Two victims of the ongoing wildfires shelter in the Robbers Roost restaurant, alongside their three dogs.
By Andrew L. Bergman
For Kern Valley Sun
As wildfires rages across California, the Indian Wells Valley community responds by banding together.
Robbers Roost Ranch is a familiar sight to people travelling up Highway 14 between California City and Inyokern. With a mini-mart, restaurant, and miniature ghost town, the ranch has been planning on opening an assisted living facility for those who desire quiet isolation.
Now the store and restaurant are closed and the facility is an evacuation center for those displaced by the Borel Fire. Property co-owner Carlos Rivera was on-hand to explain the facilities available for those in need.
“We have a store and a restaurant, we shut everything down. All of our inventory and everything is given to them when they come,” Rivera said.
He approximated that they could accommodate around 80 people indoors with the supplies and air conditioned floor space available, emphasizing that nobody will be turned away. Cots and blankets are prepared to be set up as evacuees require.
Their exterior property is 150 acres, extending past nearby power lines running parallel to the 14 freeway, which can not only house people in tents and with RVs, but also any animals. Robbers Roost has 75 acres of fenced-in open range that sociable animals could mingle in. Rivera has heard unfortunate stories of animals released into the wilderness to fend for themselves while the family evacuates, due to an inability to take them along.
The facility has trailer BBQs that camping evacuees can use; as well as a pool for the evacuees to relax in. The staff of Robbers Roost have also been donating their time to helping with preparations as well as contacting other facilities and groups to coordinate supplies and evacuees to where they need to be.
“Yesterday when we found out; within an hour this place was scurrying with people. Staging and getting ready. I was proud of my community. Very proud,” Rivera said.
Around noon of Sunday the 28th, the only evacuees were Brendon Ryan, his grandfather Ron, and their three dogs and cat. Their home in Bodfish had to be evacuated due to the Borel Fire and they arrived at Robbers Roost around seven the night before. For the time being the power and internet are still working in the area, allowing the Ryans to monitor their home via the doorbell camera; watching the fires approach from the hills.
“It’s rather morbid but it’s nice to at least see how it’s doing rather than have no idea,” Ryan said. He explained that the smoke was so bad that they had to use the infrared feature to see the flames through it.
They were evacuated from their home early in the morning and spent nearly eight hours at a Lake Isabella park deciding what to do. Around 5pm they learned of the Robbers Roost facility and made their way there.
“They’ve been extremely accommodating,” Ryan said.
Robbers Roost is in contact with other local businesses and organizations to supply them with additional resources if needed; for example Crystal Geyser Water from Olancha, up Highway 395, is prepared to provide them with any needed water. As such they are not currently taking donations.
“We’re pretty well financed. We appreciate that we’ve had people call up and try to donate cash, and we refused. It’s just awesome that they offered,” Rivera said.
