\(The following letter was addressed to the Malibu mayor and City Council.)
I have written many times regarding Charmlee Wilderness Park. This time, my concerns are regarding the “controlled burns” which have been occurring much too often.
Upon investigation, it seems that these controlled burns are Fire Department training. It seems that the City of Malibu was allotted money from FEMA and that “part of the deal” was to use Charmlee as a “guinea pig” to see the effect of controlled burns, etc. This, apparently, was initiated when Los Angeles County still owned the park. Since Malibu now owns Charmlee, it is up to the Malibu City Council to realize the effect upon the park due to these burns and to stop them.
Enough is enough! The Fire Department is trashing a natural wilderness area and it has to stop. This area is for the animals and an educational tool for the children.
As I mentioned in my past letters, Malibu does not realize the value of owning a wilderness area. The quick pace of daily life and the overuse of technology, adds stress to already overburdened lives. The depletion of natural resources, multiplication of endangered species, overdevelopment of rural areas, overemphasis on money and competition, are only a few of the reasons we need quiet, natural areas.
The crushing and burning of Charmlee is rape. It’s wonderful to know that the Fire Department is developing new ways to combat fire. However, life is balance. Nature endured the natural fires that have occurred for years. So perhaps more research is needed but the time has come to find another area.
Please investigate this and see what needs to be done to curtail further action from the Fire Department.
I await your reply.
Alessandra DeClario