‘All we could do was watch’: #Beekeeper mourns millions of #bees killed in Mountain fire
By Jenny Gold, Staff Writer
Nov. 18, 2024
"On the morning the Mountain fire erupted, wind gusts were so strong in Somis that several of the sturdy wooden boxes that housed Eduardo Flores’s bee colonies had already blown over.
"Flores was watching the feed of his security cameras from home and preparing to drive over in his truck when he received a message from his brother-in-law: There was a fire close to the bee yard.
"Within an hour, all 150 boxes had been destroyed in the blaze and millions of bees were dead.
"'All we could do was watch,” said Flores, who owns #VenturaBeeRescue, a company that removes troublesome bees from people’s homes, rehabilitates the colonies, and then relocates the #pollinators to help sustain local bee populations."
[...]
"Bees serve a crucial role in pollinating native plants and crops, but their populations have been declining worldwide. Since 2007, some bee populations have fallen by more than 80%, according to research from the U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Flores quickly became a #BeeAdvocate, touring local schools, libraries and museums to educate children about the importance of bees and sharing his love for the often-feared creatures. Each spring, he brought plain white boxes to an event called #PollinatorPalooza in Ventura, where children painted them in bright colors.
"Flores said he plans to rebuild his lost boxes and restore the colonies quickly. 'They’re not going to stop and we can’t stop, either.'
"Flores has set up a GoFundMe account, where he has already raised more than $5,000 to buy new equipment."
Full article:
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-11-18/beekeeper-mourns-millions-of-bees-killed-in-mountain-fire
Link to #GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ventura-bee-rescue-rebuild-bee-yard-after-mountain-fire
Juan is glad to be back at work harvesting parsley as the #mountainfire meant he did not work for several days. #WeFeedYou
Juan está contento de volver a trabajar cosechando perejil ya que el Incendio de la Montaña significó que no trabajó durante varios días. #SoyEsencial
Another good ham day today...part of a work party on South Mountain, finishing some 10GB links to several mountains as far as 54 miles away. Thankfully, very little damage to the ham gear from the #MountainFire, but there sure was plenty of ash and dust around. The fire ran right through this particular site.
@ai6yr going to presume you have seen this story, but sharing it just in case you haven't.. #bees #agriculture #fire
Eduardo Flores needs help to replenish the bees lost in the #MountainFire in Ventura County.