Losing a Home to the Wildfires in California
- Date: 2007-11-06 - Word Count: 1260
Share This!
We lost our homes in the wildfires of 2003 in Lake Arrowhead. It was a time that we just didn't think we would ever get over. So to see homes burning once again in Lake Arrowhead and San Diego was a déjà vu.
At the time, it was heart wrenching to see everything we had go up in smoke. There was nothing left in the ashes, absolutely nothing, except for a jar of pennies my son was saving but we couldn't tell that they were pennies, as they had all melted into one big heap of copper.
From where all the houses had burned, it looked like a nuclear war had come through. The fire randomly picked and chose which homes to take. Three hundred homes in our neighborhood had burned to the ground yet one house across the street made it completely unscathed, and a few yards up the road a lone wooden playhouse had been spared.
We lost everything. Our thirteen year old family cat, Baby Ruth, perished in the fire. All of our physical memories like photos of ancestors, my great grandma's rocking chair, a violin that had been played by my husband's great great grandfather; all of it gone. Yet in spite of all the destruction, we felt very thankful. Our family was intact.
We lived next door to my parents who had a cute little mother-in-law house. Our daughter could walk to Grandma's every day with it being only twenty yards away. Our homes were deep in the woods of Cedar Glen and even deeper in the stands of trees that were dying from the bark beetle. The unforgiving pest, which had already ravaged forests from Colorado to Alaska, beetle had been attacking Lake Arrowhead and its surrounding communities for years. The result of its ravenous consumption was millions of trees standing like matchsticks ready to fuel a fire unlike anyone could have ever imagined.
In mid October 2003, Lee and I were scheduled for a number of lectures in the Midwest. We decided to take my mom and our then four year old daughter with us to the Colorado dates. Dad and our three teenagers stayed at home.
On our way back from Colorado, our teenage daughter reached us by cell telling us there was a fire up on the mountain. She was concerned. From the tightness in her voice, we knew this was real. The "Big One" everyone on the mountain had feared for so long had arrived.
Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding mountain communities had just two escape routes, and they were inadequate in the best of circumstances. Lee called some colleagues at the newspaper and some friends we knew at the fire department. They related the seriousness of the situation. There were fires everywhere, and some were threatening Big Bear and Cedar Glen.
Evacuation was still voluntary, but the firefighters said it would be wise to get out now. We called our kids and Dad and told them to meet us at the bottom of the mountain at a local hotel for the night. No one expected the houses to burn. We assumed we'd be back in our house within a few days. We left food out for Baby Ruth since she was nowhere to be seen, and we commenced our waiting out the fire.
One of the problems when there is a fire is that there are rarely accurate news reports. One report will swear that all the local businesses are totally wiped out, and then moments later another reporter on another channel will be standing right in front of them depicting them as perfectly fine. We didn't get accurate news. The only news that was real was of true videos capturing neighborhoods that burned. We actually saw our homes burning on the television news. We knew at that moment that we were officially without a home.
It took over a week for the fire to be extinguished before we were able to return home. When you lose your home to fire, there is something inside of you that insists you have to see the remains.
When we turned onto our block, we couldn't even tell where one block ended and the next one began. The fire had taken our roads, our cars, and our animals. It had eaten everything and left nothing. The ashes were still warm after a week. It was a moonscape.
While we were there, a woman approached, asking if this had been our home. We nodded but just couldn't speak. She said she owned a rental in Lake Arrowhead and wondered if we would like to live there until we figured out what we were going to do. Amazing. An angel (and many more angels) would come to our aid that day. When we arrived at the rental home, someone we didn't even know had already gone from neighborhood to neighborhood asking if they would be willing to clean out their garages and give us anything we might need. That evening a huge moving van pulled up full of new everything: clothes, dishes, bedding, beds, more than we could have ever needed. Phone calls came from people with gift cards to grocery stores and clothing stores. It was truly incredible, the kindness that was offered us.
FEMA was a gem. Right after the fire they met us at a restaurant parking lot to fill out all the paperwork required to put money in our hands as soon as possible. We expected maybe a week's worth of rent, or maybe some grocery money, but FEMA set us up with funds for everything we lost and additional living money for six months. Again, the kindness and the help was overwhelming.
It can be hard to look at the bright side when something like a fire uproots one's life, but by concentrating on all the good and kindness offered from strangers, and by concentrating on what you do have and what you can rebuild, will reduce some of the sting.
A house is just a thing, possessions are replaceable, and our memories are something we brought with us and we can keep. The wildfires could never steal those from us.
Four years later we have seen firsthand that even out of the darkest time, or impossible situation, that good can still peek through and take the day. We had always wanted to live in Oregon and the 2003 fire gave us the freedom to do that. We are so grateful for our lives and especially grateful for all the people who helped us through such a trying experience.
To those of you who may have lost a home in the wildfires in California, life will get better. It may be hard to believe or understand right now, but in a few years you will see and appreciate the fact that you have made it through. You will appreciate your family all the more and will always hold a special place in your heart for the kindness exhibited by all the volunteers who helped you through this trying time. And one day, when you return to look at the place where your house once stood, in addition to the new signs of life and regrowth sprouting from the ground, you will have the memories that will keep you in good stead. Life always regenerates itself.
Beth McCain is a published author and writer in self improvement as well as humor genres.
Beth and her husband, Lee, are instructors and lecturers in applying the Law of Attraction, or better known as the Secret, in your life to attain what you desire. Please visit: http://www.bethandleemccain.com
At the time, it was heart wrenching to see everything we had go up in smoke. There was nothing left in the ashes, absolutely nothing, except for a jar of pennies my son was saving but we couldn't tell that they were pennies, as they had all melted into one big heap of copper.
From where all the houses had burned, it looked like a nuclear war had come through. The fire randomly picked and chose which homes to take. Three hundred homes in our neighborhood had burned to the ground yet one house across the street made it completely unscathed, and a few yards up the road a lone wooden playhouse had been spared.
We lost everything. Our thirteen year old family cat, Baby Ruth, perished in the fire. All of our physical memories like photos of ancestors, my great grandma's rocking chair, a violin that had been played by my husband's great great grandfather; all of it gone. Yet in spite of all the destruction, we felt very thankful. Our family was intact.
We lived next door to my parents who had a cute little mother-in-law house. Our daughter could walk to Grandma's every day with it being only twenty yards away. Our homes were deep in the woods of Cedar Glen and even deeper in the stands of trees that were dying from the bark beetle. The unforgiving pest, which had already ravaged forests from Colorado to Alaska, beetle had been attacking Lake Arrowhead and its surrounding communities for years. The result of its ravenous consumption was millions of trees standing like matchsticks ready to fuel a fire unlike anyone could have ever imagined.
In mid October 2003, Lee and I were scheduled for a number of lectures in the Midwest. We decided to take my mom and our then four year old daughter with us to the Colorado dates. Dad and our three teenagers stayed at home.
On our way back from Colorado, our teenage daughter reached us by cell telling us there was a fire up on the mountain. She was concerned. From the tightness in her voice, we knew this was real. The "Big One" everyone on the mountain had feared for so long had arrived.
Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding mountain communities had just two escape routes, and they were inadequate in the best of circumstances. Lee called some colleagues at the newspaper and some friends we knew at the fire department. They related the seriousness of the situation. There were fires everywhere, and some were threatening Big Bear and Cedar Glen.
Evacuation was still voluntary, but the firefighters said it would be wise to get out now. We called our kids and Dad and told them to meet us at the bottom of the mountain at a local hotel for the night. No one expected the houses to burn. We assumed we'd be back in our house within a few days. We left food out for Baby Ruth since she was nowhere to be seen, and we commenced our waiting out the fire.
One of the problems when there is a fire is that there are rarely accurate news reports. One report will swear that all the local businesses are totally wiped out, and then moments later another reporter on another channel will be standing right in front of them depicting them as perfectly fine. We didn't get accurate news. The only news that was real was of true videos capturing neighborhoods that burned. We actually saw our homes burning on the television news. We knew at that moment that we were officially without a home.
It took over a week for the fire to be extinguished before we were able to return home. When you lose your home to fire, there is something inside of you that insists you have to see the remains.
When we turned onto our block, we couldn't even tell where one block ended and the next one began. The fire had taken our roads, our cars, and our animals. It had eaten everything and left nothing. The ashes were still warm after a week. It was a moonscape.
While we were there, a woman approached, asking if this had been our home. We nodded but just couldn't speak. She said she owned a rental in Lake Arrowhead and wondered if we would like to live there until we figured out what we were going to do. Amazing. An angel (and many more angels) would come to our aid that day. When we arrived at the rental home, someone we didn't even know had already gone from neighborhood to neighborhood asking if they would be willing to clean out their garages and give us anything we might need. That evening a huge moving van pulled up full of new everything: clothes, dishes, bedding, beds, more than we could have ever needed. Phone calls came from people with gift cards to grocery stores and clothing stores. It was truly incredible, the kindness that was offered us.
FEMA was a gem. Right after the fire they met us at a restaurant parking lot to fill out all the paperwork required to put money in our hands as soon as possible. We expected maybe a week's worth of rent, or maybe some grocery money, but FEMA set us up with funds for everything we lost and additional living money for six months. Again, the kindness and the help was overwhelming.
It can be hard to look at the bright side when something like a fire uproots one's life, but by concentrating on all the good and kindness offered from strangers, and by concentrating on what you do have and what you can rebuild, will reduce some of the sting.
A house is just a thing, possessions are replaceable, and our memories are something we brought with us and we can keep. The wildfires could never steal those from us.
Four years later we have seen firsthand that even out of the darkest time, or impossible situation, that good can still peek through and take the day. We had always wanted to live in Oregon and the 2003 fire gave us the freedom to do that. We are so grateful for our lives and especially grateful for all the people who helped us through such a trying experience.
To those of you who may have lost a home in the wildfires in California, life will get better. It may be hard to believe or understand right now, but in a few years you will see and appreciate the fact that you have made it through. You will appreciate your family all the more and will always hold a special place in your heart for the kindness exhibited by all the volunteers who helped you through this trying time. And one day, when you return to look at the place where your house once stood, in addition to the new signs of life and regrowth sprouting from the ground, you will have the memories that will keep you in good stead. Life always regenerates itself.
Beth McCain is a published author and writer in self improvement as well as humor genres.
Beth and her husband, Lee, are instructors and lecturers in applying the Law of Attraction, or better known as the Secret, in your life to attain what you desire. Please visit: http://www.bethandleemccain.com
Related Tags: fires, wildfires, california wildfires, california fire, san diego fire, lake arrowhead fire, fallbrook fire, losing a home to fire
Beth loves writing about her quirky family. Beth McCain and her husband, Lee, are instructors and lecturers in applying the Law of Attraction in life to attain whatever you desire. Their greatest joy in life is their children and helping others through self enpowerment. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Important Things to Know About an Assisted Living Residence in Texas
n assisted living residence is a facility designed for senior citizens or persons with disabilities - Understanding How the Probate Process Works
The probate process is required within the U.S. to settle estates of deceased persons. The time requ - Fun Ideas for the Family During the Christmas Holiday
The Yuletide season is one of the most awaited holidays of the year because it is the time for joy a - How To Find The Right Composite Decking Deck Builders
Another rising home improvement project homeowners are starting to do a lot more of is the composite - Every Home Should Have A Radiant Barrier
The most easy and successful home improvement project you can do to your House, would be to install - The Different Types Of Rain Gutters
When purchasing a house or planning to do improvements to a home, there is always one project that s - How To Get The Best Replacement Windows For Your Home
Installing replacement windows can be the single most important home improvement project you can do - Holiday Accommodation Gold Coast: Pointers For Selecting The Best
With a multitude of holiday accommodations in Gold Coast, choosing the one for yourself can be quite - Want Holiday Accommodation In Gold Coast Queensland? Get Online To Find The Best Deal In A Quick, Co
There are several ways to find holiday accommodation in Gold Coast. You may refer to travel guides t - Celebrate The Ten-days Festival Of Navratri.
Dasara known as Dussehra, Navaratri, Vijaya Dashami is a festival of triumph of GOOD over Evil. The
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Adoptees Need Support When Voicing Feelings about Birth Parents
"I feel like a mistake.""I'm not like them.""Where's my family?""Why can't I find a suitable career? - Progressive Cooking: All About 'cuisine'
The French are known for their interest in art and all that is fine. It therefore comes as no surpri - Moroccan Decor - Oh My! Make Your Home Shine With Moroccan Rugs and Tapestries.
It is said in Morocco that he who enters Fez with a rug will leave with a moneybag. This saying o - Online Criminal Background Checks-Importance & Ease
Have you ever thought your new neighbor looks like one of the pictures on the post office bulletin b - Installing A Burglar Alarm
Want to protect your home? Ready to install a burglar alarm? The popularity of the home burglar ala - Lowe's Backyard Playground Sets
Lowe's is an excellent first place to look for anyone who is looking for the best swing sets on the - How Could Short Term Health Insurance Help Me?
Short-term health insurance plans allow people to have health insurance for a limited amount of time - Watch Out For Those Stinky Skunks!
There are various species of skunks found throughout the United States including the striped, spotte - Asthma In Kids: An Increasing Epidemic
Many believe that the majority of asthma cases are confined to adults, but this is definitely an inc - Stairlifts For Riders Of Above Average Weight
A stairlift is an affordable device that is used to give people with limited mobility access to the