| We lost our homes in the wildfires of | | | | didn't get accurate news. The only news |
| 2003 in Lake Arrowhead. It was a time | | | | that was real was of true videos |
| that we just didn't think we would ever | | | | capturing neighborhoods that burned. We |
| get over. So to see homes burning once | | | | actually saw our homes burning on the |
| again in Lake Arrowhead and San Diego | | | | television news. We knew at that moment |
| was a déjà vu. | | | | that we were officially without a home. |
| At the time, it was heart wrenching to | | | | It took over a week for the fire to be |
| see everything we had go up in smoke. | | | | extinguished before we were able to |
| There was nothing left in the ashes, | | | | return home. When you lose your home to |
| absolutely nothing, except for a jar of | | | | fire, there is something inside of you |
| pennies my son was saving but we | | | | that insists you have to see the |
| couldn't tell that they were pennies, as | | | | remains. |
| they had all melted into one big heap of | | | | When we turned onto our block, we |
| copper. | | | | couldn't even tell where one block ended |
| From where all the houses had burned, it | | | | and the next one began. The fire had |
| looked like a nuclear war had come | | | | taken our roads, our cars, and our |
| through. The fire randomly picked and | | | | animals. It had eaten everything and |
| chose which homes to take. Three | | | | left nothing. The ashes were still warm |
| hundred homes in our neighborhood had | | | | after a week. It was a moonscape. |
| burned to the ground yet one house | | | | While we were there, a woman approached, |
| across the street made it completely | | | | asking if this had been our home. We |
| unscathed, and a few yards up the road a | | | | nodded but just couldn't speak. She |
| lone wooden playhouse had been spared. | | | | said she owned a rental in Lake |
| We lost everything. Our thirteen year | | | | Arrowhead and wondered if we would like |
| old family cat, Baby Ruth, perished in | | | | to live there until we figured out what |
| the fire. All of our physical memories | | | | we were going to do. Amazing. An |
| like photos of ancestors, my great | | | | angel (and many more angels) would come |
| grandma's rocking chair, a violin that | | | | to our aid that day. When we arrived at |
| had been played by my husband's great | | | | the rental home, someone we didn't even |
| great grandfather; all of it gone. Yet | | | | know had already gone from neighborhood |
| in spite of all the destruction, we felt | | | | to neighborhood asking if they would be |
| very thankful. Our family was intact. | | | | willing to clean out their garages and |
| We lived next door to my parents who had | | | | give us anything we might need. That |
| a cute little mother-in-law house. Our | | | | evening a huge moving van pulled up full |
| daughter could walk to Grandma's every | | | | of new everything: clothes, dishes, |
| day with it being only twenty yards | | | | bedding, beds, more than we could have |
| away. Our homes were deep in the woods | | | | ever needed. Phone calls came from |
| of Cedar Glen and even deeper in the | | | | people with gift cards to grocery stores |
| stands of trees that were dying from the | | | | and clothing stores. It was truly |
| bark beetle. The unforgiving pest, | | | | incredible, the kindness that was |
| which had already ravaged forests from | | | | offered us. |
| Colorado to Alaska, beetle had been | | | | FEMA was a gem. Right after the fire |
| attacking Lake Arrowhead and its | | | | they met us at a restaurant parking lot |
| surrounding communities for years. The | | | | to fill out all the paperwork required |
| result of its ravenous consumption was | | | | to put money in our hands as soon as |
| millions of trees standing like | | | | possible. We expected maybe a week's |
| matchsticks ready to fuel a fire unlike | | | | worth of rent, or maybe some grocery |
| anyone could have ever imagined. | | | | money, but FEMA set us up with funds for |
| In mid October 2003, Lee and I were | | | | everything we lost and additional living |
| scheduled for a number of lectures in | | | | money for six months. Again, the |
| the Midwest. We decided to take my mom | | | | kindness and the help was overwhelming. |
| and our then four year old daughter with | | | | It can be hard to look at the bright |
| us to the Colorado dates. Dad and our | | | | side when something like a fire uproots |
| three teenagers stayed at home. | | | | one's life, but by concentrating on all |
| On our way back from Colorado, our | | | | the good and kindness offered from |
| teenage daughter reached us by cell | | | | strangers, and by concentrating on what |
| telling us there was a fire up on the | | | | you do have and what you can rebuild, |
| mountain. She was concerned. From the | | | | will reduce some of the sting. |
| tightness in her voice, we knew this was | | | | A house is just a thing, possessions are |
| real. The "Big One" everyone on the | | | | replaceable, and our memories are |
| mountain had feared for so long had | | | | something we brought with us and we can |
| arrived. | | | | keep. The wildfires could never steal |
| Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding | | | | those from us. |
| mountain communities had just two escape | | | | Four years later we have seen firsthand |
| routes, and they were inadequate in the | | | | that even out of the darkest time, or |
| best of circumstances. Lee called some | | | | impossible situation, that good can |
| colleagues at the newspaper and some | | | | still peek through and take the day. We |
| friends we knew at the fire department. | | | | had always wanted to live in Oregon and |
| They related the seriousness of the | | | | the 2003 fire gave us the freedom to do |
| situation. There were fires everywhere, | | | | that. We are so grateful for our lives |
| and some were threatening Big Bear and | | | | and especially grateful for all the |
| Cedar Glen. | | | | people who helped us through such a |
| Evacuation was still voluntary, but the | | | | trying experience. |
| firefighters said it would be wise to | | | | To those of you who may have lost a home |
| get out now. We called our kids and Dad | | | | in the wildfires in California, life |
| and told them to meet us at the bottom | | | | will get better. It may be hard to |
| of the mountain at a local hotel for the | | | | believe or understand right now, but in |
| night. No one expected the houses to | | | | a few years you will see and appreciate |
| burn. We assumed we'd be back in our | | | | the fact that you have made it through. |
| house within a few days. We left food | | | | You will appreciate your family all the |
| out for Baby Ruth since she was nowhere | | | | more and will always hold a special |
| to be seen, and we commenced our waiting | | | | place in your heart for the kindness |
| out the fire. | | | | exhibited by all the volunteers who |
| One of the problems when there is a fire | | | | helped you through this trying time. |
| is that there are rarely accurate news | | | | And one day, when you return to look at |
| reports. One report will swear that all | | | | the place where your house once stood, |
| the local businesses are totally wiped | | | | in addition to the new signs of life and |
| out, and then moments later another | | | | regrowth sprouting from the ground, you |
| reporter on another channel will be | | | | will have the memories that will keep |
| standing right in front of them | | | | you in good stead. Life always |
| depicting them as perfectly fine. We | | | | regenerates itself. |