Town members were preparing to hold a recall election and planned on removing the planning group members who voted in the Blackwater move. The town is now one of the many in California scorched by fires.
While the first initial wildfire in the Malibu region was blamed on strong winds knocking down power lines, arson is being declared as the cause of many of the others. One of the more bizarre stories surrounding arsons in California, is the case of Russell Lane Daves. Daves was shot dead by California State University police in San Bernardino after they approached him, suspicious of his actions. Daves fled and attempted to ram police when he was cornered. Police opened fire, but have yet to deliver any proof that Daves was indeed attempting to start a fire on the campus.
What is known is that arson is the cause of many of the wildfires this week. Arrests were made in San Diego, where deputies caught two individuals starting a brush fire. Another man was arrested in Hesperia after being spotted by witnesses. John Alfred Rund, 48, of Hesperia, is being held on $750,000 bond, and due in court Friday, October 26.
San Diego families have begun to make the trek back to their homes, or what’s left of them. Fires have a nasty habit of playing a sick game of hopscotch, skipping around sub-divisions and landing randomly. Residents who were "lucky" enough to have their houses spared still will be hit with the feeling of major loss, as they must all come together and rebuild their lives. The financial, emotional, and physical loss caused by the fires still continues, as fires are still raging in at least four Southern California areas.
Video, and images from SignonSanDiego, The Cal Fire Mission Site, and the California Fire News, all depict the breathtaking and frightening fires.
NASA Satellite Images of California Wildfires: 10/25 Update
Blackwater Divides California Town
Blackwater in Potrero Trailer
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
What's with the forced and largely irrelevant eight-month old 'Reader' reference?: "The sleepy town of Potrero, California is slowly coming to the nation's attention, as they resist the infamous mercenary group Blackwater's attempts to move in."
Portrero is at the edge of the major Harris fire, but not specifically mentioned as a problem area, and only seems to be brought up in this article so that the writer could dredge up a peripheral agenda and two videos (one preceded by an Al Jazeera intro). Seems disproportionately
out of place.
2 - Laron
Good question.
The mention of Potrero, California & Blackwater is ironic, as one of the main reason for the towns people resistance to the training camp was the increased fire hazard.
I personally just read the eight month old piece, as it was emailed to me by a friend. The Harris fire is still active with one man listed dead as far as I know.
"97 homes, 2 commercial properties and 17 outbuildings have been destroyed, and 250 additional structures are damaged." - CALFIRE site
I bring it up as the Blackwater/Potrero story runs directly into the fire story. The fire erupted just as Potrero citizens were starting preparations for the election, slated for December. Among the ruins is the towns post office, making the rural delivery of voting ballots impossible. I also mention the city, as arson is a huge suspect in many of the fires, including the one in Potrero.
Salon article on Potrero and Blackwater