Column: ‘Record breaking heatwave. Heavy dry brush. … What could go wrong?!’
So the Airport fire erupted on Monday — during blistering days of triple-digit heat — as Orange County Public Works crews used heavy machinery to move boulders into place along Trabuco Creek Road.
Why, you’re wondering, were they moving boulders with heavy machinery during blistering days of triple-digit heat? To block access to a wilderness area illegally used by off-roaders, to the irritation of nearby property owners, county officials said.
“There has been a history of off-roading vehicles damaging areas both along Trabuco Creek Road and on private properties adjacent to the roadway,” a statement Tuesday from the Orange County Operational Area Emergency Operations Center said. “Crew members were placing large rocks along the roadside to keep drivers on the roadway …. The work performed was intended to prevent or minimize property damage along Trabuco Creek Road and was not directly related to fire safety. The work was performed at the request of adjacent private property owners.”
MAP: See where the Airport, Bridge and Line fires are burning in Southern California
The fire has devoured more than 22,000 acres, burned homes in Riverside County, injured at least 10 people, killed untold numbers of bunnies and deer and coyotes and mountain lions — and prompted many to tear at their hair and cry, “What the hell were they thinking?!”
“Why in earth would anyone, let alone the OC PUBLIC WORKS, be using construction equipment during a Red Flag day in the wild lands? The County’s liability could be staggering,” mused Mike Spurgeon, retired county bigwig, on Facebook.
“This has to be one of the most incompetent decisions …. Let’s just recap all the warning signs,” wrote LosOlivos2424 on Reddit. “Record breaking heatwave. Heavy dry brush. Scalding hot machinery working in that dry brush. Working during the hottest point of the day. What could go wrong?!”
“It was a reckless and stupid decision,” said Steve Palmer, who was a firefighter in Villa Park before the Orange County Fire Authority was born. “It’s triple digits and you’re going to use a big piece of steel equipment to hit rocks? That always causes sparks. Who wouldn’t know that or assume that?”
Yep government at work.
Doesn’t that give you a warm fuzzy feeling?
Now who controls Orange County?
Laugh