Red Cross volunteers serving evacuees of Fallbrook, Aguanga and Jojoba

While fires ravaged through San Diego and Riverside counties, Red Cross Volunteers, and local fire department personnel prepared for evacuees at the Community Recreation Center in Temecula. Cindy Quigley, Office of Emergency Services, Tom Buckley, Temecula Fire Department, Rebekah Luther, Public Information Officer Temecula, Daphne & William Berlin American Red Cross and their volunteers, hastened to find temporary animal housing, supplies, and food for the anticipated evacuees.

Seventy-two residents of Agunga living in the Jojoba Trailer Park already spent Sunday night as fires swept through their community.

“Last night we were evacuated not once but twice,” explains Jojoba resident, Gary Hagelbarger. “Our community consists of 290 trailers. Last night every 3rd trailer had a fire engine in front of it, over 50 fire trucks were present.”

“We have 148 acres at Jojoba, 100 acres of it burned,” says resident Dick Judy. “There was plenty of time for all of us to get out safely.

Judy, whose property unfortunately received severe wind damage, along with Hagelbarger, both agree that the Fire Department, Sheriff Department and Red Cross were fantastic in the service they provide their community.

At 3:00 p.m. Hwy 79 South to Anza was reopened and residents were able to return to Agunga. Kathy McCoy and Eddie Steinson along with their “rescue” greyhound, Sugar, were anxious to return home.

“You donate to the American Red Cross and think you’ll never need it. Then one day you do and are overwhelmed with the whole experience. They are truly wonderful,” says Steinson.

After the Aguanga evacuees returned home, the Red Cross prepared for residents of Fallbrook and Rainbow. Over 44,000 people were evacuated from those communities. To make matter worse Interstate 15 was completely closed as well at Hwy 76. Firestorms and heavy winds had residents scurrying to safety. At one time, only the DeLuz area had access to Temecula. Residents from Temecula and Murrieta coming home from work were detoured for up to three hours and many were unable to make their way home. A caravan of Fallbrook evacuees ended up in Del Mar instead Temecula.

Deana Grissom, Funeral Director of Berry-Bell & Hall in Fallbrook, husband Billy, children Rebecca and Brandon along with the family pets were among some of the Fallbrook evacuees.

“We were really amazed and pleased with the organization the Fallbrook school district had for evacuating the students,” says Grissom. “The entire community was very organized and focused.”

Around 9:00p.m, twenty-five residents and 5 caretakers of Silvergate Assisted and Independent Living arrived at the Red Cross Shelter. Volunteers hastened to make the residents comfortable. Pets were safely moved to temporary Animal Friends of the Valley housing located off to the side parking lot of the Community Recreational Center.

Local residents Christine Berry and Denise Vinson were among the last to leave Fallbrook. Berry and Vinson already had their motorhome packed for a planned trip.

“We watched the fire move one way then the other since last night,” says Berry.

“When we finally left Fallbrook both sides of Mission Road were on fire from the I-15 to Stagecoach. Rice Canyon and Rainbow were nothing but flames everywhere,” adds Vinson.

For information on the Red Cross go to redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. For information on lost animals or temporary housing call Animal Friends of the Valley at 951 674-0618 or 951 833-4335.