Torched Trees Remain Months After I-10 Fire

Southland residents have driven past it dozens of times and people are wondering why the burned mess sitting along I-10 West between Ramon Road and Date Palm Drive hasn’t been cleaned-up.

Tamarisk trees along the freeway were blackened in a brush fire last summer, and months later they still sit there, leaving an ugly scene for people coming to the desert.

The California Department of Transportation confirmed Tuesday that they are the leading agency overseeing the clean-up of the mess. According to Cal Trans, a clean-up project is in the works, but construction is not expected to start until late 2011.

They are currently in the design phase. The $2 million project is centered on Interstate 10 West in and around Cathedral City.

Authories plan to trim, remove and haul away all burned plant material spanning from a half mile West of Date Palm Drive to 1.3 miles West of Ramon Road.

But, the project won’t take off unless the California Transportation Commission signs off on it, and their decision depends on the state budget.

[TAKE SOT OUTCUE: IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUE DURATION:0’00”]{**take sot**} [CG :2 LINE CGTerri KasingaSpokesperson, Cal Trans Maintenance] { () [Notes:TERRI KASINGA, FILE #6, 05:17] “Right now, the CTC is approving only the most crucial safety projects,” said Terri Kasinga, a Cal Trans spokesperson.”A project like this, even though it is coming out of some safety funding, is not an immediate safety issue.”

Cal Trans plans on only removing the burned material stretching from the edge of the pavement to the sand dunes. So, some of this material could remain.

However, some new tamarisk trees are already growing in the area and could cover the burned stuff up.