[pct-l] To flare or not to flare

[Gerry Zamora]

I have lived in so cali my whole life and never heard of a hiker be
resposible for local fires its normally some nut case whispering fire fire
or some stupid kid and a bottle rocket.  I guess my point being anyone of us
could accidentally start a fire with our stoves I guess those few who don't
use a stove at all might not but everyone else needs to be just as careful
as mr road flare.  That should be his trail name.
"ROADFLARE"
Fire used to be part of the natural cycle of life but since it puts our hill
top homes in danger we don't let it burn then it get over grown and when it
does burn there is to much fuel since the natrul process has been stopped.
Then we have a fire that burns all summer.  Its easy to point the finger at
flare man.  Bring the flare just be proficient and think before u act not
after.  As I also live in a fire area I can tell u it sucks when the police
are telling u pack your stuff and leave or your on your own.  Flares don't
start fires just like guns don't kill people, people do use your heads and
im sure we will all have a great season.
GERRY0625
On Feb 11, 2011 7:08 AM, "Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes" <
diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:
> It's fine if you want to bring a bunch of emergency stuff. I suppose
> I just assumed that everyone understood the fire danger in
> California. You will notice that almost the entire section of trail
> from Campo to beyond Kennedy Meadows has been burned. You will walk
> through more charred forest than you ever thought possible. In some
> places you will notice that many of the trees are not returning.
>
> Even if a road flare did something for you, it could be at the
> expense of the forest and the watershed. So please, leave your flares
> at home and spare the people of Southern California another summer of
> pyrocumulus clouds mushrooming in the sky and ashes falling like
> nuclear winter.
>
> On Feb 10, 2011, at 11:12 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>> Regarding to flare or not to flare,
>>
>> Honestly I feel my trail name should be "Paranoid" or something
>> because I
>> have a crazy imagination. I feel like I should be prepared for the
>> worst
>> case scenario, so that I live to tell the tale. Maybe a Spot would
>> be a
>> little safer than the flare tho. Regarding protection from bears,
>> bear mace
>> is a great idea. A gun or knife probably won't save you from
>> animals and in
>> most cases they will only aggravate the animal more. However, we
>> are all
>> critics and I like the saying "Hike your own hike" because I
>> certainly will
>> take whatever I feel will save me in worst case scenarios, while not
>> breaking my back due to excess weight in my pack.
>>
>> Jamie
>
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