Friday, July 18, 2008

WE'RE FREE!

Last night about 9pm, Information Officer Berni called to say that the Mandatory Evacuation had been downgraded (at 7:30pm) to a Voluntary - all the way to Tassajara itself! This means that residents and their employees can come and go freely, but should keep their bags packed in case something changes. They will be checking ID's outside of Carmel Valley through the weekend so that tourists and people in town for some race will not be coming out sight-seeing. There is still a Mandatory on most of Carmel Valley Road from Tassajara Road east to Arroyo Seco.

We want to check again this morning to be sure that someone going in would not run into all those big trucks we have seen going up the road, but this morning there have only been 8 fire pickups coming down. Maybe they all got out without our noticing.

Next step, what is needed at Tassajara before a lot of people can be there. There is a conference call this morning to start working on this. Things are going much faster that I thought yesterday.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fantastic news, Leslie!

This must mean that Jamesburg itself is also for the moment considered out of any further danger, also a huge relief.

Ahh.... I didn't know there was another huge deep breath to be taken on all this, but here it is!

Hats off to all, including the backfire burners of that huge fireline the past few days!

Jane

Steven Harper said...

Yes, so good to hear. While the fires are no longer near us on the coast, we still hear the helicopters and have the morning haze of smoke and ash that occasionally rains down. Thanks to the many efforts that were put in to keep Tassajara and Jamesburg safe.
Steven H

Anonymous said...

wonderful!, or miraculous?
Please let us Tassajara devotees know if and when you need help in getting the valley ready for more guests.
I'll be happy to help - Peter B. from Santa Cruz