COMMUNITY NEWS
Cal Fire Strategy Paying Off
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By Jondi Gumz
rom the outset, Cal Fire’s strategy was to box the CZU Lightning Complex fire in, and keep flames from jumping the box. It appears to be working, with evacuees from UC Santa Cruz the first of 77,000 exiles in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties allowed to return. As of Wednesday night, the fire, which started Aug. 16, covered 80,137 acres in the two counties — with 21% contained and 1,982 personnel, an increase of 300, assigned to the task. A total of 590 structures were destroyed, 579 in Santa Cruz County; damage assessment is 55% complete. Tad Jones, 73, of Last Chance Road in Davenport, a hard-hit area, was the first casualty; he was found on his property. A 63-year-old Felton woman was found dead in her home Monday; her name has not been released. Three people have been found but three are missing, according to Chief Chris Clark of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, identifying them as Henry Reinke,
Scotts Valley to report 70, Micah Szoke, 37, their progress. and Shane Smith, Battalion Chief 21. Missing persons Mark Brunton and can be reported to Assistant Chief Billy 831-471-1121. See described the For evacuees strategy to box the fire wondering when in by creating “lines” they could return — defensive trenches home, Clark said wide enough to Wednesday it could prevent embers from be “a day or days” for blowing across. Scotts Valley, a city This task was of 12,000, “days or a accomplished relaweek” for Felton, “a week to weeks” for Firefighters prepare for another round fighting the tively quickly in the protecting Ben Lomond, and CZU Lightning Fires in front of Bonny Doon Church. south, the heavily forested “weeks” for Boulder Creek and Bonny Doon where the fire UCSC campus and the city of Santa Cruz, damage is so extensive, with downed but it’s much more challenging on the east power lines and trees in the roadways. along Highway 9 in Felton, Ben Lomond, PG&E is following firefighters into areas Boulder Creek and in Bonny Doon where terrain is steep and homes are interspersed deemed safe to restore power. Cal Fire Deputy Chief Jonathan Cox among the redwoods. Crews work by hand has hosted daily press conferences at 6 a.m. because the job can’t be done by bulldozers. For the first week, smoky air grounded and 6 p.m. at the firefighters’ base camp in
14 / September 1st 2020 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
Cal Fire aircraft and helicopters. Once the air cleared, they dumped 1.6 million gallons of water. On Thursday, a critical operation was scheduled in San Lorenzo Valley — a burn designed to “control the fire on our terms,” as See put it. The job was expected to take 24 to 30 hours but was delayed a bit, first by a weather change, and then by a brazen theft of the commander’s personal protective equipment by someone who broke into his truck. If the burn is successful, residents of Scotts Valley would be protected and could return home, with the other communities to follow, as long as roads are safe, and gas, electric sand water service are available. Water is a concern because the San Lorenzo Valley Water District, which serves San Lorenzo Valley and part of Scotts Valley, had three tanks damaged, reducing storage capacity by half. Emergency repairs have been authorized. “Cal Fire” page 21
