Xasáuan Today

As everyone knows, a gigantic, illegal-campfire-caused wildfire is currently burning in Big Sur. It has already burned over 80,000 acres, destroyed nearly 60 homes, and led to the death of a firefighter. It isn’t expected to be contained, much less out, until the end of September.

You might think this reality – impossible for anyone living in, or visiting, Big Sur to ignore – would cause people to seriously think twice before building illegal fires of their own.

You might think this. But you’d be wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Important caveats: Please note that the squares on the heat detection maps represent the expected margin of error, not the size of the area burned. In other words, the detection could have come from anywhere within the square. Also be aware that false detections do sometimes occur. An outlying or “over the line” heat detection is not, by itself, a confirmation that there is fire in the area indicated. In addition, the satellites do not detect heat everywhere that fire exists. Creeping, backing or smoldering fire is often not detected. Finally, the detections are only snapshots of moments in time. Flare ups that occur before or after a satellite pass may be entirely missed.

Also be aware that yellow squares disappear from the map after 6 days. These are not maps of the area burned since the fire began, just maps of where heat has been detected during the past week. Read the rest of this entry »

Searching the Ventana Wilderness is a tough job

Arvin Nelson, a well-known and well-loved Big Sur local, hasn’t been seen since August 8 and is presumed to be somewhere in the Ventana Wilderness. Over a week of intensive ground and air searching by SAR teams from around the state, certainly the most thorough search effort the Ventana has ever seen, has failed to turn up any sign of him. Read the rest of this entry »