Fire rekindles

Rekindled fire threatens Inverness Park homes

By David Rolland
Residents of Drake's Summit Road in Inverness Park -- their homes threatened by fire two weeks ago -- were forced to flee again as flames licked up Saturday morning and burned up to 11 more acres of Inverness Ridge.

It was the most serious "hot spot" that has surfaced since firefighters controlled 12,354-acre Inverness Ridge fire on Oct. 9. Much smaller burns ignite almost daily.

On Wednesday, firefighters from the Point Reyes Station firehouse responded to hot spots on Dover Drive in Paradise Ranch Estates, plus a blaze in a canyon 1,000 feet below Nancy Stein's house on Drake's Summit Drive.

On Saturday afternoon, an unrelated fire scorched an acre in Tocaloma.

Homes endangered As for the main flare-up Saturday morning, homes belonging to the Allans, the Formmés, Peter Douglas, and others were imperiled before fire crews stationed themselves at each one.

"We were pretty shook up," said resident Mark Allan, who was awakened by a phone call from neighbor Jacki Formmé, who warned, "We've got a fire below us."

The fire, which kicked up at about 3:30 a.m., crept up steep terrain toward houses. "The only good thing with our situation was that the wind was blowing away from our house," Allan said.

He said "the real hero" was his wife Susan, who in her nightgown hosed down shrubs in the backyard and called more neighbors, while he watered down the roof of the house.

"Everybody acted real calmly, but with hidden anxiety," Allan said.

Lots of unburned fuel Fire Captain Ed Mestre and his crew arrived first and called for four more engines, each of which took up the defense at a different house. A "hot shot" crew from Ukiah also responded.

"Trees started torching off," Mestre said, adding that he radioed for support knowing there was plenty of unburned trees and brush in the canyon below.

Mestre said the early morning blaze burned eight to 11 acres. Fire crews have been stationed there ever since. Inmate crews of up to 40 men apply are chopping "defensible space" around the area and are spraying foam daily on smoking trees.

Allan said the morning excitement was unsettling "after the trauma of the [first] fire and the elation of finding [my] house again. It was a trying day."

Returned to chaos An award-winning sports filmmaker, Allan had been in Los Angeles until October 3, where he had been producing a "Sportsman of the Year" special on 49er Quarterback Steve Young. He came home to find Inverness Ridge in flames and his wife evacuating the house.

They met at the bottom of Balboa Avenue, and the two went to the disaster shelter at West Marin School. He heard several times that night that their house had been destroyed.

The next day Allan went shopping over the hill for new clothes, and while waiting in line at the cash register, he used his cellular phone to check in with his family. He got the message that his house had been saved.

"That was the only time I was close to coming apart," Allan said. "It was a wonderful moment. But I don't think I'll feel really comfortable until we get some rain."

Paradise lost In upper Paradise Ranch Estates, curious onlookers this week took in the devastation at the burned-out homes of less lucky residents. Tree trimmers cut down numerous trees. Former residents and their friends sifted through the rubble.

"Did you wipe your feet before you went into the living room?" asked Inverness' Charlie Morgan, pointing to a pile of ashes on Monday that was once the Drake's View Drive home of Michael Scriven and Maryann Warren.

Morgan, who had done construction work on the house in the past, sadly pointed out the remains of the terrarium, the carport, and the library -- now just a huge pile of white ash.

The only other things identifiable were the charred remains of a 1995 Ford Ranger and a bank of file cabinets fallen over like dominoes.

Studio saved Down the street a woman called out for a friend's cat that hasn't been seen since the fire.

And up on Buck Point, where musician Jesse Colin Young used to live, Ethan Turner worked into the late afternoon Monday trying to clean up some of the mess.

He noted that the fire created some spectacular vistas of Tomales Bay, opening up views once blocked by houses and trees.

Turner had been the last person leave Young's house before it burned. Still standing is Young's recording studio, which Turner had hosed down for 45 minutes on that dreadful Tuesday two weeks ago.

"It's really weird what made it and what didn't," he said.

Meanwhile, in other fire news:

County Administrator Martin Nichols last week told supervisors that the federal government will not declare West Marin a disaster area.

Therefore, the federal Small Business Administration will be the only federal agency helping residents here. Renters, homeowners, and merchants who lost property can qualify for low-interest loans.

The agency will open a temporary office in Point Reyes Station at the Creamery Building on Thursday, Oct. 19, to assist fire victims until further notice. Available are loans up to $1.5 million for lost businesses, $200,000 for lost real estate, and $40,000 for lost property.

Because the fire has kept Park Service staff busy, the Citizens Advisory Commission of the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate Recreation Area has cancelled its meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Dance Palace.

The north part of the National Seashore, which includes the Point Reyes Lighthouse, Drake's Beach, Chimney Rock, and Pierce Point Road out to Tomales Point is now open to the public.

The Bear Valley Visitor Center, Bear Valley Trail, and all trails south of Bear Valley Trail to the Palomarin Trailhead will reopen on Saturday, Oct. 21.

All trails in the burned area (Bear Valley Trail north to Sir Francis Drake Highway) remain closed. Also closed is Limantour Road, Limantour Beach, and Mount Vision Road. Glen and Wildcat campgrounds will reopen on Monday, Oct. 30, while Coast and Sky campgrounds will be closed until April 1, 1996.

Dr. Beth Taylor and Rev. John Dillon at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Point Reyes Presbyterian Church will help West Marin residents cope with the trauma associated with the wildfire.

Both speakers are experienced with helping people deal with loss, and there will be an opportunity to talk with them one-to-one.

County Supervisor Gary Giacomini at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the Station House Café will talk to the Point Reyes Business Association and the West Marin Chamber of Commerce about the economic impacts of the fire. Representatives from the Small Business Administration, state parks, and National Park Service have also been invited.

The company that sold fire T-shirts at the corner of Highway 1 and B Street in Point Reyes Station has donated $250 to the Bank of Petaluma's fire-victims fund and $250 to the Lend-A-Hand Fire Relief Fund.

Point Reyes Station's Volunteer Center has put a bulletin board in front of its office for people affected by the fire needing help, and for people who want to volunteer their services.

MarinSeed, a nonprofit founded by Inverness resident Mary Golden that helps people become entrepreneurs, will help West Marin artists and galleries assemble a future exhibition of writings and artwork about the fire. Those interested in contributing can call 331-5900.

Tocaloma Realtor Debra Burnett has pledged to donate $100 to the Bank of Petaluma fire-victims fund for every house she sells.

At the request of numerous residents, The Light is compiling a list of renters who lost their homes. Here is a partial list:

Nancy Schweiger, Nan Moon, Chris Thralls, Matt Sykes, John Saunders, Juli Young, Robin Oaks, Paul Mahon, Kathy Runnion, Arthur Leuteritz, David Herbst and Nancy Beck, Grant Peters, and Alan and Karen Six.

Those who know of renters who can be added to the list can call The Light at 663-8404.

Inverness Ridge Association has compiled a list of fire victims and where they can be reached by other victims, family, and friends. Contact Lu Phelps at 663-9429.

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