It’s about time that the people of Malibu make sure that the City Council speaks for them, their concerns and their well being, rather than serve other interests. We urge them to reconsider their approval of overnight camping in sensitive and highly flammable areas such as Corral Canyon and Ramirez Canyon. We, the people of Malibu, think that the City Council has been irresponsible and acted in a negligent manner based on the impact of the recent fires. This is gross negligence from a common sense standpoint.
Who will take responsibility for any fire that comes from these ‘approved cold camping ‘ sites? Have any of you ever walked up in our canyons? They are already littered with cigarette butts and empty cigarette cartons tossed on the side of the narrow winding roads and trails. We already know that these campsites are used for parties and raves. I have personally witnessed many rave parties at the top of Corral Canyon which go on all night from dusk to dawn. As you know, all it takes is one cigarette butt thrown carelessly from a car to start a blaze that could take the whole canyon out as we saw in the fire on Malibu road.
If the devastating recent fire had traveled to Corral Canyon last week, the bridge under construction at the bottom of the hill would not have withstood the impact of fire trucks, first responders, sheriffs, emergency personnel and the heavy rescue equipment they need to fight such a fire. Not to mention encountering hundreds of residents fleeing the fire with their pets and precious family belongings. This construction during ‘fire season’ has left the entire canyon subject to a one-lane jerry-rigged bridge which is not only too small and narrow, but also structurally questionable.
We have wondrous and beautiful hiking trails here in Malibu and we encourage and welcome visitors to enjoy these sites. We simply cannot permit overnight camping. We are already ill equipped to deal with the risk of fires on these narrow bone-dry trails.
Please vote “no” on this proposal. It is crazy, reckless and unthinkable especially after our recent fires. To do less is a dereliction of your duty to protect the citizens of Malibu.
Geraldine Gilliland