Back Fire or Backfire? (9:09 pm 09/09/09)

I checked in with the Mt. Wilson Towercam a few times today expecting to see smoke from the back fires planned along the Rim Trail. There was none. One last look after night fall showed flames on the ridge. This was unexpected because I heard that they would only start the back fires with air support; hence the delay as air crews worked at Pleasant View Ridge and Waterman.



I called the pack station and they said that Cal-Fire told them back fires wouldn't start until 9am tomorrow. So they are worried too. But thank Heaven (pun intended) for the folks at Mount Wilson Observatory. They just posted that back fires are indeed under way by "Victor Division". Subsequent views from the Towercam have shown that many Forest Service and other official trucks are present on the mountain top, so I trust that they have current information.

I would like to thank Cal-Fire for keeping the folks in Big Santa Anita Canyon apprised of plans and operations, there would not have been this kind of communication from the Forest Service. One thing is sure, with so much attention on this fire, and with so much inter-agency involvement, it would be hard for the Angeles management to screw this up, or worse.