A special thank you and donation presentation to
the Morongo Valley Fire Department
Front row - Phil Wallberg, Ambassador Guide Dogs Jasmine and Jake, Denise Robertson and Rooster Cogburn. Back row - Fire Captain Curtis Hooper, Pam Bennett-Wallberg, and Fireman Lou Santos
Photo credit: Meg Foley

We send you grateful greetings from Fellow Earthlings' Wildlife Center! As many of you know from watching the news in late June, Morongo Valley experienced a devastating fire and the Center was directly in its path. Through the valiant efforts of the fire fighters from Morongo Valley and throughout Southern California, the Center was saved! Our evacuation plan proved to be invaluable when we were ordered to evacuate and had less than 40 minutes before the flames arrived at our gates. All the meerkats were evacuated safely along with the dogs, cats and, of course, Rooster Cogburn.

The story bears telling because it illustrates the importance of having a plan in case of an emergency. We want to acknowledge everyone who called and emailed concerning our welfare. We received hundreds of phone calls and emails - your voices and words gave us immeasurable comfort and support during and after the crisis. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Happy and Safe
Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg

Here is the story of the Morongo Valley fire:

It was a balmy summer day in Morongo Valley. The meerkats were awaiting the "Bug Truck's" arrival and the "cricket sprinkle" which has become the ritual on every delivery day. As Denise, our volunteer development director, was clearing pine needles off the roof of the enclosures she noticed an ash- filled cloud rising across the highway. It was accompanied by an acrid smell of smoke. The thought of a fire sent her to the cottage to alert director Pam Bennett-Wallberg. Phil, our operations manager, and Ricardo, Phil's wonderful assistant, joined us on the edge of the acreage where we had an unobstructed view of the smoke plume. It was a fire alright - burning hot and fast. The wind was getting stronger by the minute and blowing the flames directly toward the Center.

Sirens could be heard, the sky was suddenly filled with helicopters and planes carrying water and flame retardant, and the neighbor's horses began whinnying nervously as they smelled the fire moving toward them. The path of the fire was dangerously deceptive - one moment it seemed as though the fire was heading away from us, the next minute it suddenly changed and re-focused on the Center. We knew we would be safe as long as the fire stayed on the opposite side of the highway. We watched and waited.

A mere 10 minutes passed before the general manager of the Morongo Valley Community Services District banged on our gates and uttered the words we were dreading:

"The fire has jumped the highway and you are directly in its path. You need to get out . . . NOW!"

Evacuation is a word one never wants to hear especially when it involves innocent animals. However, we had a detailed evacuation plan. We often practiced crating the meerkats and the other animals because they are our first priority. Buildings can burn, clothing and memorabilia can be lost, but nothing is more important than the safety of our animals.

We all looked at one another for a brief moment. Pam said "Alright, let's take a deep breath, focus, stay calm, follow the plan, and we'll be fine. Let's go!"

Phil and Ricardo hooked up the trailer to the van while Pam handed out the Evacuation Lists. Denise entered the enclosure service areas and quickly un-bagged all the crates we keep sealed in plastic for just such an emergency. The meerkats were undeniably nervous - not only because of the smoke and ash, but because of the helicopters that were flying terrifyingly low over the Center. In the wild one of the biggest threats to meerkats are predators that come from the sky. So, you can imagine the challenge of trying to crate the "wee ones" in the middle of this chaos.

Pam had the daunting task of crating the meerkats. Denise crated the cats, dogs, and rooster. Then, she gathered files, financial documents, and the computer which would be needed to continue running the Center. Phil and Ricardo expertly handled tasks such as turning off the propane tank, loading the trailer, and gathering emergency tools and supplies.

Things seemed to move in slow motion - no one spoke, each of us knew the importance of keeping calm and doing our jobs as efficiently and quickly as possible. Each time Pam carried another crate to the cottage with a meerkat safely housed inside, Denise breathed a sigh of thanks and relief. The computer was handed down to Phil, followed by files, binders, and checkbooks. The animal crates were then loaded into the air-conditioned van - such precious cargo. All species cooperated. None of the animals made a sound, as though they too knew the importance of staying calm and quiet. Meerkats, dogs, cats, and a rooster were side by side in the van. Last minute items were grabbed - dog and cat food, chicken scratch, and bugs for the meerkats. Not knowing what lay ahead of us, we had to be prepared for anything.

The last task to be completed before we left was to get everything combustible out of the meerkat enclosures and service areas in hopes of saving the structures. Pam and Denise tossed everything out - baskets, beds, stuffed toys, play tunnels, wood chips, and curtains. Then the enclosures were hosed down. Meanwhile the firemen arrived and shouted for us to get out. The van and trailer had already been driven out of the gates, out of harm's way and poised to go. Amazingly, in our focused state, we didn't realize the fire had surrounded us. The flames licked over and under the fence line, the wooden fence posts became flaming torches, and the needles on the pine trees turned brown instantly.

Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg

All we could do was watch as the terrifying walls of flame seemed to engulf the entire property. As the thick, inky smoke plumed up we thought, "There goes the cottages, there goes the shop, there goes the enclosures, and, finally, there goes Fellow Earthlings."

Photo credit: Phil Wallberg

The fire storm moved through so quickly that it was less than an hour before Pam, Phil, and Ricardo walked back to the Center to access the damage. Denise stayed with the animals in case the danger was still too great. Another agonizing hour passed before the call came for her to return to the Center. With trepidation Denise drove the van and trailer back, not knowing whether she would be greeted with the charred remains of a once beautiful oasis or whether the Center had miraculously survived.

Photo credit: Phil Wallberg

Happy smiles and fire trucks abounded on the property. All the enclosures, cottages, and the shop were intact! Pam looked like a chimney sweep - her soot covered face made her smile even more noticeable.

Photo credit: Phil Wallberg

Photo credit: Phil Wallberg

While the animal crates were unloaded into the cottage to keep the animals cool, Phil set up our emergency generator to provide power for lights and appliances. We all helped the fire personnel put out "hot spots" and places where the flames continually re-ignited. All our fence posts were smoking or still in flames and the view just outside our fence line was hard to grasp. As far as the eye could see, in all directions, the ground was black and burned of all vegetation.

Brave fire fighters, armed with shovels and picks, had surrounded the acreage in a supreme effort to save the Center. They had no city water to draw from, nor any fire hydrants to hook their hoses into. They had to rely on their skill and the water hauled in by truck to win the battle. It was a fierce fight of men and women against the flames. Their courage and tenacity prevailed.

Photo credit: Pam Bennett-Wallberg

As night drew near, we had to make a decision about the meerkats - should we keep them in their individual crates or release them back into their enclosures. We wanted the meerkats to be as comfortable as possible and to alleviate their stress by getting them back to their homes, but we also needed to be mindful of the consequences if we had to re-evacuate. So, we compromised and released them directly into their den boxes. They happily entered and snuggled down for the night. The emergency ventilated doors on each den box were a blessing because we were able to lock them with the meerkats safely inside. If we had to suddenly leave the property again we could simply pick up all the den boxes and go.

Photo credit: Phil Wallberg

The fire fighters bedded down just outside our gates and watched for hot spots throughout the night. The air was still pungent with smoke and ash, and the fire, still out of control, was an eerie, jagged glow on our hillsides. We were concerned that the erratic winds would deliver the fire to our property again.

Sunrise brought the stark reality of just how close we had come to being consumed by the flames. The sight was so amazing that we had reporters from ABC, CBS, and Fox at our gates wanting interviews. The news crews shook their heads in disbelief at how we had managed to survive the fire relatively unscathed. The networks wanted a "happy" story amid all the ruin. The meerkats merrily obliged by getting "nose to nose" with the camera lenses and delighting the news crews with their endearing ways. Even Cogburn, the rooster, appeared on the national news.

Pam Bennett-Wallberg (left) was interviewed by Georgette Copes,
anchor for CBS News, the day after the fire.
Photo credit: Phil Wallberg

All the meerkats came through the ordeal magnificently. We were proud of their courage and cooperation. They stayed close to their main burrows for several days after the fire since every helicopter, plane, or fire truck sent them scurrying for the safety of their underground sanctuary. We checked the enclosures frequently and gave thanks as we cleaned up. Broad, grateful smiles appeared on our faces as we looked at the small, furry heads peeking out of the burrows.

We are delighted to report that no one suffered any adverse effects from the fire. We received accolades from the fire department for our effort to keep the Center grounds clear of pine needles and brush. Never again will we complain about the constant raking and weed-wacking that played a large role in assisting the fire fighters save the Center.

We humans learned many lessons from the fire - challenges always bring gifts. We learned the importance of community (many residents from Morongo Valley offered to help us clean-up after the fire), cooperation (Pam, Denise, Phil, and Ricardo worked as an efficient team during the evacuation) and the reminder to greet each day with gratitude and joy. It's funny how these are the same lessons we've learned from the meerkats - community, cooperation and, most importantly, facing the sun each morning (meerkat style!) to embrace the warmth and radiance of life.

We will forever be grateful to the extraordinary men and women who worked so hard and put themselves in harm's way for us. And, we were humbled by the touching phone calls, emails, and letters from you - our treasured "mob members."

As we walked the edges of the property and surveyed the destruction that lay all around us, we became convinced that Fellow Earthlings' Wildlife Center is surrounded by a circle of love that emanates from all the people who support us and the animals in our care. We have no doubt that this powerful "energy field" of love, along with the extraordinary efforts of the firefighters, protected us, enfolded us, and carried us through the crises.

All of us, creatures great and small, who reside at Fellow Earthlings' Wildlife Center are so happy to still be here! We look forward to new possibilities and growth - from the ashes rise new beginnings.