A five-county procession Sunday returned a fallen firefighter to San Diego County.
The procession for 34-year-old Cory Iverson, a Cal Fire San Diego engineer who was killed Thursday, was delayed by traffic problems. It departed Ventura at about 10 a.m. and was expected to arrive at a temporary staging point in Chino by noon and at El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley by 2:30 p.m.
However, as of about noon, the procession was in heavy traffic on Interstate 210, according to Los Angeles radio station KNX.
During parts of the journey, motorists were seen pulling over to allow the procession through.
The procession finally arrived at its destination by about 3:45 p.m.
The procession for Cory Iverson, CAL FIRE Engineer who lost his life battling the #ThomasFire began at 10am today in Ventura. #Heroes pic.twitter.com/DOCa6RJF2m
— Los Padres NF (@LosPadresNF) December 17, 2017
Thousands turned out to see Iverson’s procession on its route through Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties back to San Diego.
Iverson fell victim to burns and smoke inhalation while battling the Thomas Fire near Fillmore.
He is survived by his wife, Ashley Iverson, a two-year-old daughter and a second daughter who is due in the spring.
Funeral services for the late firefighter will be held at The Rock Church in Point Loma on Saturday, Dec. 23.
Windy conditions in Ventura County are expected to continue to pose a challenge for firefighters, who are continuing to battle the Thomas Fire, now the third-largest in California history.
A Red Flag warning was issued for much of the Southland between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday, and officials ordered evacuations in parts of Santa Barbara, as well as the coastal enclave of Montecito.
–City News Service
