By: DARRYN BENNETT - Staff Writer

While most county evacuation centers report being inundated with donations and volunteers, some communities ravaged by the Poomacha fire this week are short on food supplies, Rincon fire officials said.

Tribal and fire authorities are asking for canned food donations after closures on Highways 76 and 79 have halted deliveries into the Rincon, San Pasqual, Santa Ysabel and La Jolla Indian reservations, fire official Ray St. Charles said.

The Rincon and San Pasqual reservations reopened Friday afternoon, but Santa Ysabel and La Jolla reservations remained closed Saturday, according to tribal administrators.

St. Charles said nonperishable donations can be dropped off at the Rincon fire department, and officials will distribute supplies throughout the affected area.

Most of the reservations have been without power for nearly a week, San Diego Gas & Electric Co. officials said.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported Saturday that 2,000 homes were still threatened by the Poomacha fire, which started on the La Jolla Indian Reservation near Palomar Mountain early Tuesday morning. Strong winds quickly spread the flames south and southwest into the Rincon, San Pasqual and Pauma Indian reservations.

The fire has burned 43,000 acres and is 45 percent contained, according to CalFire officials. It destroyed about 65 structures on the Rincon reservation, including homes, mobile homes and other facilities, and at least 31 structures on the La Jolla reservation, tribal officials said.

No destroyed structures have been reported at the San Pasqual and Santa Ysabel reservations, officials said.

Staff writer Edward Sifuentes contributed to this report. Contact staff writer Darryn Bennett at (760) 740-5420 or dmbennett@nctimes.com.
© 1997-2007 North County Times

You can send your donations to:

Rincon fire station
33485 Valley Center Rd.
Valley Center, Ca. 92082
Phone 760-297-2300 Fax 760-297-2320
Email: rfd@RinconFire.net

Posted on October 27th, 2007 by admin
Filed under: Alert, News, Wild Fires