Letter: Fire Danger at the Forefront

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Letter to the Editor

In light of the fact that the LA County Board of Supervisors will soon be voting to amend the Santa Monica Mountains Local Coastal Program to allow camping in ESHA areas of the Santa Monica Mountains, I feel it is vital to write this note in the hope that Supervisor Sheila Kuehl can stop this very misdirected idea in the wake of the most devastating fire in local history.

My name is Lori Gray. My husband Larry and I have lived on Winding Way in Malibu (trail to Escondido Canyon) for over 25 years. We are avid hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. The main reason we moved here is because of our breathtaking scenery, gorgeous trails and the ability to pursue our activities in the great outdoors. We support public access. My husband Larry was the chair of the Malibu Trails Committee for a number of years and helped GPS the coastal connector trail.  We probably use the Escondido Trail more than most and sadly have seen its continued degradation over these many years. Despite efforts by the MRCA to create new trails,  encourage hiking and foster a love for nature (which we encourage), we remain dismayed by the lack of resources to maintain and care for all our fragile areas. And although this note is not about Escondido Canyon, and is not about all the emergency rescues here, the people we have physically helped, driven to urgent care, even transported (via horse) out of the canyon, helped direct rescue crews and yes, even reported illegal campfires… this letter is about camping in Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas in the Santa Monica Mountains.  Thank God we were successful (I hope) in preventing camping in Escondido, a box canyon with very limited egress. We have evacuated from our home four times (and almost lost our home in the Woolsey Fire; but thanks to the efforts of my husband and so many others who stayed and helped, we were spared).  We live in such a dangerous area; in fact, it’s one of the most fire-prone zones in America. And yet, on the heels of the most devastating fire we have ever experienced, there is a plan to consider camping? Yes, yes, yes, I know campfires would not be allowed, and yes, yes, yes, I totally understand matches would be outlawed… But it only takes one person! It only takes one ignorant camper who naively thinks it would be ok to show the kids how to really make s’mores. It only takes one naive person who thinks it’s OK to make just a little campfire to cook their wieners. That is exactly the situation that happened in Escondido Canyon a couple of years ago when we stumbled into a group of kids who thought they could safely BBQ hot dogs under an ancient oak tree. Thank God we caught them just in time… And despite the fact we called authorities (who never showed up), we were able to read the thoughtless teens the riot act and stomp out the campfire before it stomped out the neighborhood. The proposal before you is simply way too risky. I sincerely urge you not to allow camping in ESHA areas of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Lori Gray