Mountain Lion Seen In Monterey

In the news yesterday, a woman walking her dog in Via Paraiso Park saw and reported a mountain lion while she was out walking her dog. She said it followed her, and she hid in a shed until it went away. Other people living in the same area also saw it. Police and animal control officers went door-to-door notifying residents to be on the lookout for the animal.

This is exactly what I have been concerned about, because of the fires. Where can the large animals go to survive, to get food and water?

More information on mountain lion encounters can be found here

This will show a map of their habitat.

Big Sur Fire

It's a pretty calm video, but this fire really concerns me. Not for myself, but the size of it is IMMENSE. They don't expect to have it contained until the end of the month. Maybe. This winter, with all the brush and trees burned away, we will have mudslides if it rains. As pointed out in the video and what concerns me too, is the wildlife. The little guys can't get away very easily, in my opinion, but what about the deer, the coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, and yes, the bears. Seems to me they would have enough smarts and stamina to get away. But, to where? Where can they run to except right into civilization?

More on California fires

It just boggles my mind. There is a new meaning for "California, the Golden State"

Where I live is placed right in the middle between these three fires

The mention Santa Cruz Fire, really named the Trabing fire, is less than 5 miles from my home. I was in the process of taking my cat to the vet that day. It was 105 degrees. I saw the beginning smoke start to climb into the sky, and hesitated to take hiway 1. It's a good thing I did because it would have been a nightmare to get caught on the road with the cat in the car in that heat right next to the flames. That is exactly what happened to other drivers at the time. Hiway 1 was blocked and travelers were kept at a standstill. In that heat, I can't imagine many being able to keep their parked cars air conditioners running for the length of time they were stopped without a way to turn around and get away. My car would have over heated in those conditions.

The Gilroy fire as referred to in the video is 17 miles miles from my home.

The San Martin Fire, 21 miles

The other fire up near Mt. Madonna was called the Summit fire was about 7 miles. It's not that these fires started all at once. They overlapped in the times they were burning. But definitely caused a lot of dirty air.

Mt Madonna County Park Fire

Close to my home. This fire started in Corralitos, seven miles away from me

When looking at the map, notice when they mention and show Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. I live approximately a mile from there.

Understanding Extent of Summit Fire

When this fire started, I packed my cat into my car and drove up to San Francisco to stay with Xavier and Trish.