On Saturday morning, Newbury Park residents gathered across from the Wendy Trail entrance to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, where fire smoldered from a controlled burn at Wendy Drive and Potrero Road.
Streaming past the group was a parade of trucks brought in to help fight the Springs fire: Ventura County Fire Department, Navy, Poway Fire Department, Chula Vista Fire Department, Viejas Fire Department, San Diego Fire Department, San Miguel Fire Department, Lakeside Fire Department, U.S. park rangers, Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Santa Barbara Fire Department and more
"The fire crews have been amazing," said Lance Conrad, a resident of the Dos Vientos area of Newbury Park, parts of which were evacuated Thursday. Conrad said he was fortunate and didn't have to evacuate, but his neighbors did. He marveled at how little damage has occurred.
"It's just incredible with all the fire around these homes and no one injured," he said. "Just incredible."
Area residents were unanimously thankful, despite the fact that they've been on edge and the quality of air surrounding their homes has been bad for several days.
The community has been showing its support for firefighters ever since the blaze began, both on the fireline and at the command center in Freedom Park in Camarillo.
Firefighter/paramedic Shaun Moffett was among the crews helping to protect threatened homes in Dos Vientos on Thursday.
"The folks were very generous. They opened up their homes," Moffett said. "One lady said, 'I made a casserole. Do you want to come in?' "
People have been driving up with offerings of food in Freedom Park every day since the Springs fire began, said Capt. Fernando Herrera of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
"They bring in all the goodies, all the sweets, from cookies to cupcakes to burritos," Herrera said.
"Jamba Juice, Sharky's, Jersey Mike's," added Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Mike Lindbery.
Said Nick Schuler, of the department's incident management team: "We appreciate it, but as much as we appreciate it, we prefer they bring it to the evacuation shelters."
Schuler said that sometimes a firefighter will say in a TV interview that he or she hasn't had anything to eat, and people will misunderstand that to mean that he or she has no food when in fact it's just that there hasn't been time to eat.
"Somebody gets on Facebook and put this huge thing together and we've literally had entire communities dropping off all this food, and we don't want it to go to waste," Schuler said. "We appreciate it, though."
Rows of steaks were cooking on industrial-size grills Saturday evening next to a stack of coolers containing water and Gatorade as Schuler assured well-wishers that the firefighters are well taken care of.
"We get paid to do a job, and we do it the best that we can," Herrera said. "But when you hear that from the public, and they thank you or reward you, it really touches you." ___
(c)2013 Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.)
Visit Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.) at www.vcstar.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.