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