Residents plea for more resources on the CZU fire in the Santa Cruz hills where homes are burning up

BONNY DOON, Calif. - Carrying signs to save their homes and communities residents in the Santa Cruz hills rallied at a road block near the CZU Lightning Complex Fire Friday.

"Swanton is gone, what a tragedy.  Last Chance is gone, and Cal Fire couldn't do anything because there are not enough people on the ground," said Bonny Doon resident Frans Lanting, a professsional photographer who shot a chilling image of the  hills on fire.

Emotions have been running hot in Bonny Doon in the Santa Cruz mountains. Displaced residents took their stand in the eye of a fierce fire.

The CZU Lightning Complex fires have burned more than 50,000 acres in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. At least 97 "structures" have been destroyed. Friday evening containment was at two percent.

"We are here with an urgent plea to Governor Newsom for more resources in the mountain communities above Santa Cruz," Lanting said.

Another Bonny Doon resident, Kendra Turk-Kubo, says she lost her home.  She stood with her husband and daughter, hugged friends.

"All we ask is that we commit as many resources as we can there are people. There are still a lot structures that can be saved.  We lost our home  it is completely burnt to the ground.  This fire is scary.  I think that one thing that we can do to protect Santa Cruz is get the resources here that we need," she said.     

Cal Fire's incident command team was asked about these concerns and frustrations during Friday's press conference and fire update, with the understanding that the residents respect the firefighters and understand resources are thin.

"(With) The number of fires throughout the state,  we are bringing in resources from outside the state. That should indicate how drawn down we are on resources," adding, "typically we would have 10 to 20 times the firefighters that we have on this fire," said Cal Fire Incident Commander Mark Brunton.

The front line fight continues where fire crews can take a stand, safely.

Residents who have raced from their homes took some pictures of what they saw on their streets as they left, not knowing how much if anything would still be standing when this is over.

"I thought I lost my worldly possessions when I tried to defend my property as long as I could and I ran out of water pressure, and long story short I drove through flames," Bonny Doon resident David Spencer said.  He says he has fire-paramedic experience and has tried to help his neighbors.

Spencer says the fire leveled some train cars dating back to the early 1900's that were on fire damaged property.

Already there are ongoing signs this will be a long haul to put this fire out and fix the burnt power lines and other infrastructure. 

The firefighters say that with so much smoke they are having a difficult time getting aircraft in to be effective. 

On the ground, they are battle tested with years of experience, but hope the weather calms down so they can build up vital containment lines.

Friday evening the Santa Cruz Sheriff's department also said they are looking for suspects who might be in evacuated areas looting homes that are not occupied. Already five arrests have been made and several car loads of stolen goods has been seized.

For more information go to: Cal Fire