Six Months

Although the roads are clearly more full of traffic, particularly trucks large and small, the pace of rebuilding and reconstruction here seems to have hit a snag...several snags actually. Nobody knows for sure how the benzine got in the pipes but the common wisdom seems to be that it was released by the intense heat of the fire from the pipes. What is less clear is what to do about it. While the city ponders, the people living in trailers, RV's,  modular homes, converted garages and rented accommodation wait. Constrained by insurance companies and unable to wait, many have given up and moved out of the county.

The county itself has issued only 180 rebuilding permits so far. 3,000 homes and many other structures and businesses burned to the ground. Power has been restored, over 70 private bridges over creeks are being rebuilt*, lots have been cleared and many fences have been built...some to shield the homes in burned areas that were miraculously spared from the surrounding devastation, some surrounding an empty space. 

Today it took us twice as long as usual to get home as we chose to drive on Mark West Springs Road. It is an area of many large properties, some of them farms that had been in families for generations. One such family has bought a house near They lost their house and their ten month old golden retriever. The daughter and her husband have moved in with her mother and gotten a puppy which they have called Finley which was the name of the ranch. 

 We had plenty of time to see what sort of progress was being made as we waited for a pilot car to lead us through an area of one lane road being cleared of burned trees and shrubs by tree trimmers. I saw quite a few outbildings that had either been converted into a small residence, or were all that remained of the original homes. Many other lots had RVs parked on them. I would think the novelty of living in an RV would wear off much faster than the six months it has already been. Most people's insurance will pay for accommodation for up to two years while their houses are being rebuilt. Most insurance companies did not factor in the magnitude of this disaster when they set that time frame. Our friends have signed up with a contractor for one of six models he is building. They are 60th on the list. The contractor is limited by the number of construction workers available. He is hoping to be able to start about twelve new homes a month.

The blue skies, longer days and warmer temperatures are helping, but there are still so many unanswered questions. Our local newspaper, The Press Democrat,  just won a Pulitzer prize for its coverage of the fires which was well deserved. Here is a picture which was taken near our house and published by the Press Democrat.

*This is a newly rebuilt private bridge. The structure which can be seen in the distance looks like a barn which may have been repurposed as a residence. It is heartening to see the green grass  and blue sky where once there were just ruins.