Weather forecasters say a hurricane off the coast of Mexico could indirectly bring high winds with potentially heavy rain to the county this weekend, and County of San Diego and CAL FIRE are offering free sandbags to residents who live in the unincorporated areas. Weather forecasters say Hurricane Kay, which is forming off the coast Mexico, will not directly hit San Diego County, but could…
Nearly three months after San Diego County’s most destructive fire of 2020 burned down her Lawson Valley home, 78-year-old Eileen Menzies spends her days sifting through the rubble she has yet to completely clear from her property. A neighbor whose new hemp farm was nearly destroyed is meeting with lawmakers in hopes of improving agricultural insurance in fire-prone areas. And two miles across the hills…
In our never-ending battle against invasive species, chainsaws are a most important tool. But the safety of our staff and volunteers always takes precedent. So, last month, Conservancy staff, volunteers, and some of our conservation partners spent a full day learning the basics of chainsaw safety and maintenance. “Investing in this training is worth it,” said Conservancy Land Director Hannah Walchak, “because not knowing how…
California fire officials say the massive Thomas Fire has claimed the life of an Escondido firefighter. The body of Cory Iverson, a 32-year-old father from Escondido, was driven out of the fire zone in a procession as firefighters lined the road saluting in respect. He had been with Cal Fire since 2009. The San Diego County resident is survived by his wife, Ashley, and a 2-year-old…
[Update: Cal Fire at 6 p.m. Wednesday said the Gopher Fire was 85 percent contained on what became 35 acres of torched earth. As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire had said “With better mapping the IC (Incident Commander) reports the fire at 35 acres and 40 percent contained. Next update will be 6 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).” Cal Fire said 10 engine companies and six crews…