Big Sur evacuated

Not to worry: the flames are not at the doorstep of the hermitage. But along with residents between Partington Ridge and Lime Kiln Canyon, the monks and most of the lay workers have been evacuated to Saint Clare's Retreat at Soquel in the mountains above Santa Cruz. The Franciscan sisters there are hosting the monks, enabling them to continue their daily rhythm of prayer, study, and, well, work, although obviously they cannot do the usual chores of the hermitage. They will help as they can, but the sisters will continue doing the cooking (monks normally take turns in the kitchen at New Camaldoli, as at the Berkeley monastery).

So far it seems that the evacuation is precautionary. Two big fires are no more than 3 per cent contained, but the firefighters are trying to herd them toward each other and then up into the wilderness area, so that no more homes or other buildings will be destroyed. Six cabins at Dietjen's Inn have burned; several also at Ventana; sixteen homes are gone on Partington. And one firefighter has died — may he rest in eternal freshness, far from flames.

I was at New Camaldoli in 1985, between trips to India, when fires roared through the hermitage property. We were all evacuated to different places (Monterey, Morgan Hill, Berkeley...). Then on July 11 it rained — it never had before in living memory, and never again did it rain on that date, which is the feast of Saint Benedict, author of our monastic rule. Six fire teams were on the property, and they succeeded in preserving intact all the main buildings: the church, the kitchen, the library, the monks’ huts... A miracle, almost as beautiful as some sunsets in Big Sur.