Supervisors vote to waive fees to replace documents lost in Lilac fire

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Dec. 19 to allow officials to offer free replacement birth, death and marriage certificates and property documents to people affected by the Lilac fire.

The blaze burned 4,100 acres and destroyed 157 structures in North County earlier this month.

"Many of them (people affected) are seniors and they lost everything,'' said Supervisor Bill Horn, who represents the area. "It's not going to be a big financial impact'' (for the county government).

The resolution authorizes the county to drop a requirement for the recovery of costs associated with providing services. The usual cost for a certified copy of a birth certificate, for example, is $28.

The supervisors' action only applies to victims of the Lilac Fire. However, a spokeswoman for Horn said county staff can work with someone who lost documents that pertain to San Diego County in the destructive Thomas or Skirball fires in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.