By Peter Day
Staff Writer
LUCERNE VALLEY — Last Sunday's lightning storm brought plenty of drama and a well-received amount of rain, but it wasn't enough to dampen the area's fire dangers.
"Don't letter the cooler weather fool you," Battalion Chief Grant Malinowski told members of the Municipal Advisory Council last Thursday. "We're looking at a warmer winter, but it's supposed to be a wetter winter."
But any increase in moisture — at least over the short term — won't immediately remedy the effects of California's ongoing drought.
"The relative humidity is still very low."
Over the past year, California wildland fires have destroyed a total area as large as the state of Rhode Island, he added.
While the chief made a scheduled report to the MAC members at the Lucerne Valley Senior Center meeting, Third District Supervisor James Ramos made an unexpected — and welcome — meeting visit.
Ramos discussed water hauling and other local issues. He encouraged residents and MAC members to continue reaching out to other supervisors regarding water hauling. He and First District Supervisor Robert Lovingood are already well aware of the need to allow residents to purchase outside water for their use in Lucerne Valley, he said.
"The more the community does outreach reach, the better it is," according to Ramos.
Ramos' field representative Molly Wiltshire also gave an update on county matters.
In other matters, a Russell Park plaque dedication ceremony, which originally was scheduled for Nov. 8, will be rescheduled due to the election.
MAC members also discussed a recent meeting with NextEra Energy Resources, which is proposing a large industrial-scale solar project in the Camp Rock solar corridor. Slated to be 463 acres, the proponents have said they will be using newer technology solar cells and provide a larger buffer zone, according to MAC vice-chairman Roger Peterson.
"We gave our list of concerns," he said. "We'll see where that goes. We'll be contacting County Planning."