Fire Statistics Increase Daily
by Ruth Lepper

Fourteen lives were lost and more than 275,000 acres and 1,500 dwellings have been burned in the Cedar fire. And the figures are rising every day.

Officials are calling the three combined fires — Cedar that started in Ramona, Paradise in Valley Center and Mine in Otay Mesa — the worst disaster in the history of California.

More than 3,000 firefighters from nearby California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection divisions and as far away as Arizona, Nevada and Oregon battled the blazes in San Diego County. Governor Grey Davis said on Oct. 30 that he has been in touch with officials in Canada who have offered to send firefighting personnel to assist in fighting the Southern California fires.

The Cedar fire allegedly started in the early evening on Oct. 25 in an area near Country Estates. Flames quickly spread into the residential community and an evacuation was ordered by midnight.

A preliminary estimate of the damage was set at $460 million in reports issued on Oct. 29. The damage assessment phase is under way as CDF officials determine how many structures were actually lost in the fire. Anyone who has lost property in the fire should call 1-800-621-FEMA to begin the long process of restoring their lives.

People want to help are asked to call Volunteer San Diego at (858) 636-4131 or check its website at www.volunteersandiego.org.

Many pets and livestock — in excess of 3,000 — were rescued by San Diego Humane Society Rescue Reserve and taken to local shelters, including the Del Mar race track and the rodeo grounds in Lakeside. For information on animals, call (619) 299-7012.

County Supervisor Dianne Jacob is scheduling a community meeting for Ramona, as well as in other areas that are in her supervisorial district that were affected by the fire. For the day and location of the meeting, call the supervisor's office at (619) 531-5522.