I think the State (Calfire) should charge back to the counties the cost of protecting private property.
Their mission is to protect State lands, not housing developments that local governments permitted without also planning and funding adequate resources for firefighting.

Let the irresponsible counties (like San Diego) impose a fire protection parcel tax. Oh wait, their voters refused to do that...twice.

So the rest of us get to pay because they don't like "government" until it's time to protect their own investments.

On a happy note, Big Sur may open early next week.

www.bigsurcalifornia.org

I just read that the National Guard is now helping with the fire fighting of the forest fires.

According to the website mentioned above Highway 1 should be open all the way through Big Sur today. It appears that all businesses are once again open and ready for you.

The fire update on Post Ranch Inn's website is gone, so it looks like they are up and running again too.
Whew!

I still can't believe that the Big Sur fire should be contained by the end of the month considering how dire the conditions were a couple of weeks ago.

andrew,
Officials were forecasting full contianment by the end of July even as it raged towards BiG Sur 10 days ago.

The crews did such an amazing job to save Big Sur.

Containment means they have a perimeter around the fires. Not that they're out. Lots of resources to build the containment line.

Here's the latest from our local paper: http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_987...ce=most_viewed

Those poor monks in Tassajara.

Thanks for the article Tess.

Post Ranch opens Friday.

I hope they increase punishment for anyone known to start any fire.
Your California firemen are heros to me.

I second that !!