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By Miriam Raftery
September 23, 2012 (Boulevard) – Boulevard Planning Group Chair Donna Tisdale has provided ECM with a dramatic eyewitness account of the Shockey Fire, which started on the Campo Reservation just west of her home in Boulevard. Power and phone lines have burned down, she reports, adding that the area has no cell phone reception.
“A Deputy showed up to warn us and recommended evacuation.We stayed and the fire raged through parts of our Morning Star Ranch and our son's property next door. Together we have over 300 acres--much now looks other worldly, stark and smoldering,” wrote Tisdale, who sent photos taken from her property.
Tisdale reported, “All houses, people and pets are Oay here, but we don't know about our neighbors to the east near Tierra Del Sol Road. SDG&E drove through before our poles burned down checking their lines."
The SDG&E sky crane, also known as the Sunbird, is at the scene, Tisdale said.
Like many rural residents, her family chose to risk staying behind in order to save their cherished home and lands.
“Massive stands of old growth redshank chaparral are now cinder and ash. One oak caught fire but I think we saved it," she indicated. “Neighbors showed up to help us wet things down and rake any stray leaves away from the house."
We do have a generator that can keep our wells and house running so we did have water to keep things hosed down, including the horses," she said. "Firefighters told us our clearance was great and incredibly helpful to them. My son's renter, Melody, helped save his house!"
Despite hundreds of firefighters on the fire lines, Tisdale disclosed a troubling detail.
"No fire fighters showed up at our houses until after the fire burned past our son's concrete block house. When they did show up to help put out little fires they seemed surprised that a house was there!” She added at 4:09 p.m. “Our neighborhood is still on fire both west and east of us, but I can't get out to check on friends and neighbors or to call our family to let them know we are okay. We have U.S. Forest Service fire fighters here for over an hour now and I can still hear the planes and copters working the area.”
Tisdale concluded, “We are incredibly grateful to all our fire fighters and neighbors who came to lend a hand and offer to take our horses. We keep our place clear and had plenty of space, but it is never enough.”
She reminded residents of the importance of clearing defensible space and raking up leaves before a fire threatens your area.
Scanner traffic at 4:50 p.m. indicates that Boulevard is not threatened at this time.
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