Congratulations to Sr. Hikers on the FTF!
This area of the backbone trail, with it’s wind caves, is just
off of Corral Canyon Road where it borders the Malibu Creek State
Park and rides along a ridge offering wonderful views of the
coastline and the Channel Islands. It is at the junction of trails
leading into at least three different canyons. It is enjoyed and
used equally well by hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and
those just driving up for the views.
In November of 2007,here was a state of emergency was still
declare in the area, as Malibu and the State of California were
still recovering a series of wild fires that struck the month
before. The news media in both print and television were carrying
images of Hundreds of firefighters, from both northern and southern
California as well as other states, who preparing to spend their
Thanksgivings not with their families, but pre-deployed in a series
of make shift camps due to the still elevated fire danger and the
expected Santa Ana winds. The area around the caves was well posted
for no open fires.
The Coral Fire began on Thanksgivings day at about 3:23 in the
morning. Before it was contained, it had burned nearly 5,000 acres,
destroyed 53 homes and 27 out buildings, destroyed 37 vehicles and
damaged another 43 homes, with an estimated lost of at least $100
million and a cost of response of over $4,000,000.
This fire was not like other recent fires. It was not started by
an act of God. There were no power lines sparking or being downed
by the high winds. No broken glass bottles acting as magnifying
glasses in bone dry tinder. No traffic accident igniting the brush.
No, this fire was started by purely human actions, by individuals
with total and reckless disregard for law, common sense and the
lives and safety of those around them.
Fortunately there was no reported loss of human life, however
six firefighters were injured battling this wind driven Brush Fire.
Some of the fire fighters were injured in the early morning hours
when the fire over ran their positions as they struggled to
contain, or hinder the fire’s spread while allowing the residents a
chance to flee the blaze’s onslaught.
After an investigation, five individuals were arrested and charged
with causing the blaze. The five suspects are charged with felony
counts of recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury and
recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure. One suspect’s
lawyer stated, ”They were having fun," …. "They were just having
fun, not doing anything illegal. He also added that he was
"baffled" by the charge involving "causing bodily injury," since
the injured were firefighters, including one who received
second-degree burns to the face. "Isn't that his job?" he asked
rhetorically about the firefighter. "Doesn't he assume the
risk?"
The damage to Wildlife and the environment is a different story
and may yet impact the recreational use and access of the Backbone
trail for all. The watershed has receive a devastating blow that
will take years to heal. The pressure on local wildlife is
immense.
There is a move to limit access to this portion of the backbone
trail. There are some who are pushing to limit or prohibit camping
in the area including parkland and private campgrounds. Others want
to block all access from
Coral Canyon road. Only time will tell the final toll of these
reckless acts.
The cache itself is located near the origin of the fire, but
about 20 yards away in an unburned area of scrub. You can follow
several animal tracks to the cache without impacting the
environment. The cave, where the fire started, is in the monolith
to the southwest. You can still see the perimeter of the burn as
you hike along the trail.
I offer the cache and the cave as a learning opportunity to
discover the effects we each personally can have on the world
around us, and nature’s attempt to recover from the Reckless
Disregard of the few.
