El Dorado Fire Update From The MountainTop #2 -

News from the Mountain Top

September 17, 2020

Hello Campers and Camp Supporters:

A quick update for you on the fire. It is still burning southeast of Angelus Oaks. Make no mistake, the fire is still burning towards Camp and is fairly close, although its march has slowed a bit due to reduced winds. The fire fighters have been working very hard to keep the fire on the south side of Hwy 38. The fire has made it all the way down to Hwy 38 at several points between Angelus Oaks and Jenks Lake Road West. The fire did hop the highway at Camp Cedar Falls (north side of Hwy 38), and firefighters are working hard to save that camp (owned by the Seventh Day Adventists).

There is a major campaign to direct the fire uphill of Camp de Benneville Pines so it will meet up with the Lake Fire scar and burn itself out. Dozer lines, fire retardant drops, hot shot crews, and hand crews are all working in conjunction with one another to direct the fire south and away our Camp. Some hand crews have been working ahead of the fire to remove fuels such as manzanita, to reduce the flammable vegetation.

If you would like to see a map of the fire burn area and hear this morning’s live report from Chief Diaz, please click on the links below.

The evacuation order is still in place, and Camp Staff are spread out in various locations in the Inland Empire. Our maintenance family is camping in their tent in the desert, another employee is in a Red Cross sponsored motel in Ontario, and others are in Apple Valley and Yucaipa with friends and relatives.

Our deep thanks to those who have offered words of support for staff who are displaced from their homes at camp. As you can imagine, Daisy Doodle is restless in her cramped quarters. She is not at all at home in the city. Where are the lizards and squirrels she loves to chase? She went crazy barking at the garbage truck today! Can’t blame her. I wanted to bark at him too at 6 am.

From my evacuation place in Redlands, I send to you my great hope that we once again see each other on the mountain top.

Janet James