America Concert Raises Big Bucks for Firefighting in Corral Canyon

A benefit concert by the folk rock band AMERICA, known for its song "A Horse With No Name," and an auction raised more than $60,000 in support of Corral Canyon's Fire Safety Alliance earlier this month.

The sold-out event, which was held at the home of Geraldine Gilliland, drew 350 people and featured gourmet food trucks, silent and live auctions and the concert, which featured Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnel.

Matt Haines, who has lived in Corral Canyon for 22 years, serves as a volunteer with the Corral Canyon Call Firefighters.

Haines said he has witnessed several fires, including the 2007 blaze that destroyed more than 50 homes in the canyon. The flames did not char his home because of his personal firefighting equipment.

“I had a 3,000 gallon fire tanker truck and a wildland fire engine that was a surplus engine and I used them to fight the fire in '07,” Haines said, adding that he protected his home and his neighbor’s homes.

“A lot of people came up to me and said let’s form our own volunteer fire department,” he added.

Haines and nine other men worked with Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman to create a volunteer firefighting program in Corral Canyon in 2010.

Ten Corral Canyon residents completed the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Call Firefighter Recruit Academy and continue to train every other weekend under , which is located on Pacific Coast Highway at Kanan Dume Road.

“We live in an area where it’s not if there is going to be a fire, it’s when there is going to be another fire,” Haines said.

He gave full credit to the Los Angeles County Fire Department for continuing to work with the Corral Canyon volunteers.

Haines added that the funds raised from the concert and auction will go to the Corral Canyon Fire Safety Alliance, a nonprofit that was created in 2009 to support the volunteer firefighting program and Engine 271.

"Our long term goal is to build a permanent fire station up here. Right now we have a temporary one," Haines said.

Businesses that donated services and items that were put up for a silent auction included , , , , , , the , and .

During the event, Los Angeles County Fire was honored for his work with Corral Canyon.

The Corral Canyon Freeman Award, named after retired LA County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman, honors men and women who have given "exceptional leadership, fearless honesty and devoted public service to the residents of Corral Canyon," according to Paul Morra, who organized the event.

The award will be given out every year, Morra said.

Learn more about the Corral Canyon Fire Safety Alliance online at corralcanyon.org.