Slash and Burn. San Diego County's twisted approach to fire risk reduction

[85ranger10]

I live all the way in Ohio, and I can't believe how shortsighted the SD county gvt. is. Ugh, it's like the only thing their eyes see is money and economics. It's amazing how so many humans have become blinded to their world.

[chaparralian]

I couldn't agree more! Unfortunately, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors doesn't understand that.

[sbar20]

No, this is not true. There are 2000 uniformed police officers and 1000 firefighter for SD City. San Diego Sheriffs receive many grants making them second to none. San Diego County is unprepared for major fires, because it does not have an County Department, unlike LA, OC and all other counties in CA. It relies on volunteer departments to protect the county, which has been not effective in the past. Spend more money on Firefighters, create a Paid Department to defend against the dangers CA fires

[yunleilei]

I beg to differ about the volunteer departments. It is the backcountry volunteer departments that have defended the rural areas time and again, because the County hasn't had the money to fund staffing those areas. The seeming "ineffectiveness" needs to be considered within the context of the massive, wind-driven fires against which these men and women fight. Creating a County Fire Authority is a positive step, but the lack of one isn't the reason we can't stop massive fires.

[yunleilei]

Further, California seems to have this backwater notion that "volunteer" means "untrained, unexperienced, and no clue what they're doing." 75%-90% of fire departments in the U.S. are volunteer. Most places simply don't have the funds to support paid departments. Paid departments are a luxury. Somehow, somewhere along the way was developed this elitist attitude that only paid fire departments are real departments. The fact is that they ALL do the same job - the only difference is some get paid.

[yunleilei]

The County has been finding over the last year or so that this County Fire Authority is much more expensive than they had originally planned. You can't staff the backcountry with paid firefighters. It's simply too expensive. This is why you use the volunteers - and provide them with the same training and resources that you provide to the paid departments.

[yunleilei]

The volunteers are citizens, members of their communities, with jobs and families and lives, who take & make time to train to respond to the same things that paid firefighters do. The primary differences between them and the paid folks are: 1) they do it ON TOP OF the jobs they already have, 2) they're not compensated for it, 3) they have paltry budgets with which to make happen the same things paid departments have funds for, and 4) they get treated like "lessers" because they're "volunteers."

[yunleilei]

Finally, while I agree with providing more funding for equipment, tools, vehicles, training, & personnel, we cannot place sole responsibility for wildfire protection on the shoulders of the fire department. We need to recognize that NO ONE can stop a wind-driven wildfire, no matter how much we throw at it; & citizens need to take personal responsibility for preparing their property, having evacuation plans, & providing adequate, educated, & trained community defense when choosing to stay behind.

[adonian]

at least you corrected the misspelling, Just my opinion, but when I see 3 or 4 cars making 1 pullover traffic violation then there are too many police (this is Chula Vista by the way not San Diego).

I guess my generalized statement about less police was misunderstood. San Diego (the city) could use more officers, true.

I was hired as SDPD, but I was going to be placed in the Barrio on graveyard shift, sorry not gonna die in my first week :)

Seriously, they could afford more if you read my last.

[Aabicus]

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[adonian]

One more thing, YES San Diego NEEDS MORE FIRE FIGHTERS, and LESS police, MORE TEACHERS, and less BUROCRATS (sorry if I spell that wrong). I personally know someone who retired from SD County with $70,000 YEARLY RETIREMENT and they couldnt fill her spot, so she reapplies and gets her old job back WITH FULL RETIREMENT AND Salary. PUT THE MONEY WHERE IT'S NEEDED, not into people like my firend (Dont ask who or where she is)

[adonian]

I live in San Diego, I was close to the fire lines (see my video), but I dont LIVE IN THE FIRE ZONES, DONT LIVE THERE its as simple as that, you're so rich you can have a huge house out there, you cant blame anyone but yourselves it you house burns down in a WILD FIRE.

[BodhiSeeker]

The great problem with San Diego is that it is essentially owned by the big Developers. We live in a DESERT. There are too many people here. Period. Yes, it's wonderful for the greed, rich bastards who are ONLY interested in giant McMansions, collecting trophy wives and driving Porsches. We CANNOT live this way anymore. Period.

DON'T APPROVE BUILDING HOMES IN FIRE PRONE AREAS!

[fwfsasocal]

It is sad, that after so many scientific facts, firefighter testimony, and community education, that the San Diego Supervisors would vote from a point of absolute ignorance.

I'm afraid for their future.

[calown]

My fervent hope is that this management plan gets completely hamstrung in lawsuits. I can't imagine that envronmental agencies and organizations are going to sit idly by while these ecosystems are systematically destroyed. Or will they? Man, and to see houses saved by large stands of old growth manzanita, and oaks, and sycamores. Certainly turning a swath of the Santa Monica mountains into eroding, weedy cowpasture has done nothing to slow fires frequent march to the sea in those areas.

[naturegirllori]

Some great comments here, and I agree. What can we do to halp?

[chaparralian]

The best thing to do right now is to write an email to every San Diego County Supervisor and staff member involved (you can write one and send it to the bunch). We can provide the email addresses and suggested comments. Please go to the California Chaparral Institute's webpage and send us an email. We'll send you back all the details. You can also find the necessary information to bring you up to date on it all by going to our website's "SD County Slash and Burn" page.

[Birddoctor1]

The planning commission voted this way because--to right wing political value systems--nature is the enemy. The more nature you can kill, the better. The sooner everything is paved over with cement the better, as far as these people are concerned. They will never make decisions based on doing the right thing, but will always vote for positions which hasten the demise of life on earth.

[Aabicus]

It's about time somebody has told the truth about what's going on in San Diego County. They need a real fire department! The board of supervisors need to stop blaming nature and start learning how to live in a high fire hazard area!