Shutdown showdown in Altadena: volunteers are sidelined, fire lookouts shuttered

by Timothy Rutt

 

The Blight Busters all-volunteer cleanup and graffiti eradication crew is sidelined during the government shutdown.

Washington's shutdown showdown continues to have ripple effects in the hills around Altadena.

 

Community correspondent Tim Murphy says that it's even affecting unpaid volunteers:

Our small volunteer group, The Blight Busters, have been doing trash and graffiti removal in Eaton Canyon and Echo Mountain since 2007. We do this under the guidance of the Angeles National Forest. Our next scheduled day for work was going to be Saturday, October 5. That is until we got this message from the Angeles Forest District Recreation Officer:

"Unfortunately, with the government in shutdown mode, all volunteers need to stop working.  Facilities in the Angeles National Forest are closed. Due to the fact the Forest Service cannot have volunteers being exposed to risk and possibly getting injured when the agency is not allowed to expend funds, all volunteer work must be curtailed. Once an appropriations bill is passed by Congress, we can all go back to work." 

Who would have thought that even non-paid volunteers are being effected by the shutdown. What a shame.

The Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group, which meets tomorrow night, is also looking at the effects on the forest.  From their meeting announcement:

It has been brought to the attention attention of many local residents that the Federal Government furlough has prevented volunteer fire lookouts from staffing the Lookout Towers in Angeles National Forest, even during red flag fire conditions. The gradual abandonment of Lookout Towers is an associated issue. This situation is now on the agenda. 

 

Also, Southern California Edison has reportedly destroyed numerous mature trees and graded 2-3 acres of valuable habitat down to mineral soil near Chaney Trail during construction of its massive (173 mile long) Tehachapi Renewable Energy Project. Concern has been expressed about the loss of habitat and restricted access on public land. (See our story here.)

Bring trail conditions, concerns, and photos to this meeting for discussion. USFS staff have been furloughed by the government shutdown; however, we encourage any who wish to attend on their own time to come out of uniform,

ACTRWG meets at 7 PM Oct. 8 at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.