RAMONA, Calif. (KGTV) — The buzz around the Ramona Cafe Thursday morning was the fire that quickly spread just four miles up the road.
The Bunnie Fire burned 184 acres Wednesday and was 30% contained as of Thursday morning.
"I drove by it coming into town — saw where it was," said Jack Story, a retired Cal Fire battalion chief. "It was close to where I thought — I could smell it... 'Ah, the good ole days.'"
Over a cup of joe, Story and his friends were among the many people talking about the plume of smoke that covered the small town.
Story battled fires in Ramona for decades, and he offered his perspective.
"It had a strong wind. It was a warm day — burning uphill. It wasn't a surprise," he said. "Everybody wants to know what it is. Everyone tunes into Pulsepoint, and you find out where the fire is and listen to the scanner ,and everyone is much more aware of where a fire is when they see that... Look at our history with the two major fires that went through town."
Specifically, he was referencing the Cedar and Witch fires.
Something he and his server, Delia, both experienced.
"So, close that we can even see the flames closer to us," Delia said.
Delia's been managing the restaurant for 25 years.
She said they try to do everything they can when a fire sparks.
During the Bunnie Fire, they fed a group of 35 firefighters and as many community members as possible.
"If we can help — whatever we can do — we do. We're usually here for them like they're here for us," she said.
As for Story, he expects more fires to spark in the area before the end of wildfire season.
"This year, I think with all the grass, it's gonna have more problems," he said. "With all the rain, you got more grass, you got easier starts, so I think we'll have a lot of them."
