by Randal Beeman

Growing up in hurricane country in South Florida, Kat Merrick learned from her parents that the best response to a natural disaster is to immediately get to work helping others. Naturally, when the Thomas Fire broke out in Santa Paula Merrick was on the phone offering assistance to her extensive network of friends in the Ventura County farming and ranching community. Within minutes her attention focused closer to home as she noticed a glowing red hue through the skylight. In short time the fast racing fire engulfed her ranch property in the hills above Ventura. Merrick lost her house, the three rental units on her property, her crops, and the teaching garden that she planned to use as part of the popular local agricultural education program, totallylocalvc.com.

Typical of Merrick’s community values, she immediately went to work helping her tenants find housing, organizing food relief programs, the Local Love/805Strong project, and persuading corporate sponsors to provide assistance to both fire victims and those impacted by the mudslide in Montecito. Ironically, Merrick had a water tank on the property, which soon melted and spilled its contents down the wrong side of the hill. Realizing she and her boyfriend were helpless to fight the blaze, they alerted their tenants and gathered their dogs as other neighbors fought to save their homes and livestock. Soon they found themselves in a line of traffic on Ventura Avenue, witnessing disturbing scenes of “screaming chaos” in the city.

Returning to her ranch was a disconsolate moment, as even deeply rooted oak trees on her property were torched by the conflagration. Like so many families in Ventura, Merrick looked at what had been her “little sanctuary” and asked herself “where do we start?” One of her tenants had only been on the property for two days. She and her boyfriend have found a small place to rent while they endeavor to rebuild their rentals first, then the one story home that had been the site on numerous gatherings and happy hours with friends and neighbors.

As so many locals report, the process of starting over is going to take years. Scraping the lot of toxic ash was an early priority, as will be restoring ground cover on the denuded, vulnerable hillsides. Merrick found, as have others, that the insurance company was helpful at the onset of the crisis but whether that cooperation will continue is a tenuous proposition. An example: the housing crisis in Ventura County is being exacerbated by the Thomas Fire, and there appears to be some push back from insurers in regards to the cost of renting while properties are being rebuilt. Merrick was quick to praise the County of Ventura for fast tracking the permit process.

Merrick noted that the impact of the fire on the local agricultural community – lost crops, dead or injured stock, and a lack of grazing land – will impact this essential industry for years. Her voice teamed with energy as she spoke of the tenacity of local farmers, ranchers, and farm workers, Merrick embodies the time honored saying: “lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.” Though her cherished home on the range was taken by the Thomas Fire, Merrick is well on the way to doing what she loves best, ensuring that “future chefs will get their hands in the dirt” as Ventura County rebuilds its agricultural base.

by Jennifer Tipton

It came without warning, on Monday, December 4th, late into the evening, sudden panic shattered our sleepy little seaside town, we’ve seen many tragedies across the country, but never here…not in our hometown!

That’s not entirely true, on March 12, 1928 the man-made St. Francis Dam in Northern Los Angeles County burst and sent a night long torrent of water, mud and debris racing down the Santa Clara River to the ocean destroying homes in Piru, Bardsdale, Fillmore, Santa Paula and Saticoy, killing more than 450 people. Victims of this disaster were swept away with the debris; some bodies were never recovered.

In Ventura, we live with the threat of tsunamis, earthquakes and the inconvenience of those pesky Santa Ana winds all the time, but on the night of December 4th, those “pesky” winds turned savage and fueled the worst fire our city has ever seen.

And now, the worst wildfire on record in California, as of December 28th 281,893 acres had burned (that’s an area larger than New York City) and surpasses the Cedar Fire in 2003 that consumed 273,000 acres. The official list dates back to 1932, prior records are less reliable, but some say the 1889 Santiago Canyon Fire scorched 300,000 acres!

Originating in the hills in Santa Paula fueled by ferocious winds, the Thomas Fire has consumed much of our hillsides and many of our homes. As of December 28th, there is 91% containment and crews are expected to continue working 24/7 into January.

But … we will recover, and we will rebuild because

We Are Ventura!

Everyone in our community celebrates the extraordinarily courageous efforts of thousands of fire fighters, law enforcement personnel and other first responders who have tirelessly battled the devastating Thomas Fire for weeks. At CAPS Media we are planning to document this once-in-a-lifetime tragedy by working with Ventura City Fire and Police departments, County Fire and Sheriff departments and other first responders to develop a multi-media documentary project that captures the remarkable stories of heroism, sacrifice, tragedy and healing surrounding the Thomas Fire.

The comprehensive Thomas Fire Stories project is a collaboration with the Museum of Ventura County, the San Buenaventura Conservancy, ECTV, other agencies and most importantly the public. Everyone in the community is encouraged to join us by sharing their personal stories. CAPS Media is dedicating extensive resources to the undertaking including staff professional expertise, equipment, studio facilities with distribution on television, radio and the internet. There are hundreds of individual and extraordinary Thomas Fire Stories to share, remember and celebrate.

Throughout next few months CAPS Media will record interviews with Thomas Fire first responders, officials, and the public impacted by the tragedy for inclusion in the documentary project and for broadcast on CAPS Television and Radio. We invite everyone to help us remember and document our common experience.

CAPS Media has set up an easy process for the public to share stories and media for the historic project. Simply go to the CAPS Media website homepage at www.capsmedia.org. Find the Thomas Fires Stories image, click on the Read More arrow in the lower right corner. The page presents more details on the project and step-by-step instructions on how to contribute photos, video and other media.

If you have a story to tell or a tribute or thank you to share, send an email to [email protected] or call the CAPS Media Center at 805.658.0500.

CAPS Media produced the first in an ongoing series of community updates from the Ventura Police Department. Hosted by Ashley Bautista, VPD Civic Engagement Specialist, the series includes weekly crime statistics, public awareness tips and other information vital to the community. The reports are posted on Ventura City and Police websites and social media, and air and stream on CAPS Channel 6 & 15 throughout the day and on CAPS Radio KPPQ 104.5 FM.

2017 has been a remarkable year. CAPS Radio KPPQ 104.1FM took off in February and has rapidly become a wildly popular platform and voice for the public. The El Camino High School ECTV program continued to produce outstanding and award winning programming and develop highly skilled and talented media crews and storytellers. CAPS Media membership (both individual and agency) continued to increase and with it use of the extensive CAPS Media equipment, expertise and studios. Recently CAPS Media recorded, broadcast and streamed the Thomas Fire community meetings live on CAPS Channel 6 & 15 and on CAPS Radio – KPPQ 104.1. Throughout the year we recorded, broadcast and streamed live dozens of City Council, Community and VUSD Board meetings for the public.

Here’s to a 2018 that looks even more interesting and engaging with coverage of ongoing City and school meetings, City districting and resulting council member elections, ever-increasing member/producer training and productions for television and radio, local, state and national voter information programs in the summer and fall, and the Thomas Fire Story documentary project.

On the evening of Thurs., Jan. 18, Ventura Land Trust (VLT) will host a community lecture entitled “No Doubting Thomas: The Impacts, Management, and World after the Thomas Fire” at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd. Beginning at 7 p.m., this first in VLT’s 2018 Environmental Speaker Series, will he led by Dr. Sean Anderson, Departmental Chair of the Environmental Science and Resource Management Program at of California State University Channel Islands.

Dr. Anderson, a highly-esteemed and broadly trained ecologist and conservation biologist with dual BAs from UCSB, a PhD from UCLA and Postdoctoral and Research Fellowships from Stanford University, will discuss how wilderness areas react to wildfires, the impacts of the Thomas Fire on local ecosystems and wildlife and what the public can do now to help restore the land, prevent erosion and flood damage, and encourage the return of native plants and animals.

Now in its third year, the Ventura Land Trust’s Environmental Speaker Series is one of many ways VLT works to educate the public about important environmental topics. The non-profit land trust’s Big Rock Preserve, where they lead free outdoor environmental field trips for local students and community groups, suffered significant damage in the Thomas Fire. In the coming months, they will host a series of volunteer habitat restoration and erosion control work days on the property with the first taking place on January 15, the Martin Luther King Holiday. Visit the VLT Events Page for more information: www.venturalandtrust.org/events.

A suggested donation of $10 per person will be collected at the door to go toward restoration work at the Ventura Land Trust’s Big Rock Preserve. Space is limited and reservations are highly encouraged. RSVP at: http://www.venturalandtrust.org/lecture_thomas_fire.

For more information about VLT’s Thomas Fire Restoration efforts, visit: www.venturalandtrust.org/thomas_fire_recovery or call the VLT office 643-8044.

The Ventura Land Trust (formerly the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy) is dedicated to permanently preserving and protecting the land, water, wildlife and scenic beauty of the Ventura region for current and future generations. Founded in 2003, the 501(C)(3) non-profit organization is supported by over 600 members, local businesses and government partners. The land trust manages 90 acres of land along the Ventura River and is negotiating the purchase of its first hillside property. The Ventura Land Trust’s offices are located in the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd, Ventura, CA 93003. For more information, visit www.venturalandtrust.org.