Two local Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit members — Les Walker and Donny Goetz — received the Mountain Rescue Association’s highest award for any search and rescue team member. On the night of Oct. 21, 2012, Walker and Goetz, who have climbed together for years, along with fellow RMRU members Lee Arnson and Helene Lohr, saved…
Fire log Hill fire stations responded to the following calls Monday, Aug. 5, to Sunday, Aug. 11: Idyllwild Fire Department and Ambulance Aug. 6 — Motor vehicle collision, Idyllwild. Aug. 7 — Medical aid, Idyllwild. Aug. 8 — Two medical aids, Idyllwild. Aug. 9 — Brush or brush and grass fire mixture, Idyllwild. Aug. 9…
Recently released data from the quarterly sampling of monitoring wells near the Village Food and Fuel (the Shell station) continue to detect decreasing levels of hydrocarbons in the soil at the station and nearby. The report to the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health said, “This quarter’s detected concentrations of TPH-g and xylenes in well…
Cal Trans Public Information Officer Joy M. Sepulveda reported that Highway 243 may re-open Saturday, Aug. 17. A subcontractor was to begin repairing the metal beam guardrail Wednesday, Aug. 14, and will be working 12 hours shifts from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Highway 243 is estimated to be open by Saturday. An emergency project…
Except for the facial hair, the differences between the four candidates for the Idyllwild Fire Protection District Commission were subtle and often difficult to detect. At the Aug. 6 forum, candidates Commission President Jeannine Charles-Stigall, Rhonda Andrewson (former administrative assistant), Steve Kunkle (former fire chief from 2005 to 2010) and Nancy Layton (former financial consultant),…
From about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday until Sunday evening, a small fire near Poppet Flats Road grew to more than 20,000 acres becoming the newest fire threat on the Hill …
Following a serious fire within a national forest, the U.S. Forest Service quickly assembled a Burned Area Emergency Response team to assess the fire’s damage and the potential threat to the public and resources. (See the story below for more information about the BAER program.) The Mountain Fire BAER team was assembled and dispatched to…
Kindergarten teacher Rachel Welch has her new students engaged on their first day …
Cal Trans Public Information Officer Joy M. Sepulveda reported that Highway 243 may re-open Saturday, Aug. 17. A subcontractor was to begin repairing the metal beam guardrail Wednesday, Aug. 14, and will be working 12 hours shifts from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Highway 243 is estimated to be open by Saturday. An emergency project…
By J.P. Crumrine News Editor Cal Fire has released the results of its investigation of the Aug. 5 Strong Fire to the Idyllwild Fire Protection District. Once secured, IFPD handed the investigation to Cal Fire. Cal Fire Battlion Chief Julie Hutchison stressed that the agency was not able to determine the actual cause nor rule…
