SMALL BRUSH FIRE IN SPRING VALLEY
Printer-friendly version September 29, 2009 12:20 p.m. (Spring Valley)– A small brush fire has been reported at 1502 Ramona Avenue in Spring Valley, Incident Protection Network reported at 11:26 a.m. The fire was reportedly heading uphill toward a home. A dispatcher at Heartland Fire informed East County Magazine that the fire is not considered a threat and that all but one engine has been dismissed. Had this fire posed a regional threat, our Viejas wildfire alert service would have been activated. If you are not yet signed up for these free alerts, you can subscribe using the button on the top right of our website. Printer-friendly version
SANTEE CHAMBER ANNOUNCES AWARDS FINALISTS
Printer-friendly versionOctober 1, 2009 (Santee)–The Santee Chamber of Commerce announces finalists for the 2009 Santee Chamber Awards Night, which will be held on October 16 at Barona Resort & Casino. Small Business of the Year Finalists: Ronn Hall Insurance Services, Cookies By Design & Eccentric International Chefs Medium Business of the Year Finalists: Michael’s Grill, Union Bank of California & GTM General Discount Store Large Business of the Year Finalists: Henry’s Marketplace, Barona Resort and Casino & The Hartford Insurance Company New Business of the Year Finalists: San Diego National Bank, Riverview MD Spa & Momentum Tutoring Those businesses that were not selected will be considered for next year. Tickets may be purchased at the Chamber website at www.santee-chamber.org. Printer-friendly version
RAMONA FIRE VICTIMS FIND A “VINE” WAY TO BUILD HOME THAT’S FIRE-SAFE & GREEN
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Zak Valade and his wife, Gina, lost their home in the 2007 Witch Creek fire. Now, they’re rebuilding a new home designed by famed architect Drew Hubbell,.constructed of fire-safe and energy efficient materials. They’ve also ripped out their avocado grove and planted a vineyard instead. “Today, this is the new fire buffer,” Zak Valade says, standing atop the roof of his home under construction in the heart of Ramona’s wine country. He hopes to sell grapes to a local winemaker–and make his new residence both safe and sustainable. “I like port wine; I have a friend who got me into earth building,” he recalls. “He’s a premier grape mixer in our area. I wanted to build out of adobe, but California won’t let you anymore because of seismic requirements.” Instead, the home’s basic building blocks are PerformWall, a fire-safe product that maximizes design flexibility . “This is post-consumer foam—recycled Styrofoam like TVs are shipped in,” Valade says, hoisting a surprisingly lightweight Perform Wall block over his shoulder. “You mix in potash, Portland cement, and make blocks.” He runs his hand along a block. “You can take a torch to this side,” he said, adding that he visited the factory for a demonstration. His son placed a hand on the other side while a torch was lit, and it stayed cool. “As far as keeping heat out, this is a big thermos,” Valade said. He also appreciates the design flexibility that using Perform Wall’s panel system provides over conventional (and flammable) wood frame construction. Pieces can be cut and positioned to allow curved architectural features. Valade’s home, now under construction, features a Mexican-style curved porch shaded by a radius roof overhang. Brown stucco applied over the Perform Wall will simulate the look of adobe. The original home burned because the wind-driven firestorm blew dead leaves from the avocado grove upwards, swirling them into an opening in the back of the original house. “Fire came from the east and burned the inside like a fireplace,” he recalled. “Everything melted.” knows first-hand the importance of fire-safe construction, having suffered severe damage to his own home and artworks in Wynola. Hubbell has also whole-heartedly embraced the concept of green, sustainable architectural design elements. “They wanted a pueblo-style Southwestern design,” Hubbell said. “They’ve tried to integrate green technology and passive solar. Perform Wall is one form of passive solar.” Hubbell said he’s used the product in about seven other projects…It’s a four-hour fire rating.” By contrast, stucco has a two-hour fire rating and wood, just one hour, he added. “You can turn it vertical and make a radius, or have a more organic shape, especially with longer sections. You don’t have to lathe it or waterproof it. There’s no water, so it’s also less money to stucco it.” The home is also positioned to take advantage of natural heating and cooling. For example, the garage is positioned on the west to avoid overheating. The home is also positioned to maximize views from its commanding hilltop location. Given drought conditions and rising water rates, Hubbell also designed features to make the home water-efficient. A flat roof provides the option to collect rainwater and use it to water the avocado groves. He envisions draining water into a ground tank during winter and spring months, then using the water for irrigation in the dry summer and fall seasons. Valade notes another advantage of his vineyard. “Grapes don’t use anywhere near as much water as avocado trees,” he said, adding that he also plans to plan five acres in aloe vera. The home will also include two tankless water heaters, solar hot water, and solar electric/photovoltaic panels on the roof. The flat roof will also accommodate a rooftop deck, where the homeowners look forward to savoring views of the surrounding countryside once construction is completed on the 3,400 square foot residence by early next year. A central great room occupies the heart of the home, with wings on either side. A hall gallery leads from towering front doors to bedrooms and a music room/media room where Zak can practice his drums and “the kids can make as much noise as possible,” Gina said of the couple’s three active children. That’s because PerformWall also insulates against noise. “I wouldn’t usually use PerformWall on interior walls, but Zac wanted it sound-proofed,” Hubbell explained. To withstand summer heat and further keep the home cool, Hubbell said, “Every window out here had to be tempered.” He faulted the County for eliminating incentives to buy recycled windows. All windows in the home are new and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as made from sustainably grown Sierra Pacific lumber. As finishing touches, the home will feature used brick flooring (including some fire-stained bricks), plus rock veneers on the front and rear walls “like a little castle,” concludes Valade, who looks forward to savoring the fruits of his labors. Printer-friendly version
BRUSH FIRE IN ESCONDIDO AREA ENDANGERS HOMES
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo by Tracy Emblem September 28, 2009 5:40 p.m. (Escondido) — A brush fire reported at 5:05 p.m. today at Bear Valley Parkway and San Pasqual Road has burned three to four acres, CAL-FIRE spokesperson Denise Kessel informed East County Magazine. According to Incident Reporting Network, homes are in danger and air support was requested by Escondido Fire. “We sent them a battalion chief, five engines, two crews, air attack, two tankers and two copters,” said Kessel. Kessel, who was not at the scene, said she just received word that the fire is now contained. Escondido Fire could not be reached for confirmation. East County Magazine has activated our wildfire alert service and will monitor this situation. Watch for updates and post comments if you have information to share on this fire. Printer-friendly version