Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team (PDA-NRT) members the Reverends Tom Jackson and Bob Houser met with the pastor of Lake Arrowhead Church and the Acting Executive Presbyter of Riverside Presbytery to bring the sympathy, concern and help of the broader Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Following is a brief summary of the visit by Tom Jackson.

The drive Sunday, October 28, from San Diego, California, to San Bernardino on I-15 and I-215 went through one of the areas devastated by fire over the previous week. Despite the strong winds, a super job has been accomplished by the fire services. There were places where the fires had crossed over 12 lanes of interstate highway and some smoke lingered in the valleys. The two wildfires started in the San Bernardino Mountains burned almost 14,000 acres and destroyed more than 450 homes.

After meeting my partner Bob Houser and lunch in San Bernardino, we went to the First Presbyterian Church, where the regular Sunday worship of the Lake Arrowhead Community Presbyterian Church was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The use of First Presbyterian Church by the Lake Arrowhead Church had been arranged several years previously and is periodically renewed by the session for anytime there is a need of the people on the mountain.

About 300 people attended a town meeting held later in the week. Persons from any community affected by the fires were welcome and any individuals or families that had suffered a loss — whether structural, financial or business related — were urged to attend. Various agencies attended, including representatives from FEMA, the Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Building Contractors and the Governor’s Office, among many others. The entire program radiated a sense of hope and determination.

Many of those we talked to in this experience remember previous wildfires and consider this just a “bump in the road” which they will get over and move on.

Before leaving, I took a tour of the area. The area seen from the rim of the mountain shows the magnificence of God’s creation and the amazing job done by those fighting the wild fires in the canyons and on the mountains.