Community BBQ will follow.
WILDFIRE COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS DAY
Firewise community meeting will be held on Saturday, May 6, from 9-12, at Indepencence Hall in Arnold.
Category: Cal Fire
BE PREPARED FOR 2014 FIRE SEASON
For more information please click here
CalFire Inspections to Begin in May
CalFire VIP inspections are currently set up for the following dates. Start your lot clean up early. Please see the 2013 Spring Edition of the Treetop Times (our newsletter) for a comprehensive guide on getting your lot fire safe and into CalFire compliance.
Click Spring/Summer 2013 to view the newsletter.
Click Spring/Summer 2013 to view the newsletter.
- First inspections will be conducted May 24 – May 30, 2013.
- Second inspections will be conducted June 21-22, 2013
- If you have any questions for the VIP inspector, or need to leave a message, send email to lilacparkfirewise@yahoo.com
This email address goes directly to the VIP inspector and is NOT received by any ALPHA Board Members.
Fire fees for rural homeowners made permanent
By Dana M. Nichols
From the The Stockton Record
From the The Stockton Record
SAN ANDREAS — The California Board of Forestry on Wednesday made permanent the widely disliked “fire prevention fee” that forces the owners of more than 800,000 rural homes in California to pay a $115 to $150 annual tax.
Representatives from several rural counties, including Calaveras County Supervisor Darren Spellman, were on hand to remind the board that they oppose the tax.
“I would ask that you do not force rural citizens to pay for mistakes that have been made in the past,” Spellman said. “This is reprehensible.”
The state board members largely ignored such objections, except to say their hands were tied by state law.
Gov. Jerry Brown and the state Legislature came up with the fee in 2011 as a way to help balance the budget. Assembly Bill X129 ordered the Board of Forestry to enact an emergency measure to allow it to collect the tax in 2012.
Such an emergency measure is only good for a year. The law also requires the Board of Forestry to enact a permanent fire prevention fee in time to collect the tax in 2013. That’s what the board did Wednesday.
In Calaveras County, property owners began receiving the first year’s bills in September. The bills went to the owners of 23,244 Calaveras properties.
The fee is assessed only on properties in “state responsibility areas,” where the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is responsible for firefighting. Most of Calaveras County is in a state responsibility area, while San Joaquin County has only a sliver of its eastern edge and a small area in the hills near Tracy in a state responsibility area.
In reality, many rural residents are also served by local fire districts for which they already pay taxes. Property owners with a local fire district get $35 knocked off their fire tax bill, reducing it to $115.
Les Baugh, an elected supervisor for Shasta County, spoke Wednesday on behalf of the Regional Council of Rural Counties, a statewide organization whose members include Calaveras, Shasta and dozens of others.
Baugh said the RCRC opposes the fire tax. He said the tax has had a variety of negative impacts already, including making it more difficult for local fire agencies to ask voters to increase local taxes, undermining the willingness of local fire agencies to respond on a mutual aid basis, and a large number of incorrect bills, with many homeowners double or triple billed.
“The billing and implementation process is already causing substantial confusion,” Baugh said. “This fee is no longer worth the expense of administering it.”
Several Board of Forestry members said they would like to modify the fire tax rules to give homeowners more than 30 days to protest an incorrect bill.
Dean Cromwell, executive director of the Board of Forestry, said staff would look for ways to extend the protest period but might have few options.
“The law says 30 days,” he said of the bill.
Several efforts to overturn that law are under way. In October, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association filed a class-action lawsuit that alleges the law is an illegal tax rather than a fee. Also, state Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, on Monday put forth his first act of the new legislative session: the introduction of a bill to overturn the fee.
Gaines introduced a similar measure last summer that went nowhere.
Our take on this:
It is estimated that almost one-half of Cal-Fire’s annual suppression and prevention budget is used for such activities in the more populated areas of Southern California. In short, Calaveras county and other homeowners in our area are being charged a “fire prevention fee” (it’s a tax) to pay for services that are largely being funneled down south.
As part of our property taxes, most Calaveras County residents already pay to fund and maintain the new fire station on Blagen Road that houses Ebbett’s Pass Fire District. In the event of a fire in our neighborhood, EPFD would be the first responders.
While the ALPHA Board of Directors has no official position on this fee, most board members are against it.
BURN HOUR RESTRICTIONS LIFTED
San Andreas, CA… Effective 8:00 AM, Saturday, November 10, 2012
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) announces restriction on burn hours will be lifted on permissive burn days on private lands within the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit. This includes the counties of Calaveras, Tuolumne, and those eastern portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus that are within the State Responsibility Area. Lifting the burn hour restrictions also applies to lands within the Direct Protection Area (DPA) of the Stanislaus National Forest. …
Burn permits are required, which means pile size is still restricted to four foot by four foot. Even with the cooler weather and forecasted rain a fire can still escape. It is critical that the person conducting the burn keep close watch on the fire at all times. If the fire gets away, that person can be held liable for the damage and suppression costs.
Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit Chief Brian Kirk adds “Open hours burning on permissive burn days allows home owners to burn debris created while working on 100 feet of defensible space. As we head into the fall season and permissive burn days increase watch your local weather and do not burn or plan to burn on high, gusty windy days.”
It is the landowner’s responsibility to check with the local Air Pollution Control District for permissive days by calling the local APCD office. Pre-recorded information for each county is available at the following phone numbers:
APCD – Calaveras County (209) 754-6600
APCD – Tuolumne County (209) 533-5598
San Joaquin – 1-877-429-2876
Stanislaus NF–DPA Burn Day Information (209) 532-5601
Ramsey Fire – Updates
08/15/2012 @ 2225
The InciWeb incident information system web site provides up-to-date information regarding all incidents under management by the USFS.
http://www.inciweb.org – Main site. Bookmark this.
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3147/ – Information specifically regarding the Ramsey Fire.
08/15/2012 @ 0900
(ongoing information provided by Lynn Glocker. Thanks Lynn.)
Today fire crews will continue with fire line construction on all parts of the fire perimeter. Firefighters are challenged with steep terrain, limited access with extreme heat and winds. The fire continues to move slowly to the east. 
Helicopters, air tankers, and dozers will continue to support fire crews working on line construction today. The fire has burned along the south side of State Highway 4 and occasionally spotted along the north side of the Highway. Fire crews will continue to monitor and check the north side of the highway and extinguish any spot fires.
The Ramsey Fire started on Saturday August 11, 2012 from an escaped campfire near the North Fork of the Stanislaus River. People traveling on Highway 4 should expect extended delays and partial closures due the fire crews, fire and heavy smoke across the road.
South Central Sierra Inter-agency Incident Management Team is assigned to Ramsey Fire. An Incident Base Camp has been established at the Bear Valley Ski Area.
A temporary fire information line has been established about the Ramsey Fire at 209-988-8311. Please leave a message and a fire information officer will return your call.
08/14/2012 @ 2300
(content provided by Lynn Glocker, click photo for slideshow)
The Ramsey Fire progression was slowed today by morning retardant drops by a DC-10. Heavy-weight helicopters will be operating out of Bear Valley at a portable retardant plant tomorrow.
All spot fires on the north side of Hwy 4 have been contained. Management hopes to construct direct control lines on the east side of the fire in addition to the existing retardant there. The south side by the River and north side by structures remain controlled and holding strong. The southwest side (Division A) has heavy concentrations fuels and potential for rolling debris. Today’s weather calls for thunderstorms and winds that may cause problems. Predicted weather remains dry and hot, but with normal winds. The main concerns are spotting onto very receptive fuels and rolling fuels on steep slopes.
The arriving Type II Interagency Incident Management Team will set up an Incident Command post at Cottage Springs, with some parking challenges. Command will be coordinating with CHP & CalTrans on road closures as needed and appropriate signs. Stanislaus National Forest offices in the fire vicinity may also be used by the Command staff for computer access.
The above is from the Greater Arnold Business Association (GABA) Facebook page.
08/14/2012 @ 2100
Local reports state that smoke and ash are not significant problems in Lilac Park / Arnold through the day. However, as winds shift and settle in the late afternoon and evening, smoke and light ash increase considerably thereby decreasing air quality. Still no report of any direct threat to Lilac Park. All cabins in Gann Meadow were saved through firefighter efforts.
If you suffer from any respiratory ailments that are exacerbated by poor air quality, it is suggested that you avoid the mountains until the situation improves.
Please keep the safety and well-being of the fire crews in your thoughts and prayers.
08/14/12 @ 1815
Due to heavy smoke and fire management operations, State Route 4 is closed past Cottage Springs. KCRA is reporting that this fire has burned 800 acres and is only 10% contained.
Thepinetree.net was down earlier at 6:10pm (database error), but they have detailed information. Check back often. Also check KCRA and the USFS web site for more information. Incident command for this fire is by the USFS and not Cal-Fire so there is only limited information on the Cal-Fire web site.
While this fire is NOT an immediate threat to Lilac Park or Arnold, we encourage that you monitor the situation before planning a trip into the mountains. The heavy smoke may cause respiratory issues for those with asthma or other pulmonary conditions.
We will provide you more information as it becomes available.
Burn Restrictions Coming
CAL FIRE’s Burn Restrictions
When a burn restriction is in place there is absolutely no debris burning allowed. Calaveras County Burning Restricted June 18, 2012
If you plan to burn debris from lot cleanup, plan on doing so in the next few days.
Cal-Fire Inspections Scheduled
The lack of rain and snow and several days of heavy winds this past winter has left a lot of debris on the ground in Lilac Park this year. It’s expected that the lack of precipitation is a precursor to high fire danger in our community for the coming summer season.
For the first time in several years, ALPHA does not have a board member participating in the VIP program therefore we cannot answer any specific questions regarding the upcoming inspections. Please note that ALPHA and the Cal-Fire VIPs are completely independent of each other, though ALPHA supports a fire-safe community and urges homeowners to prepare their property according to Cal-Fire mandates.
Cal Fire VIP first inspections are scheduled from May 29 to May 31 and second inspections are from June 18 to June 22. If you do not have your lot cleared to Cal-Fire standards by May 29, be prepared to receive a notice in the mail, but don’t wait for that notice to get your lot cleaned up appropriately.
If you receive a notice from Cal-Fire, don’t ignore it, act on it. The first notice you receive is a courtesy letter to inform you that your lot isn’t fire-safe. If you receive a second notice, this too, is a courtesy to remind you that your lot doesn’t meet Cal-Fire standards. There are no third notices and more than one homeowner was fined last year. A few homeowners indicated that they never received anything in the mail, so your best bet is to get your lot(s) prepared before 5/29/12. These fines can be stiff, require an appearance in court, and can be time consuming to resolve.
VIP Inspectors are expected to adhere to specific standards. If anything about your property is questionable including property lines, appropriate foliage, or clearances, ALPHA encourages you to contact Cal-Fire directly for more information or clarification of their mandates. The number to dial is 209.428.1131.
For a printable PDF copy of Cal-Fire’s most current lot clearance guidelines, click the link below.
Cal Fire Guidelines 2012
Fire safety is everyone’s business.