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Dixon trout unfazed by fire
By Ed Zieralski, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 31, 2003
A California Department of Forestry crew works the hillsides, dousing hot spots left from the Paradise Fire on the Daley Ranch. But Dixon Lake, an important battleground for firefighters as recently as Tuesday in preventing the wildfire's advance, is having its trout opener tomorrow.
Tony Smock, Escondido's lakes and open space superintendent, is convinced there is no fire danger. The lake will open freshly stocked with 2,900 pounds of trout, a mixture of rainbows and 3-to 4-pound steelheads.
"Most of the fuel surrounding us has been burned, and all of the fires are east of us," Smock said. "It would be pretty difficult for these fires to circle around to us."
Smock said 700 acres of the 3,300-acre Daley Ranch burned when the Paradise Fire hit Monday and into Tuesday. But the fire missed the ranch's structures, including the historic Daley Ranch House and the lake's ranger station, concession stand, boat house and campground. Smock said only the Whisker Bay section on Dixon's northeast corner near the buoy line will be closed to fishing.
"That's where the fire made it to the water, and there's some churning ash there, so we're closing it for health reasons," Smock said. "That's where the firefighters lit backfires and saved us. They made Dixon Lake and the Daley Ranch their line in the sand as far as saving Escondido. This was really an important front in the battle. And I can't say enough about what a great job the firefighters did here saving the structures and protecting us. They said if they had failed here, the fire would have burned half of Escondido and burned to the beach."
A few of Smock's employees at Dixon didn't fare as well. Ranger Don Schilter lost his home, and office secretary Pam Phelps lost her trailer.
Up at Lake Wohlford, Smock said Dixon's sister lake and facilities came out virtually unscathed.
"Wohlford held up very well," Smock said. "None of the facilities were burned, but the fire did come down to the lake on Oakvale Cove. But the Oakvale Resort survived, and the Wohlford Cafe survived, too."
While Lake Wohlford is doing well, Jay Cowan, the lake's longtime ranger, is in the battle of his life to save his home. Cowan has been constructing a home in the Palomar Mountain area, and there have been times when it was in the direct line of the Paradise Fire. But Smock said it appears the fire may miss Cowan's home.
"He was two weeks away from getting it inspected, so he's up there holding out after cutting a large swath around his house," Smock said. "He's got a metal roof, so he thinks he can make it. And right now it looks like the fire is going to go past him."
Elsewhere in the county, Lake Henshaw, north of Santa Ysabel, was evacuated, and Lake Jennings in Lakeside won't reopen for trout season until next Friday.
The San Diego City Lakes will be closed to all on-water activities through Sunday. That means no hunting at Barrett or Sutherland and no fishing at Lower and Upper Otay and San Vicente.
City lakes office manager Sharon Smith said the lakes likely will reopen next week when San Vicente starts its winter schedule with fishing and water-skiing on Thursdays and Fridays, and fishing only on Saturdays and Sundays. San Vicente no longer will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
By Ed Zieralski, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 31, 2003
A California Department of Forestry crew works the hillsides, dousing hot spots left from the Paradise Fire on the Daley Ranch. But Dixon Lake, an important battleground for firefighters as recently as Tuesday in preventing the wildfire's advance, is having its trout opener tomorrow.
Tony Smock, Escondido's lakes and open space superintendent, is convinced there is no fire danger. The lake will open freshly stocked with 2,900 pounds of trout, a mixture of rainbows and 3-to 4-pound steelheads.
"Most of the fuel surrounding us has been burned, and all of the fires are east of us," Smock said. "It would be pretty difficult for these fires to circle around to us."
Smock said 700 acres of the 3,300-acre Daley Ranch burned when the Paradise Fire hit Monday and into Tuesday. But the fire missed the ranch's structures, including the historic Daley Ranch House and the lake's ranger station, concession stand, boat house and campground. Smock said only the Whisker Bay section on Dixon's northeast corner near the buoy line will be closed to fishing.
"That's where the fire made it to the water, and there's some churning ash there, so we're closing it for health reasons," Smock said. "That's where the firefighters lit backfires and saved us. They made Dixon Lake and the Daley Ranch their line in the sand as far as saving Escondido. This was really an important front in the battle. And I can't say enough about what a great job the firefighters did here saving the structures and protecting us. They said if they had failed here, the fire would have burned half of Escondido and burned to the beach."
A few of Smock's employees at Dixon didn't fare as well. Ranger Don Schilter lost his home, and office secretary Pam Phelps lost her trailer.
Up at Lake Wohlford, Smock said Dixon's sister lake and facilities came out virtually unscathed.
"Wohlford held up very well," Smock said. "None of the facilities were burned, but the fire did come down to the lake on Oakvale Cove. But the Oakvale Resort survived, and the Wohlford Cafe survived, too."
While Lake Wohlford is doing well, Jay Cowan, the lake's longtime ranger, is in the battle of his life to save his home. Cowan has been constructing a home in the Palomar Mountain area, and there have been times when it was in the direct line of the Paradise Fire. But Smock said it appears the fire may miss Cowan's home.
"He was two weeks away from getting it inspected, so he's up there holding out after cutting a large swath around his house," Smock said. "He's got a metal roof, so he thinks he can make it. And right now it looks like the fire is going to go past him."
Elsewhere in the county, Lake Henshaw, north of Santa Ysabel, was evacuated, and Lake Jennings in Lakeside won't reopen for trout season until next Friday.
The San Diego City Lakes will be closed to all on-water activities through Sunday. That means no hunting at Barrett or Sutherland and no fishing at Lower and Upper Otay and San Vicente.
City lakes office manager Sharon Smith said the lakes likely will reopen next week when San Vicente starts its winter schedule with fishing and water-skiing on Thursdays and Fridays, and fishing only on Saturdays and Sundays. San Vicente no longer will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
