Fires break out in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties
COVID-19 outbreak on Twentynine Palms' football team, NPS proposes Quail Springs traffic solution, and a menu of aid solutions for Hi-Desert families in need
Hello from California’s high desert, newly free of wildfire smoke. Yesterday, smoke from several fires in Northern California and one in Sequoia National Forest rolled into the Morongo Basin, obstructing visibility right up until sunset. the Air Quality Index, or AQI, in Yucca Valley peaked at 145, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups and nearly unhealthy for all groups (the cutoff is 150 AQI).
Just hours ago, two fires broke out in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
The Westward Fire is burning near CA-243 in Banning near Banning High School on the southern side of I-10. As of press time, the fire was roughly 150 acres and 243 was closed with 0% containment. An evacuation warning has been issued north of Highway 243, south of Charles Street, west of S. Hathaway Street, and east of San Gorgonio Avenue.
The South Fire is burning just north of Fontana near Lytle Creek. That fire is just over 300 acres as of press time with 0% containment. The I-15 remains open, but emergency workers are attempting to divert traffic from I-215 to I-10. Evacuation orders are in place for Lytle Creek and around Cajon Pass. Highway 138 is closed, as are most off-ramps from the I-15 through the area. An evacuation shelter has been established at the Jessie Turner Center in Fontana.
My thoughts are with the first responders this afternoon. I would expect air quality to decrease again this evening. I am checking Twitter regularly for updates using #SouthFire and #WestwardFire. Winds are currently coming out of the west almost exactly due East, according to the National Weather Service, so worth keeping an eye on how things develop tonight.
And now onto this week’s news:
Just two days after classes resumed, an unknown number of students on the Twentynine Palms football team tested positive for COVID-19, the Desert Sun reported.
Per the school’s protocol, the team is unable to practice for at least a week and will miss the season opener against Big Bear on Saturday.
Wildcats head coach TJ Stanford confirmed Tuesday night that, for the second straight week, the team has had multiple positive tests. The total number of cases was not shared, although the Sun confirmed it was more than one.
If more students test positive on Friday during the next round of required testing, the team will have to forfeit next week’s game as well and discontinue practice for an additional 10 days.
Outdoor sports teams in the Morongo Unified School District must test for COVID-19 once a week, and indoor sports must test twice a week.
The National Park Service is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the West Entrance currently located on the park boundary with Joshua Tree.
The changes, which include additional fee collection sites and a new location further within park boundaries, are intended to help alleviate congestion on Quail Springs Road in the Monument Manor neighborhood.
“With significant increases in visitation, the vehicle queue of visitors entering the park often backs up past the park boundary for one to one and a half miles, blocking driveways, streets and impeding community circulation and services,” the Park Service outlined in its proposal.
The new fee collection stations may also include “comfort stations” for Park staff and volunteers in addition to the current parking lot and restrooms immediately within the park boundaries for visitors.
National Park Service staff is currently collecting feedback now until September 17. You can submit your comments regarding the project here.
Cash aid and services for families with children (CalWORKs), as well as health insurance (Medi-Cal) for families and individuals via BenefitsCal.org
Over $234 per person per month for food via CalFresh (GetCalFresh.org or by phone at 1-877-847-3663), regardless of employment status
Money for rent and utilities via Housing is Key (HousingIsKey.com or by phone at 1-833-430-2122)
Free or low-cost health insurance via Covered California or Medi-Cal (CoveredCA.com or by phone at 1-800-300-1506)
Golden State Stimulus payments for qualified residents who file taxes (By phone at 1-800-845-6500)
All Morongo Unified students under the age of 18 are eligible to receive free lunch daily at school through the district’s Grab & Go program
Pupdate of the week: Alice and Oliver had their first night in boarding over the weekend while we went hiking in LA County. They had a blast and slept for a full day after we picked them up.
Trail tip of the week: I highly recommend this Outside online article about planning big hikes during wildfire season. The author suggests treating fire season similar to how skiers evaluate avalanches during winter in the backcountry, mostly by mapping terrain and working with local rangers on current conditions.
Book of the week: I’ve really enjoyed Site Fidelity by Claire Boyles recently. It’s a short collection of stories that follow a group of women in the American West (Nevada and Colorado mainly). The short stories are beautiful on their own, but the collection is a great, thought-provoking look at how industry, conservation, and personal growth all develop in rural areas.
Show of the week: This year’s college football season kicks off on Saturday. Nebraska plays the University of Illinois at 10 a.m. PT, Connecticut faces Fresno State at 11 a.m. PT, Hawaii plays UCLA at 12:30 p.m. PT, and Southern Utah closes out the day against San Jose State at 7 p.m. PT.
Small business of the week
Thank you all for your landscaper recommendations last week! I ended up calling Robin and Doug at Power of Plants to come take a look at the yard and help us develop a landscaping plan. I learned a ton about the native plants, ways to reduce water usage, and creative ideas for making the space usable for us and the dogs. They are a wealth of knowledge and incredible forces of nature! They also had recommendations for haul-away and landscaping materials providers after the consultation.
Robin works with Cactus Mart in Morongo Valley. You can contact her at robin@powerofplants.com
That’s it for this week. I hope you are staying cool even when you are getting outside!
- Megan