Just four years after the devastating San Diego Cedar Fire, San Diego County is on fire again. The 2007 San Diego wildfires are raging as we write this. A quarter million San Diegans have been evacuated.
"We have more houses burning than we have people and engine companies to fight them," San Diego Fire Capt. Lisa Blake said. "A lot of people are going to lose their homes today."
The conclusion: San Diego needs your help – and here’s how you can provide it.
--Limit your cell phone usage.
Keep the lines free for emergency personnel.
--Stay off the freeways.
Leave the roads open for evacuees.
--Donate supplies.
Little Italy is hosting a donation center at Nelson’s Photo (1909 India Street), accepting blankets, pillows, packaged food and dog food.
To make a donation of clothing or household goods, please inquire with the following organizations:
• St. Vincent De Paul - 619-446-2100
• Goodwill - 886-446-6394
• Salvation Army - 619-231-6000
--Donate money.
The Red Cross vastly prefers monetary donations – the cost to organize and distribute small donations of food and supplies is usually greater than it would be to buy them. Donate on the Red Cross San Diego website.
--Set up tents.
Qualcomm is presently in need of people – boy scouts, specifically – who can help set up hundreds of tents to shelter evacuees.
--Volunteer.
Volunteer San Diego is accepting volunteers. Visit the Volunteer San Diego website for more information.
San Diego Pets and Livestock:
The San Diego Humane Society’s Animal Rescue Reserve team is working with the San Diego County Department of Animal Services to evacuate domestic animals and livestock threatened by the San Diego wildfires.
The Humane Society can assist you with pets in crate and carriers at Qualcomm Stadium (9449 Friars Rd), Grossmont Union High School, Fiesta Island in Mission Bay Park (horse feed is desperately needed), and Granite Hills High School. These locations also have the capacity to accommodate horses and other livestock. The stables at the Del Mar Fairgrounds are full.
If you have stables or large property and can temporarily house evacuated animals, call the San Diego Humane Society at (619) 299-7012. They are desperately in need of horse trailers – call (619) 847-8755 if you have access to one.
If you have animals that need to be rescued and you cannot get to them, call (619) 236-4250.
According to the Humane Society, volunteers and supplies are not needed at this time, but the San Diego Humane Society is keeping a list of names for people interested in helping. If you would like to help, you can donate online or call (619) 299-7012.
San Diego Evacuation Centers:
Santana High
Mira Mesa High School (10510 Reagan Road, off Mira Mesa Boulevard)
Poway Community Park
Poway Boys and Girls Club
Escondido High (1535 North Broadway)
Campo Community Center (976 Sheridan Road)
San Marcos High School (1615 W San Marcos Blvd – seeking food donations)
Steele Canyon High School (12440 Campo Road in Spring Valley)
Chula Vista High School (820 Fourth Avenue)
El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Orange County (for those in Fallbrook)
Evacuated Areas in San Diego:
--Scripps Ranch (bounded by MCAS Miramar on the south, Scripps Poway Parkway on the north, Interstate 15 on the east and Highway 67 on the west)
--Southwest and Northeast Escondido
--Rancho Santa Fe
--Rancho Bernardo
--Fallbrook (Residents living north of Highway 76 and west of I-15 were told to leave the area through the Camp Pendleton gate on Ammunition Road)
--Ramona
--Chula Vista (Rolling Hills Ranch, Bella Lago, The Woods at East Lake and San Miguel Ranch)
--Poway (two-thirds of the city)
--Parts of Leucadia
--The Olivenhain Dam area
--Santa Ysabel
--San Pasqual Valley
--Portreo
--Tecate
--Otay Lakes
--West Alpine
Recently Lifted Evacuations:
San Elijo Hills
Coronado Hills
Other San Diego Wildfire Information:
Coastal Cabs in North County is offering discounted cab rates to evacuees without vehicles. Call their dispatch line at (760) 722-7472
.
Free hotel reservations for evacuees are available through this hotline: (800) 918-4182.
Dial 511 for highway information – but remember, limit cell phone usage.
For more information, visit 211SanDiego.org (but be prepared for the site to be down – the site is overloaded). If you have any information, contact us at Press@DiscoverSD.com.
