Comments by fenwayne
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Posted on August 11 at 8:59 a.m.
I'm not taking credit for this, but today's SBNP has fixed the fire icons and added four of them, more accurately placed near the fire line. But they had misrepresented the fire line earlier in the week. Hope they keep it updated.
Posted on August 11 at 6:41 a.m.
The impression I got from talking to the Forest Service rep was that those plumes which come and go are NOT the fire's ground zero, but instead are the backfires the crews are setting.
Posted on August 10 at 11:51 p.m.
Interesting pot story but unrelated to today's news on 1040, which mentioned it might be a hazard for fire crews. I wonder if SBNP reported on that 7/11 pot story. But I think I know the answer.
Posted on August 10 at 11:15 p.m.
I'm a journalist from back east who has been captivated by the scope of this fire but also the news coverage. From an X and O standpoint, Ray Ford's fire coverage has been top notch, and reliable on a day to day basis. Now that I'm in town, I carefully compare the Independent's fire coverage to the SBNP coverage and, well, there IS no comparison.
The NP seems to have no interest in writing about day to day progress on the front lines, or long range strategy. What they treat as front page material is usually what I would consider no better than sidebar stuff.
But during my visit, I thought the best thing about the SBNP coverage was their fire coverage map. Then I went to the Forest Service office Thursday (had a very interesting talk with an officer there) and got an updated map. The handouts are small, a day old, and hard to read, but they have larger, newer ones there which are available to be seen. It wasn't until I saw that map that I realized the SBNP's cute little fire logo has misplaced the actual front lines, putting the logo too far west.
I will also suggest to anyone looking for quality fire info--tune in to 1040-AM. The recordings are updated often, tell you what has happened on the front lines in the last 24 hours and what is planned next. Also mountain weather forecasts, road closings, etc. I get information there I don't get anywhere else (sorry, Ray). For example, today they talked about finding a marijuana field near San Marcos Pass. Ignoring the obvious "light it up" jokes, they talked about the hazard to firefighters from propane tanks and booby traps. 1040 is the only place I have heard that nugget.
SBNP is not immune to shoddy reporting. I saw a TV station yesterday doing a story on how the fire/ash is approaching Ojai. They had an older resident on camera saying "I think the fire is going the other way." Right. Next time interview someone who has a clue.
One final note: Did anyone else notice the change in the smoke pattern today? For my two weeks here it has generally gone from appx Gibraltar to the S and E--toward SB. Today the plume went up and blew west--toward Goleta for the first time. Nothing seemed headed toward SB I'm not a weatherman, but that tells me the wind shifted and today started blowing from the east (maybe some NE). That's not good news for the SB area. I'd sure like to see something written about that.
But my Red Sox hat is off to Ray Ford and the Independent. This is a complex story and you have found ways to keep me updated with quality information every day. I'll continue to read your reports after I leave the South Coast.
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Previous Month
Posted on July 6 at 10:50 a.m.
Ray..more great reporting. I really appreciated your terrific Zaca coverage last year and living in CT with a mom in Goleta I have followed every word on the Gap fire. Question: In your map with all the teardrop arrows, you show the fire right on Cath Oaks in two separate points. Yet the main fire area seems well north of that. I'm unclear what those Cath Oaks arrows mean. A smaller fire apart from the main event? Those of course are the ones closest to the urban area. Those have been there all week--are they still burning? Please clarify...and keep up the terrific journalism.
On Focus on Sealing the Eastern Front