Aug 27, 2007 7:01 pm US/Pacific
Griffith Park Hiking Trails Reopen After Brushfire
Project Is Part Of $50 Million Restoration Plan
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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More than 800 acres burned in May in other parts of Griffith Park.
CBS
Almost four months after a brush fire destroyed 800 acres of Griffith Park, three of the park's most popular hiking trails were reopened Monday.
Councilman Tom LaBonge and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa celebrated the reopening of the trails by hiking the 1.2 miles up the Mount Hollywood trail, which provides hikers with views of the Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory and Los Angeles basin. The Vermont Canyon and Royce's Canyon trails also reopened Monday.
"I've worked with the Department of Recreation and Parks, and we have come up with a compromise to allow hikers to return to this extremely popular trail and to others on the backside that traverse areas that are deemed safe," LaBonge said.
Several other hikers joined the councilman and mayor for a 6 a.m. ceremony to open the trails.
"This is coming home for us. It's wonderful," hiker Marina Stewart said.
"I've been asking Councilman Tom LaBonge every day, 'When are you going to open the trail?' and I've even called the mayor's office – 'please open the trail.' This is our vitality."
The Griffith Park brush fire, which broke out about 1:30 p.m. May 8 just east of the Hollywood sign, eventually charred more than 820 acres.
Authorities suspect the fire, which came at the end of the driest season on record locally, was started by a man smoking near dry brush.
An intensive air-ground assault by fire crews kept the flames from doing more damage than they did.
"Thanks to the valiant efforts of the firefighters, we were able to stave off a tragedy. Now, we're in the process of restoring this park," Villaraigosa said.
In the wake of the fire, the city undertook a $50 million to repair the park over the next decade. The city Department of Recreation and Parks is working to cover about 400 acres in hydro-mulch, designed to reduce erosion and foster plant growth.
Some parks of the urban park remain closed, including the Bird Sanctuary, Captain's Roost, Dante's View, Mount Hollywood Drive and Mount Hollywood Summit and all burn areas.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
SLIDESHOW: Fire Breaks Out Near Griffith Observatory
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