County supervisors Wednesday unanimously approved giving residents affected by the recent Border Fire a break by waiving permit and document fees, including for vital records.
Along with birth, death and marriage certificates, supervisors allowed waiving permit and document fees for improvements to legally permitted structures, septic systems, water wells and property-related documents.
The fire erupted for unknown reasons on Aug. 31 off Barrett Lake Road, near state Route 94 in the Barrett Junction area, roughly three miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
The blaze spread to more than 4,400 acres northwest of Tecate, destroyed three houses and injured six people. At its height, some 300 crew members were fighting the flames by ground and aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters, officials said.
Fire crews fully contained the fire on Sept. 6, allowing hundreds of displaced residents to return to their homes in the communities of Dulzura and Potrero.
Supervisors Joel Anderson and Nathan Fletcher made the fee waiver proposal.
In a statement issued after Wednesday's vote, Fletcher said doing so "was a modest, but important demonstration of our support for the residents whose lives were turned upside-down by the fire."
Anderson said he was grateful to Fletcher — who is also board chairman — for partnering with him on the measure and thanked his fellow supervisors for their yes votes.
"Our hope is that this will ease the recovery process for victims of the Border 32 Fire who are going through such a difficult time after losing their homes," said Anderson, whose district includes Dulzura.
