The Fire Lookout Host Program, one of the six programs of the Southern California Mountains Foundation (formerly the National Forest Association), is recruiting volunteers to staff fire lookouts for the 2013 fire season. Lookout volunteers help to protect the forest and local mountains communities as well as the communities along the outside of the forest…

At last week’s meeting, the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Commission rejected all four recommendations in a recent Riverside County Grand Jury report. The first recommendation was to share Administrative Capt. Mark Lamont’s duties in order to reduce the cost of paid overtime, which exceeded $50,000 in 2012. Fire Chief Patrick Reitz drafted the proposed response,…