Are you prepared?

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Fire and quake season is upon us. Do you have an Emergency Plan to help you and your loved ones evacuate easily? It is a good idea to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car or to grab and go box that will be easily accessible for you and your family.

Build a basic Emergency Evacuation Kit Including:

  • Water (one gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)
  • Non-perishable food (at least 3 days supply)
  • Manual can opener (for food)
  • Bottled water
  • Prescription medications and copies of the prescription
  • Battery operated or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
  • Flashlight
  • Extra batteries
  • Whistle (to signal for help)
  • Dust mask (to help filter potential contaminated air)
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape (in case of a shelter in place)
  • Moist towelettes / baby wipes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
  • Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone and chargers
  • First-aid kit
  • Cash
  • Copies of important documents (driver’s license/ID, SS card, proof of residency, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, etc.)
  • Extra change of clothes and bedding
  • Pre-pack non-replaceable, personal items like photo albums that you can quickly move to a vehicle if you are instructed to evacuate

Talk to your family and friends, make a plan!  Decide where to meet, where to stay, where you are going. If you have pets or seniors to consider, plan ahead for them as well and have specific prepared go bags. If you do not have a car, make a plan ahead of time… ask a friend or a neighbor if you can ride off the hill with them if needed. If you have a car, keep 1/2 tank of gas in it at all times.  If the power goes out, the stations may not be able to pump gas unless they have a generator and even then they may only be able to take cash payments.

Remember, in case of an emergency the number one priority is safety first. Proper advanced preparations can ease the stress of evacuation and help you make sure all the necessities are not left behind or forgotten.

You can get more detailed information at https://www.ready.gov/kit

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Emergencies, Fire

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Another hot weekend ahead

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Have you seen the weather reports for this coming weekend? It’s going to be a hot one.
I’m seeing reports of 85-90 degrees in the Mountains, 104-103 Inland, and up to 117 in the Desert.

When to be concerned about heat illness
If you’re unable to keep yourself cool, you may develop the symptoms of heat exhaustion, which, if left untreated, can turn into heatstroke — a serious medical emergency that can lead to organ damage or death without immediate attention.

When temperatures are high, such as during a heat wave, you may also want to check in more frequently on young children under the age of four, as well as older people above the age of 65, because they are more susceptible to heat-related illness.

Where is our Monsoon?!?!?
According to The Weather Channel (weather.com);
The monsoon in the Southwest has been generally inactive so far this year, which has led to an expansion of drought and record heat in the region.

The upper-level setup has not been ideal for ample rainfall to drench the Southwest or for heat relief to arrive this season, which lasts from June 15 through Sept. 30.

The monsoon usually brings relief from the scorching summer heat. However, with a generally absent monsoon, excessive heat can persist.

Several daily record highs and record warm lows are anticipated later this week and into the weekend from western Texas into Southern California.

What can you do to keep cool?
Last week, we wrote about 10 ways to beat the heat according to Lifehacker.com; here are some more ideas for the upcoming hot weekend.

5 best ways to stay cool according to Insider.com:

1. Keep out sunlight. Close the curtains or blinds, use shutters, shades, or awnings, apply high-reflectivity window film.

2. Utilize fans properly. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms so be sure to turn them off when you leave the room. Window fans or portable fans are best used when the air outside is cooler than the air inside.

3. Drink lots of water. Your body needs water to effectively deal with hot temperatures. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty! Getting bored with water? Add frozen berries, grapes, or melon chunks to sparkling water to switch things up.

4. Use cold washcloths. The Mayo Clinic recommends placing a cold, damp cloth on your pulse points – such as the back of your neck, under your armpits, on your wrists, or groin.

5. Eat cool foods and avoid alcohol. Put your quaran-tini down and drink something with no alcohol since too much alcohol can cause your body to actually lose water. Food suggestions include salads, watermelon, mint, and ironically enough – hot peppers.

I hope these suggestions help. Stay cool Idyllwild.

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Posted in: Community, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Weather, Weekend

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Quake Swarm News Release from Riverside County

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Federico
(951) 743-0075 – cell
bcfederico@rivco.org

Quake swarm is warning for residents and businesses to prepare

This week’s earthquake swarm beneath the Salton Sea, at the southern end of the San Andreas Fault, is a stark reminder that Riverside County residents and businesses must prepare for earthquakes.

“Earthquakes can happen at any time,” said Bruce Barton, director of the Riverside County Emergency Management Department (EMD). “It is important to remember that Southern California is earthquake country and Riverside County has active fault lines running through it. The time to prepare for earthquakes is now.”

The U.S. Geological Survey issued a public statement Aug. 10, noting that there is an 80 percent probability that earthquakes will continue over the next seven days and some may be moderate
in size between magnitude 4.5 and 5.4. A moderate earthquake may cause localized damage.

There is approximately a 19 percent chance that a larger earthquake between magnitude 5.5 – 6.9 could occur within seven days, which could cause damage around the Salton Sea as well as aftershocks. There is a 1 percent probability that a much larger earthquake of magnitude 7 or
higher can occur with seven days.

It is critical for all Riverside County residents, business owners and visitors to plan for what to do before, during and after an earthquake, including:
• Now: Create an emergency kit with water, food and other essential items that will sustain your family for three to seven days.
• During: Drop, cover and hold on during the shaking. If driving, pull to the side of road and stop until shaking stops. Do not take cover under overpasses or bridges.
• After: Prepare for aftershocks. Do not handle or drive over downed power lines. If you smell gas, leave the area.

“This latest swarm of earthquakes reminds me of words from my former UC Riverside geography professor. He told us students, ‘This is earthquake country. It is only a matter of time for a major earthquake.’ We should always be prepared,” said Board Chair V. Manuel Perez, Fourth District Supervisor.

In the event of an earthquake, EMD will provide emergency information and instructions through the media, social media and phone notification systems. Visit RivCoReady.org, @RivCoReady on Twitter and Facebook for valuable information on how to prepare, including instructions on how to build an emergency kit. Community members are also urged to register cell phone numbers with the county’s mass notification system, called Alert RivCo.

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Beat the heat.

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Although this coming weekend is not looking like it’s going as hot as last weekend, it still looks like a nice comfortable warm one.

One of the many benefits of living on the hill is the lower temperatures due to the lush trees surrounding our town.
Trees provide an evaporative cooling effect that can decrease local air temperatures by several degrees Fahrenheit.

When the temperatures do rise again; here are the Top 10 Ways to Beat the Heat according to lifehacker.com.

10. Drink More Water
Seems like a no-brainer. Staying hydrated helps with so many things. When you’re sweating a lot, drinking enough water becomes even more important. Of course water isn’t your only option for hydration but with the quality water that the Pine Cove Water District supplies, why would you want anything else?!

9. Keep Excessive Sweat at Bay
Thankfully we don’t have some of the high humidity on the hill that some other places get as it can be the worst part of the heat. You can get the sweating under control with a few tricks, like applying antiperspirant at night and wearing breathable clothing materials, such as cotton.

8. Make a DIY Air Conditioner
Running the AC can get expensive so why not make your own? There are plenty of options to choose from if you do an internet search.

7. Optimize Your Fans
Did you know that if you face your box fan out, rather than in at night, your room will stay cooler and you might be able to sleep more comfortably?
If you have a ceiling fan, run it counter-clockwise (the “summer” higher-speed setting) for optimum cooling.

6. Keep Your Food Cool and Avoid Using the Oven
This is a great time to pull out that slow cooker you hid away after winter. You can make a whole meal without adding too much heat to your kitchen. There are rice cookers that also have a steamer tray that can serve the same purpose. Cold soups and salads are a great option too; pasta salad, bean salad, gatzpacho, cold shredded chicken on a bed of lettuce. Get creative and see what you can come up with.

5. Exercise Comfortably, Even in the Heat
If you enjoy exercising, you don’t have to stop just because it’s hot. Switch it up to water sports, avoid the sun at it’s strongest time (usually afternoon), and exercising in short bursts.

4. Optimize Your Windows (and black out curtains)
Close windows and use insulated drapes to keep the sun out during the day and open them at night when the sun is down. You can also hang a damp towel in front of the window to cool the air flowing into your home and open opposing windows or windows on the top and bottom floors for maximum air flow.

3. Cool Your Car Down Quickly
Prior to getting on the road, roll down one window and open and close the opposite door a few times to cool the car down.

2. Stay Cool While You Sleep
Cool your head with a special pillow like the Chillow, sleep on top of a wet sheet, or do some research online for other cool sleeping strategies.

1. Know Your Body’s Best Cooling Points
There are points on your body that react best to cooling. For me, it’s the back of my neck, for some, it could be your wrists or top of the head. By applying ice cubes or an ice pack wrapped in a towel (or any other cold object) to these pulse points, you’ll cool down more quickly and effectively.

What other tactics can you suggest for keeping cool?

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Suspicious Seeds

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We often speak of using local wood to avoid transporting potentially-infested oak firewood within, to, or from the San Bernardino Mountains. Now we have something new to be aware of; mysterious seeds appearing to be from China.

San Bernardino County issued a warning that if you received unsolicited mailings of seeds that appear to be from China DO NOT plant them because they could be an invasive plant species.

“USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China,” the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said in a statement. They are working closely with federal and state partners, including Customs and Border Protection, to investigate. State officials said some packages were labeled as jewelry and many have contained Chinese writing. According to checks done by China’s postal service, records on the packages appear to have been falsified.

As we are well aware, invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops. Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations. So until they figure out what is going on, it is best to follow the suggestions of the USDA and San Bernardino County.

According to Snopes.com people are reporting that they are receiving unsolicited packages of seeds in the mail with return addresses indicating they were sent from China. What’s undetermined is the motive behind these mailings, and whether or not it is a malicious one or not.

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Have you seen any monarch butterflies this season?

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I recently read an article in The San Diego Union-Tribute dated July 13, 2020 that said butterfly plants are in short supply. They cited the pandemic-fueled gardening boom as well as public’s awareness of shrinking monarch population and wanting to help increase it. The Center for Biological Diversity put a release out on March 13, 2020 that stated the yearly count of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico shows a decrease of 53% from last year’s count and is well below the threshold at which government scientists predict the migration could collapse. They attribute the decrease of Monarchs to milkweed being devastated by increased herbicide spraying in conjunction with corn and soybean crops that have been genetically engineered to tolerate direct spraying with herbicides. Additionally, they are being threatened by other herbicides and by neonicotinoid insecticides that are toxic to young caterpillars and decrease the health of adult butterflies.

At the Pine Cove Water District, we were lucky enough to procure several new narrow-leaf milkweed as well as tropical milkweed for our butterfly garden. We’ve even seen a couple of visitors and look forward to seeing more as we come to the end of the season.

There’s a little guy hanging upside down
Another bigger guy across the garden

What can you do to help?

Plant the right milkweed.
According to The Laid-back Gardener, Monarchs seem to like common milkweed best but also fed happily on swamp milkweed. Apparently, butterfly weed isn’t too well liked in the caterpillar community.

Cut your milkweeds back.
Prior to blooming, cutting back the plants make them more attractive hosts for caterpillar larvae. Research at Michigan State University shows that female monarchs prefer to lay their eggs on fresh young stems that haven’t flowered yet. Heavy pruning doesn’t harm the milkweed plants and they quickly rebound.

Know your sources and avoid pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides.
When purchasing flower starts or seed, know the source. Make sure they are all natural and have no pesticides. Additionally, keep that same mind set when amending your soil and use natural compost like the compost we supply at the Water District to Pine Cove residents.

Plant additional flowers to feed adults.
Although the female monarchs only lay their eggs on milkweeds and their caterpillars only feed on those same plants, adult monarchs feed on nectar of additional flowers like Wild Bergamont, Mountain Mint, Pale Purple Coneflower, and more. Try to provide a wide range of flowers that bloom through the entire growing season. It is also suggested that you grow single plants isolated from others by mulch or wood chips (which the Water District also can supply to Pine Cove residents) instead of mixing them as the butterflies rely on seeing the plant shapes to know where their food is.

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Posted in: Animals, Around the District, Compost, Garden, gardening, Monarch Butterflies, Mulch, Pine Cove Water District, Raised Bed Gardens, The Garden, Uncategorized, Wood chips

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Thinking about saving water for your garden this year?

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Here in Pine Cove, many residents like to garden and even grow some of their own food. Now is the time to start thinking about spring projects and what you can do to conserve water in the garden.

If you have an existing garden, there are several things you can do to reduce the amount of water you use in the garden. First, be sure to add compost to your existing garden. Soil that is high in organic matter stays moist longer. Improve your soil by adding a source of organic material such as compost or well rotted manure. If you consistently work to improve your soil each season, the texture and water holding capacity of your soil will increase and your garden will require less water. In order to make this easier for you, we have wonderful compost available to our customers for free!

Compost

Once you have freshened your soil with compost, it is time to add some mulch. Mulch aids the garden in several ways. It adds a source of organic material which and will eventually improve the structure and the water holding ability of the soil. Mulch slows surface evaporation so you will water less and it helps to smother weeds, making your gardening easier! As it happens, we also have mulch (Wood Chips) available to our customers for free as well!

Wood Chips

One wonderful thing you can do to help keep your garden looking good throughout the summer is harvest rainwater. Rain water is FREE water. Just catch it and store it then use it. You can search for rain water harvesting online and find a ton of helpful information and lots of examples on how to set up rain harvesting system.  By using your roof water you will reap water benefits from even a gentle rain by capturing all of the water that falls onto your roof surface. This can be as simple as a rain barrel under your down spout or shallow trenches to divert the rainwater to the garden.  Adding berms strategically in the garden will keep the water form running off. You can even go so far as to install a large water storage tank either above ground or underground in order to store thousands of gallons of rain water. 

rainwater_big

Installing a drip irrigation system will deliver water directly to the plants root zone instead of watering the entire surface of the garden. Although, a drip irrigation system can be expensive initially it will certainly pay off in drastically reduced water use if you intend to grow a  garden year after year. The hoses, emitters, fittings and valves must be laid out to deliver the water to each plant. If you can’t afford to install a drip system,  an easy alternative is to use soaker hoses that allow water to seep through the porous material along their entire length. Soaker hoses are less expensive to install and you can put them under the mulch to prevent evaporation.  Both methods are better alternatives than sprinklers or letting the hose run.

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Flu Season and Humidity Protection

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Higher the humidity lowers your risk for airborne viruses. Do you run a humidifier in your home during cold an flu season? If you don’t it might be time to consider investing in a humidifier for your home or office to reduce your risk of getting sick. Researchers found raising indoor humidity killed 85% of airborne flu virus within an hour, 100% within 24 hours. In dry air, the virus thrived for days. Increased humidity can also help with other health conditions like Asthma, coughing, snoring and dry skin and hair. According to WebMD, “Changes in humidity in different seasons may also affect how often people get sick. The most common cold viruses survive better outside the body. Also, cold weather may make the lining of your nose drier and more vulnerable to an infection by a virus.”

Our humidity level here in Idyllwild and Pine Cove is notoriously low. With the cold weather running your heater or burning a fire can suck the moisture out of the air. Keeping a cast iron pot or kettle on your wood burning stove while burning a fire can help raise the humidity level as well. Keeping the humidity level up and investing in a humidifier seems like a relatively simple solution to protect your health this time of year.

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SNOW-PLAY VISITOR ILLEGAL PARKING & UNSAFE DRIVING?

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Rather than helplessly sit by when unsafe or illegal road or parking behavior happens, witnesses can do something about it. CHP officers can’t be everywhere at the same time, but residents are! In addition to phoning, we can now report incident details by email.

It’s a traffic safety campaign the San Gorgonio Pass California Highway Patrol (which covers the Hill) has started that asks our community members to report unsafe and/or illegal driving or problem roads.

Using the license plate, Capt. Mike Alvarez will mail the registered owner a courtesy warning letter. (You remain anonymous.) The warning letter is kept on file at the San Gorgonio Pass CHP office for future reference.

Here’s how to do it. Simply PROVIDE: date, time, location and vehicle license plate (or a passenger’s or dash cam’s photo).

Then EMAIL it to: SanGorgonioPass@chp.ca.gov

When you report a problem, the CHP will log it using data to track the locations via hot-spot mapping so CHP can deploy resources in high-violation areas.

Please call or email the CHP for any driver or road problem you see. It’s the only way our voices, numbers, and problems can be heard!

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Leak Reward Program

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Just a quick reminder about our Leak Reward Program. Be the first to spot a leak and report it to the water district and earn a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of choice here on the hill.

A valid leak is not a spring or something we already know about and it can’t be something like your toilet is leaking.  This time last year we had a water loss of over a million gallons because of customer leaks. This has been a very successful program and we hope you will keep your eyes and ears peeled when you are out and about in Pine Cove.

office (951)659-2675

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