As power restored to areas affected by the Bonny Fire, FIND and AEC provide emergency food distribution

Diane Sieker

Staff Writer

Electric service was restored to neighborhoods evacuated as the result of an over 2,300 acre wildfire that threatened the rural Aguanga/Anza area since Thursday, July 27. Power had been cut off to the Terwilliger neighborhood at the request of fire officials, an AEC representative said.

According to Cooperative managers, the AEC received the OK from Cal Fire Monday, July 31 to restore power to the 58 services that had been off since last Thursday or Friday.

Anza Electric Cooperative employees and Food In Need of Distribution mobile pantry personnel distributed disaster relief food boxes to residents directly impacted by the outage, Monday, July 31, near the intersection of Bailey Road and Chapman Road. About 12 families received assistance at the location that afternoon.

Only those residents of the 58 homes that were de-energized were eligible for the food boxes.

The Bonny Fire blazed through hills and canyons on the edge of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation south of Aguanga, devouring about 2,305 acres and 20% containment as of Monday afternoon, July 31.

The blaze was reported about 2:50 p.m. Thursday, July 27 in the area of Bonny and Barber Lanes, and as of 5 p.m. Friday, July 28, was mapped at about 1,900 acres and about 10% contained, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Evacuation orders encompassed the see FOOD, page D-5