Emergency Information for Big Sur Basin Complex Fire and Indians Fire: US FOREST SERVICE UPDATES For the latest updates posted by the US Forest Service, see the InciWeb reports: http://165.221.39.44/incident/1367/ Ongoing Fire Information from the US Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/conditions/ MONTEREY COUNTY UPDATES & EVACUATION NOTICES For the latest information Monterey County’s fire website includes evacuation notices and fire updates (or you can call 831-624-6921 for evacuation information): http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/PR_OES/PR_fire.htm EVACUATION The Red Cross has established a shelter at the Carmel Valley Middle School (CMS) with hot meals and beds. CMS is located at 4380 Carmel Valley Road, two miles from Highway One on Carmel Valley Road. Food and clothing donations are being accepted. 831-624-6921. WEATHER Current NOAA weather: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecasts/display_special_product_versions.php?sid=mtr&pil=afd ANIMALS http://www.SPCAmc.org/ SHERIFF Monterey County Sheriff's Office 831-755-3722
 FIRE UPDATES via phone Los Padres National Forest Fire Information Center: 805-961-5770 (8:00am to 8:00pm)
 FEDERAL SUPPORT FEMA 1-800-621-3362

 EVACUATION DEFINITIONS The current fire situation is requiring public safety personnel to issue evacuation information. It’s critical that residents who live near the fire areas know how to react to this information. What do these evacuation notices mean?

 1. This is a precautionary notice designed to give residents time to prepare for a possible evacuation. If you have special needs you might want to leave the area until the threat is passed. If you have livestock that needs transporting, you should move them.
 
2. Voluntary Evacuation: You are strongly urged to leave the area. If you choose to remain, you should be prepared to take action immediately if the danger approaches.

 3. Mandatory Evacuation: You are in jeopardy and should leave the area immediately. If you choose to remain, you may be on your own as emergency personnel likely will not be able to help you. 
 FIRE TERMS Fire crews often use fire against the wildfires they are fighting. Here are definitions of terms you may be hearing firefighters talk about: Backfire – A fire set along the inner edge of a fire line to consume the fuel in the path of a wildfire and/or change the direction of the force of the fire’s convection column. 

 Burning Out – Setting fire inside a control line to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line. 
 BACKGROUND STORIES Two years ago the Weekly reported that those responsible for controlling and preventing fire in Big Sur were concerned about the wet winter, dry brush, and extensive number of fallen trees resulting from sudden oak death syndrome. Read the Weekly's cover story by deputy Editor Mark Anderson, from September 28, 2006. http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2006/2006-Sep-28/Article.cover_story/1/@@index In 1999, former associate editor Chuck Thurman filed this story about forestry management in the Los Padres National Forest: http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/1999/1999-Sep-30/4213/1/@@index BIG SUR RELIEF FUND The fund will be making grants to those who live and work in Big Sur and have been displaced by the fire or who may have lost employment. The Relief Fund has already raised $200,000 and has approved 560 grants, each for $300. Donations to the Big Sur Relief Fund can be mailed to Coast Property Owners Association, P.O. Box 59, Big Sur, CA 93920 or visit their website at http://www.cpoa.org. GREAT WEB RESOURCES BIG SUR COMMUNITY FIRE WEBSITE http://Surfire2008.org Or call the hotline 831-667-2317 (8:30am-4:30pm) BIG SUR FIRE BRIGADE Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade (831) 667-2113

 http://www.bigsurfire.org/ CACHAGUA FIRE DISTRICT http://www.cachaguafire.com/ COOL BLOGS & LINKS Wildfire Today http://wildfiretoday.blogspot.com/ Cachagua Store http://cachaguastore.blogspot.com Surfire News Blog (Unofficial recent news & information) http://surfire2008.wordpress.com/ More Unofficial news from Xasáuan Today http://xasauantoday.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/big-surventana-wilderness-fire-news/ Tassajara: Sitting With Fire, A Blog about wildfires threatening Tassajara's Hot Springs http://sittingwithfire.blogspot.com Scan 831: Tracking emergency information on a variety of web sources http://scan831.com/ Condors: Ventana Wildlife Society http://www.ventanaws.org/species_condors/bigsurfire2008.htm Ventana Wildness Alliance http://www.ventanawild.org/ Life in the Fire Lane : Kelly O'Brien blogs http://thefirelane.blogspot.com/ Firefighterblog: Wildland firefighting news & opinion http://www.firefighterblog.blogspot.com/ San Francisco Zen Center: Official news about the Tassajara Zen Center http://news.sfzc.org/ Esalen Center Official Website http://www.esalen.org/ UC Berkeley's Fire Watch http://firecenter.berkeley.edu/ PHOTOS Great photos from Getty Images of California fires http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/07/californias_continuing_fires.html Cool Satellite Images from NASA http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18077 Cool photos on Yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Calif-Wildfires-fire-burns-around-sign-dirt-road-during-wildfire-Big-Sur/ss/events/us/052308cawildfires/s:/ap/20080703/ap_on_re_us/wildfires