OpticDistraction Photoblog

May 27^th, 2007

This is the plane that was dropping fire retardant in our canyon as the wildfire spread. I took this image about two hours after the fire began, and at this point we could see 20+ foot high flames coming over the ridge into our canyon. I was on a ridge above campus with my friends Mark and Nicho, and we were awestruck (in a terrible way) when the smoke blocked the sun out. It was a pretty horrific form of ominousness to be in shadow on a perfectly sunny day, let alone watching the fire burn uncontrollably.

I apologize if my writing comes across as apocalyptic, but “apocalyptic” was the only adjective Mark, Nicho and I could use in referring to that feeling. The plane would come in and out of view as it flew through the smoke. Over 770 firefighters worked to save our little facility - and it won’t be me who lets their praises go unsung. They do an incredible job.

Here is a shout out to all of the people who assisted in saving Toyon Bay:

City of Avalon Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Orange County Fire Department
Glendale Fire Department
Long Beach Fire Department
Monrovia Fire Department
Los Angeles County Sheriffs
Avalon’s Community Emergency Response Team
United States Marines - Camp Pendleton Hovercraft
California Conservation Corp
California Department of Corrections
City of Avalon Harbor Department
Catalina Express
Southern California Edison
United States Coast Guard
United States Forest Service
United States Navy
Avalon’s Shop Keepers, Hotels & Restaurants
City of Avalon Staff
Santa Catalina Island Company/Catalina Island Resort Services
Catalina Island Conservancy Staff & Volunteers
Thank you all!!!!

And, as an interesting side note: believe it or not - a group of correction facility inmates were responsible for igniting the controlled burns that burned outwards from our facility to meet the uncontained wildfire and use up any fuel that would have allowed the fire to jump to our buildings. Without them, Toyon Bay certainly would have been lost. All in all, quite an incredible story. Again - thank you to everyone involved in the fighting of the fire!

Song of the Day: The Snake The Cross The Crown - Gypsy Melodies
A beautiful little ditty from a band I know nothing about. Enjoy!

• Catalina (155)
• Fire (11)
• Plane (1)
• Smoke (4)

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