Answers to mountain dwellers' big question
San Bernardino County officials on Saturday began releasing information to evacuees regarding whether their homes survived the Grass Valley Fire.
Information on communities affected by the Slide Fire was not yet available.
Megan Blaney, a spokeswoman for the county's Office of Emergency Services, said address-specific information is currently available for most of the Grass Valley Lake area. Additional information regarding homes in Running Springs and other mountain communities should be available soon, but officials want to very cautious about releasing data.
"The feeling of everyone in the county on this is one piece of wrong information can be so devastating," she said.
The Grass Valley Fire, which burned near Lake Arrowhead's western shore, destroyed 162 structures, Blaney said. The Slide Fire which raged near around Running Springs and Green Valley Lake, destroyed 201 structures.
Residents will be able to obtain information at the evacuation centers that have been set up at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino and San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville. Blaney said county Assessor Bill Postmus visited both locations Saturday to meet with displaced persons.
A woman at the San Bernardino evacuation center was consoled Saturday night by 5th District Supervisor Josie Gonzales after the woman learned that information for her community, Green Valley Lake, was not yet available.
The evacuee, who said Saturday was her birthday, embraced Gonzales before telling the supervisor that she was happy to simply have survived the Slide Fire's flames.
"I have a pulse. Everything else is icing on the cake," she said.
Since address-specific information is not yet available for all fire-affected communities, Blaney said evacuees can call 211 or visit www.sbcounty.gov to find out if data from their neighborhood is available. Blaney also said information will be posted on the Assessor's Web site, which can be accessed from the county's home page.
-Andrew Edwards