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In Border Fire Aftermath, Potrero Community Prepares For Next Blaze

Signs posted around the Potrero community thank firefighters for their efforts battling the Border fire, June 30, 2016.
Nicholas McVicker
Signs posted around the Potrero community thank firefighters for their efforts battling the Border fire, June 30, 2016.
Potrero Community Moves Forward After Border Fire, Braces For More Blazes

For Leland Minyard, the Border Fire, which burned 7,600 acres in southern San Diego County, was a grueling several days of not knowing whether his auto repair business near Potrero would survive.

"I thought everything was going to be gone. Burned," Minyard said.

Because of road blocks and evacuations, the Alpine resident was forced to watch the fire's rapid progress from afar and wonder about the fate of his livelihood.

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"Every once in a while you'd see this big black plume of smoke just come out of nowhere. And I was just like 'that's probably the shop right there,'" Minyard said.

Fortunately, Minyard's business, East County Auto and RV Repair, didn't go up in flames. It survived along with about 200 other structures threatened during the 7,600-acre Border fire, which is now 100 percent contained. In messages posted around the town, the community thanked firefighters for their efforts. Crews kept damage to a minimum for such a large fire: 11 outbuildings and five homes were destroyed.

The human toll weighed heavier. The San Diego County Medical Examiner is conducting autopsies on two bodies discovered near a burned residence after the blaze. The deaths created tension between residents and law enforcement after neighbors of the two people killed believe authorities should've discovered the bodies sooner. As county officials work with the community to repair relations and the public awaits official confirmation of the victims' identities, residents are moving forward and planning ahead for the next fire.

RELATED: Supervisors Approve Plan To Provide Assistance To Border Fire Victims

The Red Cross has opened at least 86 cases to help residents get back on their feet, from rebuilding homes to aiding those who lost food due to power outages. Potrero resident Mark Sommers says neighbors are coming together to help each other restore their scorched properties.

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"Back easterly on the 94 (highway) here, you'll see many people rebuilding their wells right now, rebuilding their fences," Sommers said during an interview at the Potrero library. "But this is a tight-knit community, and if somebody can't do it, somebody will help them do it and that's the way it's always been."

Potrero/Tecate Fire Safe Council leader Bob Buerer is looking beyond rebuilding. The former volunteer firefighter, who knew one of the victims, wants to prepare the largely independent community for the next fire. He said residents must sometimes address disaster situations on their own at first because the region's open spaces mean longer travel times for public safety officials.

"You assume a lot when you move out here. You may have gained some peace and quiet and beautiful hills and all of that, but you've taken on some responsibilities," said Buerer, who is also a member of the area's Community Emergency Response Team.

Potrero resident Mark Sommers speaks about the rebuilding efforts after the Border fire burned through the area, June 30, 2016.
Nicholas McVicker
Potrero resident Mark Sommers speaks about the rebuilding efforts after the Border fire burned through the area, June 30, 2016.
Potrero/Tecate Fire Safe Council leader Bob Buerer speaks with KPBS Reporter Tarryn Mento, June 30, 2016.
Nicholas McVicker
Potrero/Tecate Fire Safe Council leader Bob Buerer speaks with KPBS Reporter Tarryn Mento, June 30, 2016.

Buerer said some people in the area may choose not to evacuate during a fire, so he's working on plans that will respect their wishes to protect their own property, but also keep them safe. One possibility, he said, includes using a woman's property as a safe space for residents to wait out the fire.

"We've already got a commitment from one property owner that lives all the way up in the back end of Potrero Valley and she's got, I don't know, a field that's like a thousand acres and grass that's three inches tall," he said. "So we can put a hundred people out there, 100 cars out there. And they'll be safe. And as soon as the fire burns by, they can come right back home."

Auto shop owner Minyard says he's among the community members who would've avoided leaving. If he had been there when the fire erupted, Minyard, who knew one of the fire victims as a customer, says he likely would've ignored evacuation orders.

"It's my livelihood. It's my business. It's everything, you know what I'm saying, so I can't let that go," he said.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.