Updates on Montecito Fire and the Coast
On July 20, Montecito Fire Chief Brian Fallon honored veteran firefighter/paramedic Ryland McCracken for his 20 years of service to Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD). A ceremony at the main Montecito fire station took place where he received his 20-year pin from Fallon. Attending were McCracken’s fellow firefighters and his family.
Among highlights of his service over the years, in September 2020, McCracken was awarded by the SBC Fire Department for his efforts in a downed airplane in the ocean off the coast of Goleta. McCracken was off duty at the time, but was luckily in the area when he heard the Coast Guard alert. He went to help with the rescue by identifying the crash site and directing partner agencies to the scene.
This week, the MFPD shared on their social media accounts about the continued road work along San Ysidro Road near Montecito Union School; Hot Springs Road near Casa Dorinda; and on North Jameson between San Ysidro and Olive Mill roads. These areas have been under road work for a few weeks or more now, and it appears that work will continue to unknown timelines. According to MFPD, the project is applying a surface treatment to increase traction while driving. Slowing down or taking another route is recommended.
California Oceans Updates
Explore Ecology, the organization that has organized the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day for Santa Barbara County, has announced signups are now open on their website for volunteers. The cleanup date is Saturday, September 19. The 30-plus coastal locations start the sign-in process at each given location at 9 am. and depending on how much work needs to be done, volunteers can be expected to stay at least two to three hours.
Visit https://exploreecology.org to sign up
An important California coastal public health issue is the sewage seepage from Tijuana, Mexico, up through the San Diego area rendering the waters unsafe. The California Coastal Commission has been reporting on this, and the manner in which the ocean’s currents can easily move the trash and sewage north along the California coast. The waste products are causing toxic aerosolized hydrogen sulfide levels to rise dangerously in areas as far north as San Diego’s Glorietta Bay. Reports of the issue have spread globally, in both news reporting and related publications, such as Science magazine,as California’s shoreline is home to some of the best surfing experiences. Public health and safety are being addressed. On board with the CCC on addressing the issue are local city governments in California, the Surfrider Foundation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Surfrider has a petition you can sign on their website, as they have been addressing “Fighting the Water at the Border” for a number of years. Among the issues pointed out by Surfrider are public health, national security with our military who train in San Diego getting sick, the beleaguered economy of south San Diego which relies on tourism, and impacts on our wildlife and habitat ecology. The latest remedial action includes installation of air purifying systems in affected areas to mitigate the foul-smelling and toxic aerosolized hydrogen sulfide.
411:
You might also be interested in...
