Community bands together in face of Cranston…
Community bands together in face of Cranston fire near Idyllwild
Tamara Friemoth, right, whose family owns this Chevron gas statio, takes a a call from a customer as daughter, Tyla, 22, tends to firefighters during the Cranston fire burning near Idyllwild on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By Beatriz E. Valenzuela | bvalenzuela@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
Tyla Friemoth, 22, helped a steady stream of customers at her family's Idyllwild gas station.
"It's been really busy," she said as she handed over change to a woman.
"OK, it was good to see you, Sue," she said. Sue is a neighbor of hers who lives in the neighborhood where at least two homes were burned by the Cranston fire, which has devoured nearly 5,000 acres of wilderness and destroyed five homes since it ignited Wednesday. The Friemoth home was spared.
"We did have to evacuate but we came back and opened up the store," said Friemoth. "We kind of have to give back."
The Idyllwild Chevron station has been in the Friemoth's family for three generations, Friemoth and her mother, Tamara Friemoth said.
The station's usual hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. but Wednesday night, July 25, Tyla Friemoth and her family kept the doors open until 2:30 a.m.
"And we were back at it at 6 this morning," she said Thursday.
MORE: Here is where the Cranston fire is burning near Idyllwild
Residents and firefighters came into the station to fuel up on gasoline or diesel and on snacks and coffee.
"It doesn't surprise me they would do something like that," said Robert Muir. "They are great people. The father, Steve, he was out there helping repair a fire vehicle and he wouldn't take anything for it. They're just really good people."
Muir and his family decided to stay in their mountain home when the evacuation orders were issued.
The Friemoths weren't the only ones who kept their storefronts open to say thanks to the firefighters in town working to save their property and homes.
"I could throw a baseball and hit flames they came so close," said Stevie Davis, the head chef at the Idyllwild Bake Shop and Brew, as he put food and drinks out for firefighters. "They saved my house and we'll be out here for as long as we can or until the food runs out. We just want to say, 'Thank you.'"
A few doors down from the bakery, The Red Kettle was open to all. However, because the restaurant was operating on a generator, they could only take cash and had a limited menu Thursday, said manager Annie Weaver. But much like Davis, she said they would stay open for as long as they could.
Those who didn't have a business open, offered their help in different ways, like 21-year-old Ben Kent who has been checking on neighbors' pets Wednesday and Thursday who couldn't get them to a shelter.
His aunt's pastor wasn't able to return home so Kent picked up an 8-year-old white labrador and took him back to his home.
"That's just what we do," said Kent. "It's a really small town and we keep an eye on each other up here."
Cranston fire
Beatriz E. Valenzuela | Reporter
Beatriz E. Valenzuela is an award-winning journalist who's covered breaking news in Southern California since 2006 and has been on the front lines of several national and international news events. She's worked for media outlets serving Southern California readers covering education, local government, entertainment and all things nerd including comic book culture and video games. She's an amateur obstacle course racer, constant fact-checker, mother of three and lover of all things adorable.
bvalenzuela@scng.com