A military contractor that leases land from the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians says tribal leaders are to blame for a fire that burned more than 14,000 acres of the reservation.

The Eagle Fire began at a guard shack at the Eagle Rock Training Center, which was established by a former Blackwater Worldwide executive. A young tribal member who used to work at the facility, along with a second young tribal member, have been charged with starting the fire.

“Young members of the tribe now face very serious charges because the tribe’s leadership did not take positive and timely steps to resolve the dispute they initiated over the lease," ERTC attorney Bill VanDeWeghe told the tribe's attorney in an e-mail, San Diego City Beat reported.

Eagle Rock signed the lease with former chairwoman Francine Kupsch in March 2010. But current chairman Shane Chapparosa says it's invalid because it was never approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The tribe has been trying to evict Eagle Rock and set a deadline right around the time the fire started. Eagle Rock filed a lawsuit in federal court that was withdrawn and the tribe says the matter belongs in tribal court.

Get the Story:
Tribe attempts to evict private military contractor (San Diego City Beat 9/28)
Former Blackwater exec leaves Eagle Rock Training Center (San Diego City Beat 9/29)

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