Big Sur residents could go home today: mandatory evacuation to be lifted (From the Monterey Herald)

Evan Scott and Matt Luis, firefighters with the Santa Maria Fire... (VERN FISHER/The Herald)

Mandatory evacuation will be lifted
By DANIEL LOPEZ
Herald Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/08/2008 01:35:26 AM PDT

Residents under mandatory evacuation from Big Sur were told they can go back home starting at 10 a.m. today — with conditions.

"Let it sink in, folks. Tomorrow at 10 a.m., the mandatory will be lifted," Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Frank Pinney told some 500 applauding people at a Basin Complex Fire update meeting at Carmel Middle School on Monday night.

Jose Escobedo, with the Glendale Fire Department, gathers a fire hose being used for structure protection. (VERN FISHER/The Herald)

Monterey County Sheriff Mike Kanalakis admonished residents, however, that "this is an adjustment to an operational plan. This is not a re-entry. You will see barricades at access points."

Ted Hartman, 80, a Big Sur resident since 1955, said he would continue staying with relatives in Monterey for the time being.

"I think it's looking better, but I won't go down there tomorrow," he said.

Basin Complex Fire incident commander Mike Dietrich said the mandatory evacuation along Highway 1 will only be lifted from Palo Colorado Canyon Road south to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Residents and "critical service workers" will be allowed through and must present identification and a utility bill or a permit to get past a highway checkpoint manned by sheriff's deputies. Kanalakis said deputies will "work with" residents who may have left some of their paperwork at home.

From Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park south to Lucia, Highway 1 is still closed to all traffic and a mandatory evacuation will remain in effect.

Mail sent to Big Sur residents will still be delivered to the Monterey Post Office for pickup.

Garden Grove firefighter Rick Ronstadt fights the Basin Complex Fire on the east side of Highway 1 near Esalen Institute. (VERN FISHER/The Herald)

Residents who chose to stay behind after the mandatory orders were issued last Wednesday said they've had a hard time helping each other without facing consequences. Sheriff's deputies had been ordered to "escort out" those who didn't stay on their property.

"We are virtually under house arrest," Tom Birmingham said early Monday. His wife is part owner in the family-owned Nepenthe Restaurant.

Birmingham, one of six people who remained at the restaurant last week, said he had to sneak away, for fear of being spotted by deputies, to deliver a box of food to a neighbor.

"Many of us are 10 miles from the nearest flame, yet we can't walk across the road," he said.

Most Big Sur residents who ignored the mandatory evacuation order said they stayed to defend their properties out of concern that not enough firefighters were available.

"We are not trying to be heroes or get in the way of professionals. We are here to keep an eye on our properties," said Birmingham.

Kanalakis said the order to remove residents found roaming around was made to protect against looting and to prevent interference with firefighting efforts.

He said the decision also was based on discussions with fire officials and on his ability to commit sufficient deputies for patrols in the area.

"We look at the total picture," he said. "We want to make sure the area is safe."

On Friday, Ross Curtis, 48, was arrested for setting fires without permission on his property in an attempt to create a fire break after fire officials said he was warned not to. Such actions could place neighbors and firefighters in danger, officials said.

Kurt Mayer, owner of the Big Sur Center Deli and General Store, who had also hunkered down after the evacuation was ordered, said he understood why free movement was restricted.

"They are trying to make sure we are all protected," Mayer said. "If you are not going to follow the rules you are going to get hassled, but that's expected."

Mayer said he feels for some who stayed behind and were running low supplies such as food and propane.

"I've got a grocery store, so I'm doing fine," he said.

With few people around town or making their way to the store, though, about 20 loaves of bread and some other perishables have begun to spoil.

"I don't know the legalities of it all, but I'm open," he said.

The bread that's going bad won't be a total waste — Mayer feeds it to the birds that fly around the deserted store's parking lot.

Officials, though, are proceeding cautiously in allowing residents back home.

Nick Chiulos, a legislative affairs director for Monterey County, said the discussions began Monday morning for the re-entry and the permit process that will allow residents to rebuild homes destroyed by the fire.

Chiulos said a damage assessment team working with the state office of emergency services will evaluate the situation in Big Sur and other wildfires in California to determine if a federal disaster declaration can be made.

"The threshold is relatively high as a statewide issue," Chiulos said.

Meanwhile, after the announcement Monday night, Ted Hartman and his wife Marty were asked if they look forward to going home again.

Laughing, Marty said, "Are you kidding?"

Fire Capt. Steve Brodeur, with the National Park Service's Black Rock station in California, rinses poison oak from his clothing, on Monday in Big Sur. (VERN FISHER/The Herald)

Herald correspondent Andy Stiny contributed to this story.

Daniel Lopez can be reached at dlopez@montereyherald.com or 646-4494.