[pct-l] Warner Springs fire

[Tom Bache]

I spent the weekend at Warner Springs.  The Santa Ana conditions were at
their best -- crystal clear air, warm days, crisp nights.  The fire came up
very quickly early Sunday afternoon and chased everyone out of the resort.
We found a good viewpoint nearby and watched the very aggressive fire
suppression efforts.  Five helicopters were slurping water from a pond on
the golf course, then flying into the smoke and dropping it on the fire.
Circling just above was a fixed-wing plane that now-and-then made a dive to
drop red fire-suppression chemicals. We couldn't see the ground crews, but
there were many of them.  God smiled on Warner Springs as the wind shifted
from the east (blowing toward the resort) to from the southwest at about the
same time as the fire got started. So by an hour or two after the fire
started, the big flames (at least the ones we could see) were climbing the
lower slopes of Hot Springs Mountain -- away from from resort, PCT, and
nearby houses.  I estimate that the burn area probably reached within a mile
of the PCT -- and it may have come closer after I left.

PCT note -- on Friday I parked at Chihuahua Valley Road and hiked north to
the saddle so I could take the little side trip to Combs Peak.  The Santa
Ana conditions made it one of those days when you can see forever -- and it
is so beautiful it makes your heart hurt.  It was too nice a day to stop, so
I hiked back to Warner Springs -- thinking how lucky I was to be enjoying
this gorgeous section of trail (but then I always think that).  More
ominously, the Santa Ana conditions caused me to take note that the
chaparral is very thick and tall between the resort and the last (6th going
north) crossing of Agua Caliente Creek -- this is going to burn sometime,
and it was just the luck of the wind that saved it from burning yesterday.

More PCT hiker info -- there is a big water cache just north of Chihuahua
Valley road.  It now has about 20 gallons. By luck, I happened to meet the
owner of the house just east of where the PCT crosses this road -- Michael
Herrera.  He is keeping the cache stocked, and he is very eager to meet and
assist hikers.  He urged me to tell other hikers that they are welcome to
stop by his place.  It is an interesting location -- the nearest house is
at least 5 miles away.

Tom Bache
San Diego

 


> Message: 12
> Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:38:10 -0800
> From: "Brick Robbins" <brick at fastpack.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Warner Springs Fire
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID:
> <ca2c2380610300838i965da1dibfdfcda065af8599 at mail.gmail.com>
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> http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20061030-9999-1m30fire.html
> 
> does anyone know if this is near the trail