Resident Concerned Over Teen Partying in Isolated Poway Neighborhood

After a smoldering bonfire sparked a small blaze in the Williams Ranch community in north Poway, one resident says he's concerned over the future of his and his neighbor's investments.

William Von Brendel was hiking with his wife last Friday when they came upon the bonfire in a place they usually find drug paraphernalia, just at the end of Del Poniente Road.

"We were hiking like we do every morning and came upon this smoldering bonfire," Von Brendel said. "We called the fire department (around 6:15 a.m.) and 30 minutes later, a brush fire started."

The Poway Fire Department said they responded to the call and found an illegal bonfire as well as illegal fireworks at the site.

Dane Cawthon, a Poway Fire division chief, said they suspect high school students went out after graduation on Thursday to party. The Sheriff's Department is investigating the situation, he said.

But Von Brendel says the dark, isolated area has been a problem for a while, with teens using drugs there, drinking and even tainting the natural boulders in the area with graffiti.

"It is used very often by kids drinking and doing drugs and they do it at night because it's very remote," Von Brendel said of the property in the gated community. "I'm concerned because if that place catches fire, we all lose our investments. It's an accident waiting to happen... an overdose or a major fire"

For now, the Sheriff's Department has promised extra patrol of the area accessible only by a gate code, but Von Brendel thinks there's a simple, albeit temporary, solution.

"Change the gate code."

Do you live near the Williams Ranch area? Have you noticed increase teen activity in the rural lots? Tell us in the comments.