The Bishop Volunteer Fire Department is launching a gift card drive to help make the holidays a little brighter for the hundreds of Mono County residents displaced by the Mountain View Fire, which devastated the Walker and Coleville communities on Nov. 17.

“There are 90 families who don’t have a home to celebrate Christmas in,” said Fire Chief Joe Dell. “These people are our northern neighbors, and we want to do something that will help them begin to rebuild their lives in the wake of Mono County’s most destructive fire.”

Many homes were destroyed and families displaced by the Mountain View Fire

The community is invited to donate gift cards by dropping them off at the fire station at 209 W. Line Street, or the Bishop Police Department dispatch center located at the corner of Warren and Line streets. The most useful gift cards would be for stores in the Carson City area, such as Walmart, Costco, Target, Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond, and so on. Please drop the gift cards off by Dec. 15, and be sure to note how much the gift card is worth.

When the Antelope Valley Fire Department called for aid for the Mountain View Fire, Inyo County’s volunteer firefighters responded with a task force of fire engines from Lone Pine, Big Pine and Bishop, led by Big Pine Fire Chief Damon Carrington. The wind that night was raging, reminiscent of the Round Fire that destroyed Swall Meadows in 2015. Previously, the Round Fire held the title for the most destructive fire in Mono County history, destroying 40 homes. The Mountain View Fire’s force flattened 90 homes and claimed one life. It came on the heels of the Slink Fire earlier this year, which threatened the Coleville area in September.

For more information about the gift card drive, call the fire station during regular business hours, (760) 873-5485.

Phone- (760) 873- 5485 Fax- (760) 872- 9321 www.cityofbishop.com/departments/fire

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3 Comments

Deborah Rupp on November 29, 2020 at 10:07 am

Thank you. It was so scary having that wall of fire coming at us, and only minutes to get out.
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- Charles James on November 29, 2020 at 10:22 am
  
  Deb,
  You, your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers should know that the communities of the Eastern Sierra are behind you in your recovery efforts. “One for all and all for one!” is not just for the Three Musketeers, it describes our local communities.
  
  Hopefully, people in the towns affected by the fire will let the rest of us know what it is that you need to get back on your feet. There are a lot of very good people throughout our area thinking, praying, and donating their time, money, and resources to help.
  
  Those of us here at Sierra Wave Media sincerely wish the best for everyone that need help at this time, both during this holiday season and well into the future.
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Charles O. Jones on November 27, 2020 at 1:55 pm

Great idea.
Thank you BVFD
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