RE: [CPEO-MEF] Fort Ord (CA) burn carried out

["peter " <petestrauss1@comcast.net>]

On a site visit to Ft. Ord several years back, it was pointed out that much
of the vegetation away from the beach was poison oak, which the Army had
planted as a means of keeping people out of the firing ranges.  I know that
burning poison oak can create some severe problems for those who breathe the
smoke from burning plants.  My question is: has the Army removed the poison
oak before the burn, or if not, did the burn only occur on places without
poison oak?

Peter

-----Original Message-----
From: military-bounces@list.cpeo.org [mailto:military-bounces@list.cpeo.org]
On Behalf Of Lenny Siegel
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 7:48 AM
To: Military Environmental Forum
Subject: [CPEO-MEF] Fort Ord (CA) burn carried out

PRESCRIBED BURN GOES AS PLANNED
No problems at 58-acre Fort Ord fire

By KEVIN HOWE
Monterey Herald (CA)
October 20, 2006	

This was the one that didn't get away.

In a carefully orchestrated precision operation, the Army's Base 
Realignment and Closure office at Fort Ord burned out 58 acres of 
chaparral and scrub oak at Fort Ord's Parker Flats, an operation that 
was proposed last summer and finally came to fruition Thursday with a 
confluence of sufficient resources and favorable weather conditions.

The fire was set in a space surrounded by a 150-foot-wide perimeter of 
cleared ground, with two helicopters carrying drip-torches -- 
unofficially called "Zippos" -- dropping lines of flame in orderly rows 
like infernal crop-dusters. Two other helicopters flew buckets of water 
over the fire to douse errant fire outbreaks.

Presidio of Monterey Fire Chief Jack Riso said that, in addition to the 
four helicopters, seven of his fire engines and three from the state 
Department of Forestry were involved in controlling the blaze. A CDF 
twin-engine aerial tanker flew air cover overhead in case of need, but 
it didn't have to drop any fire retardant.

In contrast to the Army's last brush burn at Fort Ord, which was meant 
to clear 500 acres and ended up jumping the fire lines and consuming 
1,500 acres, Thursday's burn remained controlled.

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/15805093.htm

-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org


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