Massive fire in Santa Rosalia leaves many families homeless
They used bulldozers to demolish the buildings while in flames in order to fight the fire at the historical district that is all wooden. It's a
miracle it did'nt spread.
This is really terrible. Thanks for letting us know, Ferna. I imagine that there are parallels here with Southern California developments in brush
areas, inasmuch as Santa Rosalia consists of so many old wooden structures jammed into a steep canyon.
Looking over the news photos, I was impressed by the photos showing many civilian volunteers involved in fighting the fire, moving hoses and filling
buckets with water. When the infrastructure is limited, people power must make up the difference or the community burns. Notable was a lack of
looting in the reports. I hope that holds up over time.
Congratulations to Santa Rosalia people and/or visitors who helped in this crisis. You encourage my sometimes challenged view that people are
basically good and will do the right thing in a crisis.
I would hope that it will be possible for the replacement building to be built of less fore prone construction and that Santa Rosallia may be a gem in
the future.
I to am very impressed, I never saw a bulldozer just go straight for the burning structure and fight it head on. That is what probably saved the rest
of the wood buildings.
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
Oh no! I hadn't heard about the fire. I think about fire everytime I am in Santa Rosalia. The whole of downtown is made of wooden structures. The
architecture of each building is unique and interesting. It reminds me of California Gold Rush towns that were built in the late 1800s. Many of Santa
Rosalia's buildings were built by the French Mining Industry. Maybe Pompano has some photos of the municipal buildings on the plaza. (?)
I suppose the fire fighting plan that was enacted was pre-planned for just such an event. They probably have experience with the bulldozers and the
mobilization of citizen help. Very impressive!
I'm very sad to hear of this fire. The buildings in Santa Rosalia are so unique and unlike anything you see in Baja. My hopes are that nobody was
seriously injured in this fire.
Originally posted by toneart
Oh no! I hadn't heard about the fire. I think about fire everytime I am in Santa Rosalia. The whole of downtown is made of wooden structures. The
architecture of each building is unique and interesting. It reminds me of California Gold Rush towns that were built in the late 1800s. Many of Santa
Rosalia's buildings were built by the French Mining Industry. Maybe Pompano has some photos of the municipal buildings on the plaza. (?)
I suppose the fire fighting plan that was enacted was pre-planned for just such an event. They probably have experience with the bulldozers and the
mobilization of citizen help. Very impressive!
I just got back from Mulege and did not catch any talk yet about the fire at Sta. Rosalia, the city whose first nickname was Ciudad de Madera (city of
wood). That city has had it's share of blazes. Also several neighborhoods in the Mulege area. We are no strangers to fire around here.
Actually the practice of bulldozing a fire is not new by any means. We've used that manuever before to quickly get a handle on a blaze. It depends
on what is at hand and practical. Once I had to jump into a fire truck and drive it through a fence because the driver was too polite to drive
through it...hey, it was my fence, so I did it for him, then got to man the fire hose to fight some burning palapas in the adjacent lots.
Well, Tony..I found what I could..and here they are from my files. I will have more, but it will take some time to dust them off, so to speak. Most
of these pics will not show much of the residential areas, which look to be the hardest hit.
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Sta. Rosalia:
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A somewhat similiar experience right next door:
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And then at Ana's Cafe, Santispac
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This one at Posada in The Bay happened a couple years ago, but a quick response from the Mulege Fire Dept saved the day. A long time ago I watched
pretty much the whole camp burn below me...a real blaze that was! Dozens of homes and RV's went up in an instant. All covered with palapa roofs.
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Edit to add: I just got a message from a Sta. Rosalia amigo and we will be driving there later tonight with some needed items. They are okay, thank
God, but some areas are a real mess. Will get back with any information we may learn.
Thanks for the good info Ferna, I am stuck in Colorado but it feels like I am almost there. I have a friend who lives in that area, so will call him
right away and see how they made out. I have been around two fires in the area and the professionalism that I have witnessed was very good. The
Santa Rosalia department is very good and they train very well.
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Was someone at the internet cafe trying to export a hotlink?
Unofficial reports say that all pc's at the internet café were logged on to Baja Nomad and on the off topic forums at the same time and were all
posting fire smilies
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
I have a friend on Calle 8. Have emailed to ask how things are. will post if I get a response soon. As said before that area is all very old
wooden structure and built very close together. Hope all is well
I've tried to work with some maps of Santa Rosalia and put an "X" where I think the internet cafe was. This is really a sad deal! I think around 4
years ago there was a fire that took out a whole block by the government offices. It's new and nice now. So after the pain maybe something nice will
follow.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
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