Legion of Angels News Archive

Even as more than 300 uncontained wildfires burn across Northern and Central California and a storied stretch of the Big Sur coast probably will stay off-limits to visitors through early next week, the state’s tourism industry is scrambling to reassure vacationers that most hotels, attractions and campgrounds are open and unaffected.

About 1,700 wildfires have scorched more than 1,000 square miles and nearly 100 homes in the state since a lightning storm struck more than two weeks ago.

In the Big Sur area, the 3-week-old Basin Complex fire has charred more than 140 square miles of hillsides and canyons. A portion of Highway One reopened to residents this week, but the coastal road remains closed to visitors about 15 miles south of Carmel between Andrew Molera State Park and Lucia Lodge. The evacuation has shuttered five popular state parks and such landmarks as the Post Ranch Inn, Ventana Inn & Spa and Esalen Institute, a retreat center famous for its New Age vibe and ocean vistas.

No hotels, restaurants or other commercial structures have been damaged by the wildfire, which has been restricted to the east side of Highway One. Based on cool, foggy weather near the coast and projections that the fire will be contained by July 30, Highway One — and affected Big Sur businesses — could reopen as early as next week, says U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Leanne Langeberg. But, she says, that could change because there are still some hot spots along the highway.

Just north of Santa Barbara, the Gap Fire has burned about 15 square miles since July 1. Though the coastal town has experienced periods of ash, smoke and power outages, the blaze is more than 50% contained and is burning to the north, away from populated areas. All major roads, including Highway 101 and Highway 154 to the Santa Ynez Valley, remain open, as do the wineries made famous in the Hollywood hit Sideways.

Although they haven’t been threatened by wildfires, such popular tourist draws as San Francisco, Carmel, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite Valley have been intermittently shrouded by smoke since the blazes began last month. In general, “the closer to the coast, the better off you are, but it can change by the hour,” says Dimitri Stanich of the California Air Resources Board, which is recommending suspension of outdoor activities in much of Northern California through this weekend.

For the 50% of guests who haven’t canceled trips to Big Sur’s Treebones Resort 12 miles south of the Highway One closure, the fires have sparked a renewed respect for the area’s uncompromising beauty, says owner John Handy.

“What people love about Big Sur is its drama,” he says. “It’s one more thing that reminds us humans are not in control.”

Source — USA Today

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Big Sur tourism has been shut down by raging wildfire along California’s Central Coast.

A lightning-sparked wildfire in the Big Sur region of the Los Padres National Forest has burned 42 square miles and destroyed 16 homes. The blaze, which was only 3 percent contained, has forced the closure of a 12-mile stretch of coastal Highway 1 and driven away visitors at the peak of the tourist season.

Farther south in the forest, a wildfire that started three weeks ago has scorched 92 square miles of remote wilderness.

Elsewhere, hundreds of lightning-sparked wildfires have turned the air of Northern California into an unhealthy stew of smoke and ash, forcing the cancellation of athletic events and other outdoor activities.

Health advisories urging residents to stay indoors to limit exposure to the smokey air were issued Saturday from Bakersfield north to Redding, a distance of nearly 450 miles.

Source — Yahoo!

HONOLULU - Fewer tourists are traveling to Hawaii and their combined spending decreased in May as steeper airfares discouraged people from visiting the islands, according to state statistics.

The number of Hawaii cruise visitors plunged due to the departure of the cruise ship Pride of Hawaii, and because another cruise ship, the Pride of Aloha, made just one voyage in May, her last in the islands.

Visitor expenditures dropped 2.9 percent, or $26.7 million, in May compared to the same month last year because fewer passengers flew to the islands, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Arrivals dipped 6.4 percent, or 549,017 people, last month.

Daily spending increased to $185 per person compared to $179 per person in May 2007.

There were 56.9 percent fewer tourists arriving in Hawaii by cruise ship — only 5,382 visitors for the month. Only three out-of-state cruise ships visited the islands in May compared to seven in the same month of 2007.

“May statistics are better than anticipated, especially since it is the first month to report the effects of the loss of two home-ported cruise ships and increased airfares,” said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert. “Increased marketing efforts in our base market, U.S. West, will help stimulate demand for summer travel.”

Over the first five months of this year, total expenditures by visitors who arrived by air increased 3.2 percent to $4.94 billion even as total arrivals by air decreased 1.1 percent to 2,918,580.

Tourism from Japan was down 6.2 percent in May, while 13.7 percent more people are arriving from Canada.

“We continue to be pleased with the performance of the Canada and other Asia markets and anticipate further growth especially in the China market be cause Chinese are now able to visit the U.S. as leisure group travelers,” Wienert said.

The first group of Chinese leisure travelers visited Hawaii this week under a new agreement between the U.S. and China.

Trips from the U.S. West and East also fell, with the steepest decline coming from 19.3 percent fewer visitors from California.

Source — Yahoo!