Can someone clarify the timing of the gate being opened (or not)? At the beginning of the article, Kevin Wallace is quoted as saying the gates were opened at a little after 6, but many of the evacuees still drove out Stanwood at 6:15 - 7:00.
Was this because they mistakenly believed the gate closed? Or is Chief Wallace incorrect?
The bottom line is, the fire department shouldn't have to be worrying about opening a gate, they should be fighting the fire. Nor should the residents have to guess at the status of the gate being opened or not. If we have to guess, it might as well be closed.
This is a serious issue for ALL of the residents in the area, not just those in the lower Sycamore and Conejo areas. What if Mission Canyon had been on fire last Thursday at the same time the Tea Fire was rolling down Coyote and through Parma Park? Where would people have gone? Up Hillcrest? We need as many escape routes as possible, and we need to know that they are open. A wrong guess in a situation like this can cost lives. Thankfully it didn't on Thursday night.
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Posted on November 17 at 12:31 p.m.
Can someone clarify the timing of the gate being opened (or not)? At the beginning of the article, Kevin Wallace is quoted as saying the gates were opened at a little after 6, but many of the evacuees still drove out Stanwood at 6:15 - 7:00.
Was this because they mistakenly believed the gate closed? Or is Chief Wallace incorrect?
The bottom line is, the fire department shouldn't have to be worrying about opening a gate, they should be fighting the fire. Nor should the residents have to guess at the status of the gate being opened or not. If we have to guess, it might as well be closed.
This is a serious issue for ALL of the residents in the area, not just those in the lower Sycamore and Conejo areas.
What if Mission Canyon had been on fire last Thursday at the same time the Tea Fire was rolling down Coyote and through Parma Park? Where would people have gone? Up Hillcrest? We need as many escape routes as possible, and we need to know that they are open. A wrong guess in a situation like this can cost lives. Thankfully it didn't on Thursday night.
On Tea Fire Takes Conejo Road Residents by Surprise