UPDATE: As of today, March 28, Griffith Park is OPEN

In spite of the fact that Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti want to keep you in prison (Stay at Home Indefintely), Griffith Park is too big to close! Too many roads, open spaces, etc.

And there’s plenty of parking. AND no traffic at all on Los Feliz Blvd or Riverside. I just came from there. Hallelujah!

Of course, be cautious, and don’t cough or get coughed on. Maybe avoid the public water fountains. But the coronavirus is not airborne and is not sitting on pine needles or grass or leaves, waiting to attack you.

Coronavirus and Your Health

26 people have died in LA County in 6 weeks, RELATED to the coronavirus. LA County isn’t being too upfront, are they. Notice they don’t say that’s the cause: almost all, if not all, have sepsis or pneumonia or other pre-existing conditions.

More importantly: 600,000 people die a year from heart disease. Go: get some fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and destress. That’s the right thing, and you know it.

Want to read more about Coronavirus in Los Angeles? OpEd Cartoons.

ORIGINAL POST, 2007, BELOW

And I’m not saying which ones can’t get in…not gonna go there.

Many of the most popular/populated areas have been open for weeks, of course. And of course 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 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.

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

A couple of weeks ago I called Jon Mukri, Director of Rec & 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. (Who believes him? And would eat off that dirt? Not I.) 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?)