Fire Season

The fire season has begun in Newbury Park. Flames erupted about 3 p.m. July 15 on Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy property from Potrero and Reino roads to the park’s service entrance road just south of Pinehill Street. The area was soon inundated with firetrucks, police cars, firefighters and a helicopter hovering overhead. The fire was finally controlled after six or more hours of battle. The surrounding hills are scorched black and the smell of smoke is still in the air.

A police officer informed us that it wasn’t necessary for us to evacuate. Yet this fire brought back memories of the Greenmeadow fire a few years ago.

There seemed to be an ample corps of personnel to battle the blaze--but doesn’t the fire underline the need for another fire station or two in our area? With the Dos Vientos, Arbor Hills, Oak Canyon and Twin Oaks developments underway, an extra fire station or two seems most justified.

Even though the latest fire drew personnel from other stations, there may be a time when the personnel may be needed elsewhere because of another crisis in some other part of the city or surrounding communities.

The cause of the Greenmeadow fire was never fully ascertained, although arson was suspected. The cause of the recent fire is under investigation.

Because Thousand Oaks City Councilman Andy Fox is a professional fireman, his visit to the scene of the fire at Potrero and Reino is most warranted. I am certain that the longtime residents of the area as well as newly arrived residents would appreciate his assessment.

SAMUEL M. ROSEN, Newbury Park