Fire on Catalina Island

Click on the image for a clearer view of this graphic, generated by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

What with the fire in Griffith Park, and now an even larger one burning on Catalina Island, you can imagine why, on my long run this morning, my eyes kept anxiously searching the horizon for any sign of smoke.

It is simply so dry here right now that it doesn't take much to ignite a huge blaze.

The news, overall, is good: the fire in Griffith Park is contained and officials are just standing by to ensure nothing re-ignites. As of this morning, the fire on Catalina Island was determined to be 70% contained, and Avalon residents have been invited back to their homes. Tourists will be allowed back on the island tomorrow or Tuesday.

As of this morning, about 4700 acres on Catalina have burned. About 820 acres of Griffith Park burned. Thankfully, no human lives were lost, but we'll probably never know how many birds, coyotes, deer, rabbits, foxes and insects were lost in these blazes; hopefully most were able to flee the fire.

We're very thankful to the hundreds of firefighters -- more than 600 on Catalina alone -- who contained both fires and prevented losses from being worse.

Please, please be careful, everyone. As you can see from these photos of the Catalina Island fire (from the Los Angeles Times) it is incredibly dry out there!

Photo by Jeff Stanford, LA Times.

Photo by Jeff Stanford, LA Times.

Photo by Spencer Weiner, LA Times.

Photo by Luis Sinco, LA Times.

See you on the trail!