City council and Staff have known for years about illegal camping and fires in Upper Bidwell Park, but did nothing about it

The above post includes one of several emails I sent to city staff and council about illegal camping at and around the Peregrine Point disc golf course in Upper Bidwell Park, back in 2018. About a week after I sent this email, a fire started at the Peregrine Point disc golf course, threatening homes all along the east side of Hwy 32.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-Wildfires-Stoney-Fire-in-Chico-burns-13072329.php

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2018/7/12/stoney-fire

It became known as the Stoney Fire. A man living along that section of Hwy 32 told us he’d seen the first responders “rescue” a man who admitted to having a camp fire. It eventually burned 962 acres and left dead standing trees that still present a safety hazard for park goers.

So the Park Fire was no surprise to me. We’ve watched Bidwell Park sink into a state of disgrace – overgrown trees, dead branches laying in dead weeds, power lines threading through a jumble of branches. Park trees touching private trees all the way down Vallombrosa. A recent fire that threatened homes near Lost Park even had former councilmember Bob Evans worried enough to write a letter to the editor.

We’ve seen the city’s safety contractors milling around Lower Park for the better part of a year, but we’ve seen no tree work, unless one of those giant branches falls directly across the road. I’ll never forget this story – a man in Glenn County was driving his daughter to Chico State. As they drove along the highway the man noticed a huge branch about to break in front of him. He had to make a split second decision – slam on the brakes at 50 mph, or jam it! He jammed it, and the branch fell across the trunk of the car, crushing it. He and his daughter were uninjured.

Think you might have to make a decision like that driving along Vallombrosa or South Park Drive? It’s not unlikely.

Just imagine Lower Park on fire. I live a block from Lower Park. I’ve been worried about my house burning down in the middle of the night for almost 10 years, since a man and woman were burned to death in a tent right along the fence bordering Vallombrosa. Then there was the freshly blackened spot we found one morning riding our bikes into the park at Crister.

This Park Fire lays at the feet of our city council, as well as the city manager and his management top-heavy staff. Ignoring years of warnings, ignoring good sense, they ignored our wonderful park while they poured money into Downtown and their own pockets. Now their neglect is coming home to roost, with the rest of us.

As I write I’m worrying about friends living in Forest Ranch, Manton, Paynes Creek, wondering about Anderson? The city of Chico takes their place next to PG&E.