Petition to Protect Reche Canyon’s  & San Timoteo Wild Burros and Fire Safety

To: San Bernardino County Officials

Subject: Terminate Contract with Peaceful Valley Rescue and Support Local Efforts to Protect Reche Canyon’s Burros

We, the residents of Reche Canyon, urge San Bernardino County to reconsider its decision to remove wild burros from our community and to terminate its contract with Peaceful Valley Rescue in Texas. This decision is not only harmful to our local ecosystem but also increases the fire risk for our community of over 18,500 residents.

Why Wild Burros Are Essential to Reche Canyon:

• Reche Canyon, located in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains and northwest of the Badlands, lies in a high-risk Class 10 fire zone.
• Wild burros play a crucial role in reducing fire hazards by consuming 4-5 pounds of brush and vegetation daily, which helps minimize the fuel for potential wildfires.
• Our community has only one road for evacuation in case of fire, making prevention measures critical for our safety.

Lessons from Tragedy:
In 2018, Paradise, California, faced a devastating wildfire with a similar one-road-in, one-road-out situation. The fire resulted in the tragic loss of 85 lives. We must learn from this tragedy and prioritize proactive fire prevention strategies, including the natural fire mitigation that wild burros provide.

Concerns with Peaceful Valley Rescue’s Practices:

• Peaceful Valley Rescue has repeatedly removed burros without consent, encroaching on private property on at least three occasions.
• We were informed that the city authorized only a one-acre zone for burro removal, yet these limits have not been respected.

Support for Local Solutions:

• Donkey Land, a local nonprofit that has worked with the Reche Canyon community since 2011, has shown accountability and a deep understanding of our unique needs.
• Donkey Land owns 2,000 acres, with 500 acres already fenced, and has the capacity to house an additional 1,000 burros without the need for further fencing.

Our Request:
We call on San Bernardino County to:

1. Terminate its contract with Peaceful Valley Rescue in Texas.
2. Support Donkey Land as the local nonprofit better equipped to manage the burro population and address our community’s needs.

Together, we can ensure the safety of Reche Canyon’s residents and protect the natural balance of our local environment.

Sincerely,
The Residents of Reche Canyon & San Timoteo