| Programming Note: I will be on KRXA 540 AM at 8 tomorrow morning, as usual, to discuss this and other topics in California politics
I took that picture 30 minutes ago, of the Basin Complex Fire that is raging on the Big Sur coast about 20 miles south. The fire jumped a containment line last night and is now threatening the village of Big Sur. The entire area is now under an evacuation order, and the 850 or so residents are now gathered at Carmel Middle School or with friends and family in the area.
The Big Sur community has always been tight-knit, and grew even moreso in the late 1990s after El Niño rains washed out Highway 1, closing it for months. One result is a rich online network of sites providing information and resources about the fire, such as Xasáuan Today's fire news and Sur Fire 2008's community information.
The Carmel chapter of the Red Cross is taking donations for the shelter and other needs.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was here earlier today surveying the fire damage, and John Laird had this to say:
Governor Schwarzenegger's visit to Big Sur today is a significant indicator of the impact the Basin Complex fire is having on the people of the Central Coast and California. The people and businesses of the Big Sur community have shown courage, resourcefulness and generosity as this difficult fire has unfolded.
Today and in the weeks ahead, as I continue to work hard on the budget in Sacramento, I will stay focused on ensuring funds are available to fight this fire. And as we consider next year's budget, I'll continue to advocate for the funding increases for air attack resources, as approved by the Assembly Budget Committee.
California's firefighters are stretched thin by the fires, and Arnold has called the National Guard to help relieve the burden. Another example of how we need to be nation-building here at home, not using the National Guard to occupy Iraq.
Finally, it may be an individual home fire, but you've probably heard by now about the fire that destroyed Darcy Burner's house east of Seattle. $60,000 has been raised so far to help her meet her $150,000 goal for July, so that she can attend to her family needs this month instead of worrying about raising money for her campaign for Congress in WA-08.
Darcy Burner has been there for the netroots - on net neutrality, on the Responsible Plan (which she initiated), and will be there for us on many other issues. I had the pleasure to meet her and do some volunteering for her campaign in 2006, and it was a bitter disappointment that she did not win. Certainly the loss of her home is a bigger disappointment - but just as she came back from the 2006 loss, so too will she come back from this one. Let's give her some help in doing so. |
