Morongo Tribe Announces $100,000 to Riverside County Arson Reward Fund; Reward Now at $400,000

Tribal Firefighters Working With County and CDF to Bring Esperanza Blaze Under Control

BANNING, CALIFORNIA — Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley and Morongo Band of Mission Indians Tribal Chairman Robert Martin announced this afternoon that the Morongo tribe will double Riverside County’s original $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the Esperanza fire arsonist. With contributions from the state and other sources, the fund now totals $400,000.

“Lives have been lost, homes destroyed and thousands of acres lie blackened in this tragedy,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Robert Martin. “This is a heinous crime and the person or persons involved should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Doubling the fund is one way to expedite identifying the people responsible.”

“The Morongo tribe is standing with their friends and with their community,” said Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley. “This tribe is no stranger to loss and they have lost reservation lands in this fire, too. It is no surprise to those who know them that they have been so fully involved from the very start. We are deeply, deeply grateful for their support.”

“We now have $400,000 to catch the murderous arsonists who caused this terrible event,” said Ashley.

Yesterday, as evacuations of families began, the tribe began working with the Riverside Chapter of the American Red Cross to serve lunch and dinner meals to the displaced Cabazon residents. Red Cross CEO Pam Anderson said the “response was instantaneous.” Hundreds of meals will be served today from the temporary Red Cross shelter in Cabazon.

“We are serving a couple hundred meals daily at present,” said Anderson. “Morongo arrived yesterday with lunch and the food just keeps coming.”

Two fire victims, Charles and Victor Miner, who lost their home and suffered second-degree burns, were housed at the tribe’s casino last night. According to Morongo hotel director Tom Mueller, they are coordinating with Banning city officials to provide lodging and meals for evacuees from the Cabazon area.

“We extend our deep condolences to the families of the firefighters lost yesterday,” said Martin. “In a tragedy like this, we have to pull together and help each other.”

The first call to Morongo for firefighters came in at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning and the first engine left the reservation at 1:35 a.m. According to Morongo Band of Mission Indians’ fire captain Tim Beadle, “it’s been 24/7 support ever since.”

“Our second engine was called into service yesterday afternoon and Morongo firefighters then went to work alongside the Esperanza fire strike teams,” said Beadle.

Source: Morongo Band of Mission Indians

CONTACT: Alison Stauffer, +1-916-225-6317, or Waltona Manion,

+1-800-933-7376, both for Morongo Band of Mission Indians