Threat of fire

No one seems to care, not the officials of L.A. County, city of Agoura Hills or the fire department. The Heschel school parcel, approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the City Council of Agoura Hills, in located in land locked Palo Comado Canyon.

The Santa Ana winds sweep through this corridor at great speeds, tempting ferocious firestorms.

In 2005 this area was evacuated because of a fire that was headed towards Palo Comado Canyon. In October this year the Porter Ranch fire caused another evacuation notice to this area.

The area of Old Agoura has over 393 homes. The only access to this area is the three-block long Driver Avenue. Agoura High School is on the north of this access road and Chesebro Road is on the south. There are already two day schools and the senior retreat nearby.

In the event of a fire the 393 homeowners, 750 Heschel students, 50 students from the day schools and 1,200 Agoura High school students would have to evacuate through the small twolane Driver Avenue. The congestion would be horrendous. Many children and residents could be trapped and unable to evacuate.

If Supervisor Yaroslavsky wants the Heschel school built on this land-locked parcel, he should insist that Los Angeles County build an access road from Liberty Canyon to provide a safe exit from this vulnerable area.

This decision by Supervisor Yaroslavsky, the board of supervisors and the City Council of Agoura Hills to place this large private school where there is not even an access to a county road will contribute to this extreme fire hazard to this community. Lives of the students of four schools and my neighbors will be at risk. Joanne L. Calhoun Agoura Hills