the 20foot fuelbreaks needed to slow down the spread of a blaze.... have allowed the dead brush, wildgrasses, and the debris from the chaparral to build up.... year after year after year. >The overgrowth includes several patches of chaparral that have reached 18feet high; and are within ten feet of adjoining homes. Our documentation includes videotaped statements taken at 'Town Hall' homeowners meetings that show E.B.Park Fire Officials ardently recommending that the *minimum* of FireProtection is perfectly reasonable..... due to their "guesstimate" of how fast the north slope fuel load would "probably" burn....... that an Eucalyptus "crown fire" couldn't possibly get out-of-control in the contradictory (and) high-velocity winds we frequently experience along these ridges. These conditions and attitudes are viewed as completely reprehensible, and an abrogation of the duty and responsibility of the East Bay Regional Park Dept. to protect the adjoining communities. The fire dangers that their vast expanses of sprawling grasslands and forested areas present should not be underestimated. ( to view location map of Wildcat Canyon.... click <HERE> ....) That the Wildcat Canyon Master Plan and the attendant E.I.R. give considerable mention to the slide and fire hazard dangers, *should be warning enough*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DEMAND for ACTION : Abatement of Hazardous Weeds and Rubbish Sagebrush, Chaparral, and any other brush or weeds which attain such large growth as to become, when dry, a fire menace to adjacent improved property. In ADDITION : The re-establishment of firetrails and fire breaks, in accordance with Contra Costa County fire abatement standards. ............................................................... ............................................................ .. |
Firestorm Danger to El Sobrante Valley all Valley Residents please be advised . . . . . . |
This website will be updated as necessary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . ...Efforts to rid the El Sobrante Valley of these unreasonable and unnecessary fire hazards are ongoing, and will continue until they are successful. There is much Documentation that needs to be processed..... and downloaded into this site. This includes a considerable amount of videotape footage, photographs, and letters......... Where you will be able to see and hear for yourself the conduct and attitudes of your various Contra Costa County and EastBay RegionalPark Elected Officials.................. ... These attitudes are viewed as Reprehensible to a large majority of ElSobrante Valley homeowners and residents who have viewed this documentation......., .................................................................................................................................... ....The 2100 Oakland homeowners who had their homes burnt to the ground would *now* give anything to be able to have prevented their catastrophe ......Using kitchen forks to sort through the ash remains of your home , looking for personal keepsakes, is such an ICKY way to spend the day.................. ...............wouldn't you agree ? ? ? |
.How very sad that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors could have "forgotten" the Oakland Firestorm "lessons" . . . . . . And it has only been 10 yrs. |
Email link to us |
A petition was sent to the East Bay Regional Parks Dept demanding that the San Pablo Ridge (and Pearl Ridge) fire trails and fuel breaks be restored. They replied... (and I quote from their reply letter...) - - "The EastBayRegional Park District purchased the Taylor-McCosker property in 1982 and has not taken out any fire trails or firebreaks." Please look at these photographs and decide for *yourself* the truth of the matter. |
And when an appeal was made to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to interceed on behalf of the El Sobrante homeowners . . . . . or at the very LEAST, to write a letter to the EastBay Regional Parks Dept expressing concern over the conditions on the San Pablo Ridge (which is upwind of the 14,000 residents of El Sobrante....) ........... They DECLINED . . . . . |
It has been eight long years since the East Bay Regional Parks Dept had been advised that the Fire Hazard Conditions mentioned on this Website were UNACCEPTABLE to the Homeowners who lived along the Wildcat Canyon Park perimeters .. ......................... .................. ...In the event that ANY IMPROVEMENT is implemented, a Notice will be posted on this website. |
This Eucalyptus Grove has approximately 300 trees. . . . ..They are an average height of 150 feet. . . . . . . |
The frequent occurrence of overnight high velocity winds along these ridgelines.... (that rival those at the crest of Mount Tamalpais...) are what would loft burning debris to the adjoining hillsides surrounding the El Sobrante Valley. |
<------- two miles in this direction is Tilden Regional Park with its many years buildup of tree debris (fuel-load for fire) |
When flames raced along the Oakland Eucalyptus Trees ..( a "crown fire"...) The burning debris became wind-lofted and was able to leap over two eight-lane Freeways...... |
Please wait for page to load completely - 120 sec on 53 k modem . . . . when nearly finished, the Midi Player will auto-start |
Contact us via Email if you have any info that might prove useful. |
THIS ENTIRE TRAIL COMPLEX IS UNUSEABLE WITH WASHOUTS, OR COMPLETELY GROWN OVER WITH BRUSH AND SMALL TREES. |
. . .WE ARE CONSIDERING STARTING A NEWSLETTER. . . ...............IF YOU WISH TO BE KEPT INFORMED................ . . . . . LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE ABOVE LINK . . . . . |
It was two long years ago that West Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia was informed by Certified Letter concerning the nature and scope of this fire danger to the El Sobrante Valley . . . . . . . . A 32 page report was delivered to his offices. .....This report included photographs. . . . and terrain maps. . . and wind flow charts . . . AND a copy of a letter from Senior Contra Costa Fire Battalion Chief Don Hooper ..............Please be advised that Battalion Chief Hooper is known and respected throughout both West County, and Central Contra Costa County. As far as we have been able to determine, he is considered to be a fine example of a Professional Firefighter. |
The letter from Battalion Chief Hooper (dated August 22, 1995) was addressed to the East Bay Regional Parks District. Within this letter Battalion Chief Hooper does NOT mince words about the problems along the San Pablo Ridge, and the fire threat that the condition of the East Bay Park Dept lands pose to the adjacent private properties. . . . . . . . . . . to quote from Chief Hooper's letter: |
. . " We also recognize the fire threat which exists, from the Regional Parks property as it is . . . . . . . . It is clear we need a plan " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
West C.C.County Supervisor John Gioia has stated in face to face conversation with members of the La Colina Homeowners Committee, that he has NO intention whatsoever of implementing, or considering the recommendations of Battalion Chief Hooper. . . . . . . . . click <HERE> for Chief Hooper's letter. |
THE UNALTERED CONDITIONS OF THESE PARK LANDS AFTER TWO YEARS STAND AS MUTE TESTIMONY THAT Supervisior Gioia MEANT PRECISELY WHAT HE SAID . . . . . . . HOW VERY VERY SAD INDEED. |
This map will orient you to where El Sobrante is located. Look to map center. . . . . just above El Cerrito. Wildcat Canyon is the "green area" situated between these two cities. |
You have probably heard the Meteorologist at your favorite television station mention the Bay Area weather "microclimates". . . . . The El Sobrante Valley has frequent overnight winds that can equal the wind at the summit on Mount Tamalpais. Click <HERE> for a map that indicates the three primary wind directions. |
The El Sobrante Valley is a wind-corridor to the Sacramento Valley. The wind direction can change dramatically in just a few hours. Quite often the wind will start up at around sunset, ripping through the trees all night long. . . . and in the morning will be a surreal dead-calm. With tree limbs and other debris scattered everywhere. . . . . . . . . . The East Bay Regional Parks management has said that these winds don't exist in such a manner as to pose any sort of a problem. After considerable difficulty, we have managed to record a sunset-time-video of these . "winds-that-don't-exist". . .Click <HERE> for this video / new page will open > click on link at center-page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .( RealPlayer plugin required.) |
We have all seen how winds from off the crest of a ridge or cliff are able to cause enough "lift", or updraft; that engine-less craft known as Hang-gliders are able to soar for extended periods of time. The San Pablo Ridge, and Pearl Ridge areas have that type of updraft. For a map of wind direction, and Ridge location, click <HERE> |
There is yet one more reprehensible activity that the East Bay Regional Parks Dept Senior Management Officials have apparently engaged in ..... and has been documented. Click <HERE> for the letter. |
You have read the letter...... now understand this > Even though East Bay Regional Park Officials promised in writing six years ago to repair the perimeter fencing, and to restore the firetrails, and make the necessary preparations for return of cattle....as per the Battalion Chief's request ( see the Chief's Letter ) . . . . . . . . . Not a single one of these "promises" were kept ! ! ! They now even deny these commitments were made in writing . . . . . . AND these denials were made in the presence of Contra Costa County Supervisior John Gioia. > who, after being informed that documentation was available on premise to refute the outrageous claims of the Park Officials, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our County Supervisor John Gioia did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it . . . . .? ? ? ? |
And if you thought that the previous items were bad enough . . . . . . |
The previous owners of this San Pablo Ridge North Slope area had the "good sense" to install their own private firetrails..... later, the Fire Officials of Contra Costa County added their own "County Fire Trails" to these Northern Slopes. Now that the East Bay Regional Parks Dept has taken over ownership, this complex of firetrails has become unuseable. Park Fire Officials say that the trails are "grown over and indistinct" .....that they did not remove those trails ( stopping maintenance and allowing them to crumble into ruin isn't removing them ? ? ? ? ? ? ......) .............. Here are a collection of photographs so that YOU can decide for yourself .... click on thumbnail pictures More info embedded in each larger Pic. |
THERE IS A VIDEOTAPE RECORDING OF THE ABOVE ENCOUNTER AVAILABLE ! . . . .AS SOON AS WE HAVE SUITABLE SOFTWARE TO PRESENT THIS TAPE, IT WILL BE UPLOADED. |
There is one claim that East Bay Regional Park Officials have made over and over again, about the El Sobrante microclimate winds. They have said that they are concerned only about the hot dry EasternWind ( wind "C" ) that comes from the valley areas. They claim that the wind from the "other" directions, is a relatively moist, wet air mass...... and that such air would not cause a fire problem.............. |
Well, golly gee whizzies..... doesn't that "sound" just "wonderful" ! ? ! ? HOWEVER.. Remember Oct 1995 ? .. ............In a little coastal area called Point Reyes Station the Elected Officials had been saying the very same thing for many many years....... that they had the foggiest, wettest air on the West Coast. That a serious fire could not possibily happen to them.. In October 1995 it took 2000 firefighters, 108 engines, 7 air tankers, 7 helicopters, and five days of hard firefighting to teach them a " lesson" they will not soon forget. For one of the newspaper accounts of what happened......... Click <HERE> > a new page will open, click on link at mid-page / download to your machine. |
The East Bay Regional Parks Board of Directors have taken the position that if they were to consider re-installing Firetrails and Fuel Breaks on the San Pablo Ridge ( and Pearl Ridge ) north slope interface that is adjacent to the El Sobrante Homeowners improved properties . . . that this would REQUIRE an E.I.R. ( Environmental Impact Report ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Let us stop and consider the implications of that rather unsettling statement. They are saying that it is absolutely necessary and required , to have an Environmental Impact Report before they attempt to install firetrails and fuel breaks that would protect the nearby communities....... |
And that it was NOT necessary to have an E.I.R. before allowing those trails to crumble into wrack-and-ruin from lack of proper maintenance . . . . . HOW STUPID DO THEY THINK THE EL SOBRANTE RESIDENTS ARE ? |
Perhaps you are under the impression that a serious fire could not get a "toehold" here, in our "Happy Little Windblown Valley" . . . . . . . hmmmmm ? |
These photographs are from a wildfire that started over in the Wildcat Canyon area a few years ago, and covered the distance to Quail Hill in just a few minutes. (click on thumbnails) |
Do you know why the nice firemen are crawling between the homes ??? There are no fuel breaks or trails behind these homes....... just a "carpet" of trees, brush, chaparral, and a fuel load of dried out debris from years and years of neglect on the part of East Bay Regional Parks management officials. |
And here we are at the last photo of this series. See anything familiar ? Yes, you are correct. Here is an El Sobrante homeowner watering down his roof . . . . . . . Just like they did in Oakland, Oct 1991 |
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The La Colina Homeowners Committee would like to express our appreciation to KTVU Channel 2 for allowing us to use their videotaped coverage of the Oakland, Berkeley, and Wildcat Canyon Fires. |
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"The Great Goat Caper". . . . . . . . Also known as: The Great Public Relations Stunt |
This series of photos "tell" a sad and pathetic "story" about how the Park Directors and management officials want to show how much they apparently "care" about the safety and health of the El Sobrante Community. |
The above pictures are of a goat herd that are brought up here once a year. . . . . they are fenced in, so that they will only forage within the "itsy-bitsy" little green areas, indicated with the blue arrows at map-left. . . . . . . .The Red area is the Very Worst of the overgrown jungle....The yellow is the wind direction when it swings around and flows over the crest of SanPabloRidge. . . . . Now, if Park Officials are going to prattle on and on about "their goats"......... you might also expect they would take-a-minute, and also mention about what a worthless and factitious gesture it is. |
And the truly sad part is that Supervisior J. Gioia has seen this "map" too. . . . . . . ! |
THE FORAGE AREAt. |
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The Power Line Problem . . . . (or) when you want to start a fire, you need some sort of match . . . . . . RIGHT ? ? ? |
.Several years ago, PGE cut back on their required tree trimming programs..... many fires that caused ten's of millions of dollars of damage were the result. They were sued for damages by the various western States. Two yrs later PGE paid many millions of $ as a result. . . The powerline in this picture has been tangled in these trees for many many years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The East Bay Regional Parks managers refuse to relocate this powerline..... Even though this line runs right thru the worst of the overgrowth, and could be the "spark" that destroys the adjoining residential areas.....and could set ablaze the grove of Eucalyptus that runs along the San Pablo Ridge crest. ......... which leads into Tilden Park ! |
The ContraCosta Board of Supervisors were advised of this almost two years ago. These photos are current. . . . . . . .The powerline remains unchanged. |
We have tried several types of software video / editor managers, and remain dissatisfied with the results...... am thinking of trying StreamingMedia. . . ......Any Techie's "out there" have any suggestions ? ? ? ? |
AND THERE IS STILL MORE TO THE STORY . . . . . . . . |
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For several years this photo has been a major embarassment for Park Officials. |
they resolved this "faux pas" by mowing only the area just behind these gates.... leaving the several miles of useless firetrails untouched...... IMPRESSIVE . . . Huh ? ? ? |
Copyright © 2001, La Colina Homeowners Committee |
.Want to know the Whole Story ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A person would think in "these days" ( after the Oakland Firestorm of ' 91 ), that it would be the equivalent of "political suicide" to allow any sort of situation, or combination of conditions that could lead to a "FireStorm Event", to remain for very long. . . . . . but, alas. . . such is not the case. - The East Bay Regional Parks Board of Directors, and their senior managers, have made decisions, and allowed conditions to develop in such a way, that had they deliberately decided to set about creating conditions that would lead to a high probability of a "FireStorm Event". . . . it is quite possible they could not have done a "better-job-of-it". The Central Issue (and core of the problem) is Response Time . . . . .Definition of Response Time : The total elapsed time from when an incident occurs.... until an appropriate responder starts corrective action (application of extinguishing agents )....... ( American Fire Journal 2001 ) ..........This is not when fire equipment arrives at at the perimeter of Park Property..... |
.A correlation (distinction) needs to be made between Arrival Time and Intervention Time Since the "enemy" is time, the clock starts ticking when the event occurs .......not when the event is discovered, or the response is dispatched.... The clock stops when corrective action is taken..... meaning application of an extinguishing agent...... NOT when the first officer or truck arrives on the scene....... and NOT several hours later when any C.D.F aircraft might become available for "Air-Drops" ( re : CDF - Calif. Dept of Forestry ) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
.Back in 1982 there were firetrails and fuel breaks in place on those San Pablo Ridge hillsides that are now in the Wildcat Canyon Park . Those trails allowed the Contra Costa County Fire Crews unfettered access to that SanPabloRidge northslope interface.......this is the land areas adjacent to the El Sobrante private property owners. - Within a few years of the E.B.R.Parks (EastBayRegionalParks) purchase of these land areas, those firetrails and fuel breaks were crumbled, ruined.... and unuseable. - - - - - - - -- - - this was allowed to occur without an Environmental Impact Report - - - - - |
.The remnants of those trails acted almost like giant "funnels"..... diverting rainwater runoff into portions of those slopes that had never been required to "store" such enormous "pools" before. The results should have been foreseen..... landslides destroyed dozens of homes. - The settlements for damages ran in the neighborhood of $16 Millions of dollars.. . . . . . But, what-the-heck...... taxpayer money, and insurance money GrowsOnTrees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .Right ? ? ? ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - There was even a DEATH involved in all this. ContraCostaCounty DeathCertificate # 0700 02226 ..... Martha Rayburn (dated May 12th, 1985) - There was a Lawsuit filed by the family of the deceased. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ContraCostaCounty SuperiorCourt Case # 282972 ........ settlements were made out-of-court..... PGE "fought-tooth-and-nail"....... but in the end, they too, had to pay. ....but it was O-N-L-Y Taxpayer and PGE ratepayer money and Insurance money.... - - - - - and everyone knows that this money grows-on-trees- - - - Right ? ? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - |
.East Bay Regional ParksDept "claim" that they cannot restore those old trails, because that would cause additional landslides...... However.... those "old trails" were there for OVER 50 years....... with no problems what-so-ever...... - The Master Plan for Wildcat Regional Park has an Environmental Impact Report. This report does NOT mince words about how to deal with these problems. The recommendations within that report indicate that the current course of "action" by the E.B.R.P. Board of Directors IS WITHOUT MERIT....and a danger to the nearby communities .- This last year...... a proposal has been made, to assemble an "Evaluation Team" made up of representatives from the EBRPD Fire Dept, the Richmond FireDept, the CCCounty FireDept, the El Sobrante MuncipleAdvisoryCouncil, the CCCountySupervisor J. Gioia's office, and the Richmond MVNCouncil...... . . . . . .The purpose would be to investigate and evaluate the extent of any problem that the WildcatCanyon NorthSlope might pose to the El Sobrante community. . . . . The EBRParks Dept has yet to make a FORMAL RESPONSE in WRITING. Know why ? ? Because this "evaluation" was ALREADY made..... back in 1995. . . . and.... they did NOTHING AT ALL in response to those "recommendations". - |
.Oh.... they PROMISED to "make improvements"..........confirmed in writing. ....................... "promises" that they NOW say that they DID NOT MAKE. . . . . . . They did not even fix their perimeter fences..... after all these years and years and years...... Broken fences that allowed Juveniles WANTED BY THE SHERIFF's Dept (warrant # J9800974 ) to "hide-out" intermittantly on those EBRParklands........ -and to have unfettered access to the rear of our properties, armed with burglary tools, and a handgun. ............................................................................................................... ....... Fire trails and fuel breaks are considered basic and essential everywhere within California, except in the El Sobrante Valley...... or so it would seem. At least that is what EBRPD senior officials suggested at a La Colina Homeowners Committee meeting last year, where they argued in favor of the minimum of fire prevention measures along the San Pablo Ridge and Pearl Ridge areas. |
.Seven years ago, in response to that 1995 letter from Senior Contra Costa County (CCC) Battalion Fire Chief DonHooper outlining the nature of the danger on San Pablo Ridge and insisting that some sort of change be made, EBRPD agreed in writing to a reduction of those fire hazard conditions. They now deny even the existence of that letter sent to the ContraCostaCounty FireDepartment. - Supervisor John Gioia has refused to consider the contents of that letter. -The CCC Board of Supervisors has declined to become involved. Assemblywoman Dion Aroner has indicated it is not her problem but a County matter. That an out-of-control firestorm reaching TildenPark isn't of any concern to Assemblywoman Aroner, would seem to be a "problem" that TheVoters should perhaps bring to the attention of Ms. Aroner. . . . . . . . . ? ? ? |
.The Richmond City Council ( Mayor Rosemary Corbin ) was informed two years ago . . . . . and did nothing whatsoever........ Richmond FireChief Joe Robinson was informed of the possibility of a out-of-control fire reaching the Richmond jurisdictions.......... ( a 10 page report / with photographs and wind-flow maps )........... and the Chief didn't even bother to send a letter of inquiry to the EBRPark Officials. ContraCostaCounty Consolidated FireDept FireChief Keith Richter was informed of the possibility of an out-of-control fire reaching the TildenPark areas... ................( a 10 page report / with photographs and wind-flow maps ) .......and the Chief didn't even bother to send a letter of inquiry to the EBRPark Officials. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
.The high velocity winds that sweep across the WildcatCanyon-San Pablo Ridge can come from any of three directions (see our website maps...). The prevailing wind is what would sweep any fire straight over and into our valley. The second direction could sweep a fire over the freeway, and into the Richmond areas. The third may be the most problematical. That direction from off the Bay, while cooler and usually somewhat damp, would push a fire into the Tilden Park treelines with astonishing swiftness The wind velocity along the top of our ridgelines can rival (that of) Mt. Tamalpais. If Tilden Park went up in flames, it would be the Oakland FireStorm all over again. - And our elected officials don't want to deal with it. |
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - On a Final Note .....................there is one final....... dreary....... dismal...... depressing.... "footnote" concerning all of this......... ...... there is an Election coming up this March...... on the ballot is a Measure K. This Bond Issue will provide the EastBay Regional Parks Dept with tens of millions of dollars...... year after year after year after year................ - And..... the EBRPark Managers "point" to this measure...... and indicate that with the 500-or-so "projects" that they have "in mind" for this money, that many of TheseProblems may be "taken care of"......... This is Drivel . . . . . |
.- How can this be ? ? ? ........ Because they ALSO include the phrase......... .........SUBJECT TO OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS............ - This means...... IF they "need" another several millions to "settle-out-of-court" yet another lawsuit....... or.... ANYthing else they might have in mind....... ......They can.... and will..... divert any moneys needed.... any where they see fit. - There is NO hard-and-fast commitment to those "500 projects"...... ......... Just How Stupid do they think TheVoters are ? ? ? |