Letter: City Council Needs Safety-Minded Candidates

Editor,

Every day I look over the ridge toward Top of the World, where in 1993 I saw flames reaching for the sky and smoke drifting down into Bluebird Canyon, and the smell permeated the whole town. Horrible. Homes, memories, domestic and wildlife were being destroyed every minute—much like it is today for so many people in California and other states here in America and overseas. The heat has been relentless. How many wild animals have been burned to death, injured and habitat destroyed for them. Will they come back?

I want to thank Ray Lardie and his team for the immense job they have undertaken—our canyon/greenbelts cleared of dead vegetation/debris and diligently worked with homeowners to clear properties of dead trees, many of which were eucalyptus. Maybe he should run for city council—he has our safety in mind.

Ann Christoph and followers want more eucalyptus trees to cover our town and hillsides and block the views (for which our city is world renowned). They have touted proudly that green trees don’t burn, tall trees will capture flying embers, eucalyptus are our heritage as early settlers (artists not arborists) planted them, and they grew fast as not many homes were here. The reality is that they have shallow roots, take groundwater away from other plants, are highly flammable due to high oil content, branches break easily, they topple unexpectedly, and are constantly shedding. They want to spend tax dollars on fluff rather than making our city safer, providing parking, taking care of homeless, bringing businesses back to our town, etc.

Be careful who you vote for. I want to sleep peacefully at night, don’t you?

Ganka Brown, Laguna Beach