From the North County Times:

Shout "fire!" in a crowded theater, and you will probably end up in jail.

Do the opposite: Yell "Don't worry" during a real fire, you'll probably end up on the Valley Center Planning Group.

For those who live outside Valley Center, our area has been hit with three major fires in the past five years: 1,800 people had to flee their homes for the shelter of a local high school last year. Most of them would have gone elsewhere had they been able.

But they were not. There are only three roads in and out of Valley Center.

And fire cut off all three.

Hundreds of cars waited in line for the roads to clear. They did not.

So they turned around and went back to the school and hoped and prayed for their homes and pets.

Their prayers were answered. Others would say they got lucky. But for all the talk of brave firefighters and individual heroism and neighbors helping neighbors, everyone affected by the fires had to wonder: "How could this have happened?"

One of the folks stranded at the high school and asking that question was County Supervisor Bill Horn, who lives in Valley Center.

He came out of the fire chastened. He knew that many people were stranded at the high school because he was not forceful enough in getting new roads to improve emergency access.

But he also came away determined: He wants to improve fire and other emergency services to Valley Center. And he saw firsthand how it was a matter of life and death, and he could no longer sit silent and refuse to shout fire with a fire so imminent.

Two years ago, while the smoke still permeated a lot of Valley Center structures, a local planning group took a look at Horn's idea for a new ---- privately funded ---- road and said it was a good idea.

Soon, the planning commission agreed, as did the Board of Supevisors.

On Aug. 2, 2006, the board voted to declare a new road "critical for Valley Center." It also directed staff to "meet with any willing property owners" to figure out a way to develop "land use designations necessary to pay for construction of the road."

Two years later, at the beginning of what some folks say could be our most dangerous year ever for fires in Valley Center, you might expect local planners to be angry that more has not been done to make the road a reality.

Instead, some are angry they approved it in the first place.

They are convinced Horn is locked into some kind of Machiavellian deal to sneak new homes into an area near Valley Center and the road is just a smoke screen to hide the whole thing from the public.

As to the danger of fire, not one member of the group has stepped forward with a realistic plan to improve access in and out of Valley Center during major fires. Hoping and praying and wishing is not planning. Neither is denial.

Valley Center is in real danger of burning. We've learned that three times in the last five years. We may not get a fourth chance. No wonder the county grand jury just recently blasted local officials for not doing enough ---- or anything, really ---- to improve our fire preparations.

We should be getting ready. But we are not.

And that should be a crime.

Mary Kuper is a Valley Center resident and businesswoman.