Ray Ford, Noozhawk Journalist Profile

Articles

Ray Ford: A Piano Concert at Santa Barbara's Bellosguardo Estate

3 days ago | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

I’ve never been to the Bellosguardo Estate before. I’ve avoided checking out images of the grandest mansion or the grounds, though I’ve often wondered what they must look like. The beach below is a favorite of mine for an afternoon stroll past the volleyball courts at East Beach. On low tide days, it’s a wonderful walk from there to Butterfly Beach and back.
Ray Ford: Upcoming Event Talks Surviving a Wildfire in the North County

2 weeks ago | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

Your house is nowhere near the wildland urban interface (WUI) — or at least you think so. The foothills are miles away, the chaparral in the far distance. The chance that your house could burn is far, far from your mind. But in the North County, while the WUI may not be a worry for you, rolling hills and wide swaths of grassland often are. Under windy conditions a fire in the grasslands can spread quickly, often much too fast to outrun or provide more than a few moments to plan for an evacuation.
Frosty day? Invasive pest can tough it out

Mar 10, 2025 | greybrucethisweek.ca | Ray Ford |Ontario Farmer

Advertisement 1Canadian studies are finding the forest pest has much more cold tolerance than claimedAuthor of the article: • Ontario Farmer • Article contentIt’s a classic Canadian conversation starter: “Cold enough for ya?”Advertisement 2Article contentArticle contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team. We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Ray Ford: Time to Get Serious About Our Trails

Mar 5, 2025 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

What’s the value of a trail? Or a trails network? To you personally? To the community? Apparently to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors (BOS), only when they become a Montecito problem. The concerns about fire danger and worries about the Hot Springs “problem” are valid ones. But other than that, the board has for the most part ignored our Santa Ynez Mountains frontcountry trails and done little to nothing to support them.
Ray Ford: Lessons From the Palisades Fire | Local News | Noozhawk

Jan 28, 2025 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

The drive along the coast from Point Mugu to Santa Monica is one of the most scenic and relaxing drives you can make anywhere in Southern California. It’s
Ray Ford, Noozhawk Outdoors Writer | @riveray

Jan 26, 2025 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

The drive along the coast from Point Mugu to Santa Monica is one of the most scenic and relaxing drives you can make anywhere in Southern California. It’s one I […]
Ray Ford: Field of Lights, Delights and Lasting Memories in Paso Robles

Dec 1, 2024 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

I’ve been through Paso Robles a hundred times or more: a quick stop for gas; coffee at the nearby Starbucks; a light lunch at the Black Oak Restaurant. The typical stuff you do when your final goal is much further along the road. San Fran, the redwoods, Yosemite, Sequoia — destination locations, in past times not places like Paso Robles for sure. Boy have things changed!No doubt that’s mostly due to the area being firmly established as one of the premier wine regions in California.
Ray Ford: Last Section of Modoc Multi-Use Path Inches Closer to Completion

Nov 7, 2024 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

After years of what seemed like never-ending bickering, it’s time to celebrate. At a joint press conference on Monday, Santa Barbara County, La Cumbre Mutual Water Co. and The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County announced a tentative agreement for moving ahead with the design and construction of the Modoc Multi-Use Path. Early Tuesday morning at the Board of Supervisors meeting, the agreement was approved by a unanimous vote.
Ray Ford: Making Sense of Lake Fire Progression, Operations Maps

Jul 14, 2024 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

If you’re like me, the information that comes out of the daily incident updates isn’t worth much. The kind of 30,000-foot overviews that tell you nothing if you’re sitting at home watching the cloud of smoke blow up a few miles away, or you’re out of town and are anxious to know what the situation is. While it might not be a perfect solution, I’d like to introduce you to a website that could be a lifesaver — or if not right now, serve as a wealth of information in the future.
Ray Ford: Lake Fire Leaving a Trail of Destruction

Jul 13, 2024 | noozhawk.com | Ray Ford

When the Lake Fire began about 3:30 p.m. last Friday near Zaca Lake, the day after a beautiful set of Fourth of July celebrations, it appeared that it might not be something we should be too concerned about. For hours, the fire seemed to smolder on the backside of Grass Mountain and Zaca Peak, the smoke filling the sky behind the ridge yet showing no movement out of the Zaca Lake bowl.