Volunteers continue fire relief

As the fires in Southern California die down, sending exhausted crews of area firefighters back home, local volunteers continue assisting fire crews and are expected to do so through Friday.

Local Community Emergency Response Team volunteers manned their usual stations over the weekend, relaying messages between agencies, making meals, and shuttling supplies and people around Irvine Regional Park in Orange.

Their numbers dwindled to about half of what they were last week, but the aids are still needed as tired crews return to the park daily for respites.

Some aids took on new responsibilities, helping drive Orange County Fire Authority investigators to some of the charred neighborhoods for damage assessment.

Emrick said those who came back from the burn sites were “taken aback” by the devastation they saw.

“They said it looked like the moon,” Emrick said. “It was tough to see so much damage.”

The final engines from Newport Beach and Costa Mesa fire departments returned to their stations Monday morning from the Witch fire in the San Diego area after breaking off from the group fighting the Santiago Canyon fire in Orange County last week.

Costa Mesa had dispatched four engines and Newport Beach had sent three. Only two members of the Newport Beach team stayed behind Monday, according to Battalion Chief Ralph Restadius, who served as acting safety officer, and Capt. Todd Knipp, working as a field observer.

To volunteer or assist those affected by the Santiago Canyon fire, contact a nearby aid station:

 The Irvine One-Stop Center, at 125 Technology Drive West, Suite 200, in Irvine is operating as a Local Assistance Center (LAC). For information, call (949) 341-8000.

 Orange County Red Cross Service Center, 601 N. Golden Circle Drive, Santa Ana. Open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call first at (714) 481-5300.

 The Volunteer Center of Orange County. Call (714) 953-5757 or visit www.volunteercenter.org.

 Animal shelters: For large animals, call the animal care hotline at (714) 935-7158. For small animals, call the Orange County Animal Shelter at (714) 935-6848 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and (714) 935-7158 (after hours.) The shelter is at 561 City Drive South, Orange.

 Food donation drop-off sites: Community Action Partnership Food Bank, 12640 Knott Ave., Garden Grove; Second Harvest, 426 A Almond, Orange; Rescue Mission/Village of Hope, 1 Hope Drive, Tustin.

KELLY STRODL may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at [email protected].