Another Holy Jim Fire

Yeah... They started that in 2017 (?). They blew up some of the dams in Holy Jim and Silverado then... I believe the pandemic delayed their plans- until now.

There were some protests at the time... Especially in Silverado. The residents did not like the idea of losing their swimming holes.

 

You know how it is... they probably started the red tape for this 20 years ago when the stream was not as intermittent. The steelhead could still come upstream in a wet year...but hardly such an emergency that they couldnt cancel the blasting plans until less fire- friendly conditions. Now that I think about it, maybe blasting shouldnt be done at all in such a dry fire-prone ecosystem.

 

https://www.ocregister.com/2022/03/...ign=scng-ocr-localist-eve&utm_content=curated

 

They transitioned to M4s over a decade ago and some get M27s, but they probably didn't even have weapons for this. #wellactually

 

PayWall'ed.

 

And OC and Santa Anas get gypped by another “storm”

 

We just had about 6 drops fall... The ground is almost damp. Hero dirt here I come!

 

I feel like Sméagol. “we forgotses the sound of water, the green of hills, the taste of hero dirt…”

 

A lot of it went further south, hit the cuyamucas and mount laguna. Noble canyon next week!

 

Storm did hit south here, good snow on Mt Laguna and Cuyamacas

 

Just a few drops here at my place, and they said rain all day! Haha...

I was really hoping it would knock down some of the dirt and dust from the a-holes building 91 homes next to me. Seriously, I've given up washing the car and tired of sweeping every day.
Oh well..... A ride this afternoon will make me all better.

 

Report them to the dust police every day!

 

We’re you notified last year that they were gonna build it?

 

1-800-CUT-SMOG

Nice steady drizzle on and off since last night out east SB valley-way. RSR gonna' be epic!

 

Yep I knew, and the lied by omission, but that's another story.

Seriously, they probably moved over 100 trucks of dirt in and built a 100' wall to bring the housing pads up from El toro to the top of the hill. so they'd have a view is my guess. Where I could see sky I now see graders. Never in my wildest dreams would have ever guessed this would or could happen.

And dust police? What? The rain has made mud of the dust in our parking lot. Tell me more!! Hehe...
This is way off topic...


So I think the holy jim fires out, never did see it from my home.

 

I wanna have a chat with you on the phone or maybe along Harding or Maple Springs up to 4-corners. Much of my job is to protect the developers from upset neighbors by protecting the environment, including storm water, air quality, traffic, and scenic vistas.

 

Interesting, I'll PM you.

 

Apparently the Canyon residents are none too happy with the current Ranger managing our CNF….from Fire Chief Mike:

Mr. Tangenberg:

Over the last six days I have spoken to individuals and community representatives from Silverado Canyon to Modjeska and Trabuco. They have asked me to contact you and voice their collective concerns and outrage at last weeks fire in Holy Jim.

Though I am a cabin owner in Holy Jim Canyon and have been a Special Use Permit holder for five decades, I have no agenda about the dam removal project or most other projects the Forest Service undertakes, though I did originally comment that natural processes were a better method of removing the remnants of the old dams, and I did object when we were told explosives would be used.

In the conversations I have had, which include members of OCFA, the universal sentiment is that the fire is the last straw, and the effectiveness of Darrell Vance as the Forest Service representative, the link between the public and USDA’s forest managers, is non-existent. Community leaders in general want nothing to do with him, and mistrust his judgement. I understand that you may believe that statement is an overstatement, but I encourage you to go down the list of residents and, especially, leaders of emergency action groups and find the answers for yourself.

I cautioned the permit holders in Holy Jim about this year’s removal project on Sunday, March 27th when the Forest was closed, saying that current forest conditions were not conducive to the use of explosives, and that the project might be postponed. That didn’t happen, and, when the fire was raging, Nathan Judy’s information - - or lack of it - - inflamed foothill residents. To find truth, we published the video of the explosion and the fire, and showed a graph of the week’s fire danger levels, information that was shared with all Forest Service fire stations and OCFA on the morning of the fire. With this critical information, especially the fuel moisture levels that ranged from 16% to 18%, the person in charge should have had enough sense to postpone the project. Darrell Vance went ahead with it despite the warnings and the fire resulted.

The primary purpose for this email is to let you know that Darrel Vance is no longer an effective liaison between the Forest Service and the people who use the Forest. They will no longer engage him, listen to him, follow his directives, or heed his warnings. Essentially there is a universal request to replace him with a Ranger who will use common sense, communicate with the people, and not engage in irresponsible behavior just to complete a Forest Service project.

I understand you and Darrell Vance have been friends for a long time, and that this request may be difficult to accept, which is why I encourage you to interview the many people and groups who have had dealings with him and find the answers for yourself. As for Holy Jim, my belief is that he is not welcome here. He is the Ranger, so he has every right to be here, but he will find that few, if any, will talk with him, and most recognize that he is arrogant, irresponsible, and a complete failure at binding the relationship between the Forest Service and the people who use the Forest.

As a concluding example of the community’s feelings, I attach the following comment on social media:

"Darrell Vance, the District Ranger, is known for considering the public's access to our forest a low priority, both by advocacy groups that have worked to keep the trails open and former employees of the Forest Service that have since retired; no public in the Forest - less work."

 

Sign the petition:

https://chng.it/LD2k25rn7F

Local canyon residents, community leaders and other forest-using residents of Orange County and even members of the OCFA have collectively said that the recent Jim Fire being caused by the USFS is the last straw! Simply put, Trabuco District Ranger Darrel Vance must be removed from his position and replaced with a more suitable candidate, one the public can trust.

The Jim fire erupted when the USMC contracted by the USFS used explosives to blow up historic trout dams in Holy Jim Canyon. Even though it was a hot day and low humidity levels hovered around 16-18% neither Darrel Vance nor anyone else at the USFS Trabuco District had the sense to postpone the use of explosives. Nor did they have the sense to position fire crews on Main Divide should a fire start. Video evidence from Santiago Peak cameras shows the fire erupted immediately following the use of these explosives in an area just below Holy Jim Falls.

While the fire was raging USFS spokesperson Nathan Judy gave little or no information on the cause nor situation. The USFS since announced they would be investigating the USMC for their part in starting the fire. This enraged local residents who smelled a cover up.

Darrel Vance has a known history of placing low priority on the public's access to the forest. This was demonstrated by a lengthy 3+ year closure of the most popular areas of the Trabuco District following the Holy fire in 2018 that include Holy Jim and Trabuco Canyon. During that period, no efforts were made to re-open these trails yet two bridges were built in Holy Jim Canyon to facilitate steelhead trout habitat.

Last Fall small portions of the forest were re-opened following the Holy Fire but no plans were announced to re-establish the Trabuco Trail and the Holy Jim Trail was kept closed above the Holy Jim Falls, despite having received no damage from the Holy Fire.

As an example of the community's feeling in general here is an excerpt from social media:

-- "Darrell Vance, the District Ranger, is known for considering the public's access to our forest a low priority, both by advocacy groups that have worked to keep the trails open and former employees of the Forest Service that have since retired; no public in the Forest - less work."

The primary purpose of this campaign is to let Darrel Vance's superiors know is no longer an effective liaison between the Forest Service and the people who use the Forest. Community and recreational group leaders no longer engage him, listen to him, follow his directives, or heed his warnings. Essentially this is a universal request to replace him with a Ranger who will use common sense, communicate with the people, and not engage in incompetent behavior just to complete a Forest Service project.

If you don't trust Darrel Vance to protect the Trabuco District nor to allow us taxpayers proper access to our forest, then please sign this petition and share with others.

 

Careful what you ask for....they may send you the district ranger from Palomar who cancelled our trail plan for 20 mi of trails because it was "out of character" with the district (which currently has all of 4 miles of singletrack open to bikes).

 

Such a wide range in rangers… The Lowe Lifes were back in the Bobcat closure this past weekend getting the Gab ready.

 

You should be up there helping them! I'd be all over that if I was closer

 

I guess we can write-off HJ...

 

That sucks….but not unexpected. The surprising part is they only issued for 1 year….to start.

 

Bummer. And all due to stupidity, I was just starting to use the trail again.

 

....to start
In the Los Padres I have seen temporary 1 year closures for 10+ years

 

That last sentence of the first paragraph…

 

I don’t understand this first paragraph
“Generally the closure is made to allow the vegetation to get a head start at restoration before people walk the trails, but because 99% of the burned area is up 80-90% slopes above Holy Jim Trail there shouldn’t have been an issue.”

Is he saying the trail should have never been closed? I can see fire roads getting closed due to idgits getting out and making new trails but hikers and bikers? Seriously how much erosion impact will they have walking or riding a single track trail?

 

I think he's trying to say, "It's closed again... I'm sad about it. In a normal world, a closure is meant to keep people off where the plants grow. This isn't a normal world."

I'm going to guess that this was written by Mike, who owns the last cabin right at the trailhead. Good guy... I had the chance to meet him a few times, but he probably wouldn't remember. Friend of a friend kind of thing... He's basically the Fire Department.

He's neither a grammarian, nor a spokesperson for any of the agencies involved... I wouldn't try to read too much into it. He just sounds a tad frustrated, which is a sentiment I share.