A Town Besieged: Potrero Residents Battling Blackwater Now Suffer Ravages of Wildfire

[Liberty Belle]

Source: Calitics

Potrero, California, the town that has gained national attention for standing up against Blackwater Worldwide's plan to build a private military-style training camp in their pristine backcountry community east of San Diego, now faces an even more formidable force. The Harris wildfire which began outside Potrero early Sunday morning has ravaged the small rural community, where many residents remain trapped without supplies four days after the fire began.

"It's like the Kalahari Desert as you drive down Potrero Valley Road. There are sand dunes everywhere-dirt and ash," Jan Hedlun reported via cell phone on Tuesday. "We can't get in or out, and we are running out of supplies." This morning, however, Hedlun said food will be provided to beleaguered residents at the old Volunteer Fire Department Building. The County recently began initiating its fire consolidation plan, closing some rural volunteer firefighting departments. But here in Potrero, some residents complained that they never saw a single fire engine until long after their homes burned down.

Stretches where homes once stood along Highway 94 have been reduced to wasteland. Many homes have burned, although the town's store, library, and Post Office are still standing. "There is looting going on up here," said Hedlun. Another source described Potrero as a "moonscape with houses here and there." Many Potrero residents never received reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate. Some rely on cell phones, which were not included in the evacuation system.

"It's like Armageddon," said Jill Michaels, who had just four minutes to pack belongings before fleeing flames that singed her husband. She and her family tried to evacuate but found all roads blocked. She returned to witness her Potrero home burn to the ground.




Read more: http://www.calitics.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4175

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I have covered the Blackwater issue for many months now and have come to know so many of the people in Potrero, so it was heartbreaking to learn of their suffering now from this fire.

After writing this piece for Calitics, I learned that relief has arrived in the form of food, drinks and fuel -- some of it provided, ironically, by Blackwater.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Blackwater knows they need to do this

its called PR... and it will be harder for the people in Potrero to give them the middle finger

[Liberty Belle]

2. Yes, i'm surprised they weren't out there offering to rebuild the rubble;

I expecct that will be next.

Some people I talked to sounded like they'd sooner starve than take food from Blackwater.

[krkaufman]

3. I just hope some of the people in Potrero are familiar w/ "The Shock Doctrine"...

... as detailed by Naomi Klein. You can expect the Corporatists to take advantage of the confusion and disorientation wrought by the wildfires to push through more of their agenda.

[annabanana]

4. How did the Harris fire start?

This isn't one of the "suspicious" ones, is it?

(just checking):tinfoilhat:

[canadianbeaver]

5. Must say ....that thought also came to my mind.....hmmmmm

:tinfoilhat: