CAL FIRE: Under Pressure Part II
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) - As we’ve seen in the past, once a wildfire sparks up in the mountains surrounding the Coachella Valley, it can spread fast and in some cases be deadly.
“It’s one of our biggest concerns. We are surrounded by wild land here and this brush and the forest up on top, that forest up there, it’s been years since it’s burned. One statistic I heard, it’s over 200 years for Long Valley and those surrounding areas,” said Tim Jones, supervisor for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
Some may recall the Esperanza Fire in October 2006. The arson fire started near Cabazon and spread quickly up the slopes of the San Jacinto Mountains. It burned over 41,000 acres and killed five firefighters.
Closer to the valley, the Mountain Fire in 2013 reached within 2 miles of Palm Springs and threatened the wilderness and state park at the top of the tramway.
I-Team investigator Karen Devine took a trip up the tram, pushing for answers about managing drought conditions and balance between the federal and state mitigation process. Also addressing one local assemblyman’s concerns about fire management, asking the tough question, are we doing enough?
Missed the first part? Check it out below:
