Griffith Park, Interrupted

And I’m not saying which ones…not gonna go there.

Many of the most popular/populated areas have been open for weeks, of course. And of course Councilman Tom LaBonge has been taking close personal friends and voters of any stripe on tours around the park, even in very burned and restricted areas, since day 2. But at least one of the roads leading out of the park has been closed for a couple of months now. I don’t know why, as it doesn’t look dangerous, just like burned dirt and tree sticks. And many many trails are still closed.

That’s what many hikers are mad about. A friend was going to go up her favorite trail near Vermont, and a park ranger told her it was closed because the area was “toxic.” Ewwww!

Photo by SeraphimC, wonderful photographer. This is a great juxtaposition of the fire before and after, front and back. This is close to what I see. Click for full effect.

Thunderbolt fan decided to investigate on his end:

I emailed Tom LaBonge’s office and heard back from someone today. She said:

“The parks department is not without their reasons for keeping the park closed, but as of right now we think there is not sufficient justification for the closures. The fire recovery team has not yet settled on what strategy they will use to prevent erosion this upcoming winter. One of the strategies being considered will require exclusive access to the burn area for the department. And RAP’s thought process says that it is better to keep the park closed and for the recovery team to complete their work and then open the park, rather than opening the park now only to have to close areas of the park off and on for the next six months. But, the Councilman disagrees with this train of thought.”

Then Lonewacko commented, and actually set up a yahoo group to open the park! Not that I’ve joined…

Here’s what Griffith Park itself posted today:

The City of Los Angeles is working as quickly as possible to open Griffith Park to public use. We ask everyone’s patience as we work to eliminate hazards and mitigate environmental issues.
We also ask everyone’s cooperation in respecting the closure areas. These areas are legally closed pursuant to 63.45 LAMC and it is a crime to enter any closed area, punishable by up to a $1000 fine and six months in jail.
The burn areas will be closed on a long-term basis. Other park areas will be opened as conditions permit.

Ooo, sounds like someone is wearing a frownie and carrying a big stick.

A couple of weeks ago I called Jon Kirk Mukri, General Manager of the LA Dept. of Recreation & Parks and asked him about this “toxic” thingie. He said the park absolutely was not toxic, and he asked scientists and the LAFD right away if the firefighting foam and chemicals were poisonous, and they assured him they were not. He said there has been illegal camping in some of the park for 50 years, and he was a little concerned about that. He also said that he had learned from environmentalists that even burning poison oak or its smoke can react on your skin.

Maybe he’s right about the poison oak. But the illegal camping is just…offensive. Lowclass. Maybe “toxic” in the sense that abusing the environment and sneaking around like that is gross. But that’s not fire-related, that’s just stuff to step over and around.

Everyone thinks that erosion is just a problem if it rains. (rainy season? What is that, pray tell?) I’m more concerned about all that loose dirt and ash which is so unstable. (or is it just me who has a fear of being buried alive?)

Want more like this?
1. Tom LaBonge says the shoeless people are more important than Griffith Park.
2. Things that could be buried in the park*
3. My Councilman screamed at me.