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2007 California Wildfires

Biker haunt hosts fire fighters

By Hector BecerraStaff Writer 
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Trabuco Canyon:

Cook’s Corner, a biker haunt for 81 years, has become a de facto headquarters for firefighters fighting the Santiago flames since Monday.

On Tuesday, when the Santa Ana winds barreled into the Canyon and the flames came to about half a mile from Cook’s Corner, manager Rhonda Palmerri, 37, recalls being told that they would have to evacuate immediately. They had begun pulling pictures and memorabilia together when the winds suddenly shifted and firefighters said they would no longer have to flee. ‘The firefighters promised that this place is not going anywhere,’ said Palmerri, who was wearing a pink bandanna and other biker regalia. ‘I love these guys.’

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In response to the arson named as the cause, Palmerri says, ‘It’s sickening to me. Now we need to make sure we’re safe and make sure we find the idiot who did this.’

In their downtime, the firefighers are enjoying an outdoor barbecue and foods slathered in chili. Los Angeles County firefighter Anthony Jefferson, who arrived from the Malibu fires Tuesday evening, said as he finished off a barbecued hamburger and hot dog drowning in chili, ‘It’s fantastic. It’s the best camp food I’ve ever had.’

--Hector Becerra
2007 California Wildfires
Hector Becerra

Hector Becerra is managing editor of the Los Angeles Times. A native Angeleno who grew up in Boyle Heights, Becerra’s first foray into journalism was as the editor of the University Times at Cal State Los Angeles. He started his career at the Los Angeles Times in 1999 and was a general assignment reporter until 2014, covering everything from wildfires to crime to Latino cultural trends. He has been among the first to a murder scene as part of a ride-along in South L.A. and has tried his hand as a field worker, picking strawberries in Santa Maria. Becerra was part of the team of reporters that won the Pulitzer Prize’s Public Service award for its coverage of the city of Bell corruption scandal. He was city editor for the California section until 2022, when he was promoted to deputy managing editor. He was named managing editor in 2024.

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