VENTURA COUNTY
SOUTH MOUNTAIN
Ventura County Fire Department
May 31, 1933: "Ventura county's newest lookout station will be located on the ridge of South Mountain, Fire Warden Walter Emerick announced today.
This lookout station will take in the vast territory of the south slope of the coast range, the Casitas pass country up to the La Cumbre peak region, the Santa Susana valley country, some of the Conejo section and the Oxnard plains area it was announced today.
At first the lookout station will only be a tent, operator and a telephone but it is planned to erect a modern station in the near future. The station is being organized do to prepare for the immediate brush fire season." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
This lookout station will take in the vast territory of the south slope of the coast range, the Casitas pass country up to the La Cumbre peak region, the Santa Susana valley country, some of the Conejo section and the Oxnard plains area it was announced today.
At first the lookout station will only be a tent, operator and a telephone but it is planned to erect a modern station in the near future. The station is being organized do to prepare for the immediate brush fire season." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
July 21, 1933: Between 30 to 50 men of the Civilian Conservation Corps are working today under the direction of Walter Enerick, county fire warden, on a new trail to the summit of South Mountain near Santa Paula.
A lookout tower for the purpose of observing fires is being constructed on the mountain, it was stated." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
November 14, 1956: "The county fire department maintains a (Ground Observer Corps) post at its South Mountain station near Santa Paula." (Press-Courier)
August 28, 1957: "The South Mountain lookout reported the smoke at 2 p.m. and Fillmore firemen were dispatched to the scene of the blaze. Fire was sweeping over dry grassland and sagebrush. Fillmore firemen radioed for immediate assistance in the fight against wind swept flames." (Press-Courier)
September 14, 1957: "Fire watches at the South Mountain lookout near Santa Paula reported 'heavy fog all around, everything's dripping wet,' but there was no rain." (Press-Courier)
November 30, 1957: "The Ventura County Fires Department lookout atop South Mountain, an elevation of 2,258 feet, reported winds of 60 miles an hour at 9:45 this morning." (Press-Courier)