Ravaged Valley fire community gets $7.5 million for new sewer system

MIDDLETOWN

Lake County is making good progress toward recovery following last year’s devastating fires, according to state and local officials participating in a town hall meeting in Middletown on Thursday night that including $7.5 million in state and federal funds for an Anderson Springs sewer system.

Many among the estimated 300 people in attendance at Middletown High School applauded and whistled when State Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, co-host of the meeting with Assemblyman Bill Dodd, D-Napa, announced the funding for Anderson Springs.

The Valley fire, the most deadly and damaging of four fires that burned in Lake County last year, devoured more than 76,000 acres and 1,280 homes and killed four people. The fire - the third-most damaging in state history - caused an estimated $1.2 billion in damage to Lake County.

Hardest hit was the narrow canyon community of Anderson Springs, where about 120 people lost their homes. They have been in rebuilding limbo because their lots were too small and too close to a stream to accommodate legal septic systems.

“You will be able to start rebuilding your homes as early as next year,” McGuire said.

Elsewhere, permits already have been issued for more than 70 homes and almost 30 mobile homes, county officials said.

CalRecycle, which has been removing debris from the fire area, reported it will be trucking its last load today.

More than 500 people, half of them from Lake County, removed some 250,000 tons of burned waste materials during the fire cleanup, which was required prior to rebuilding, Lake County Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski said.

While CalRecycle is done with its part, work remains to be done on some commercial parcels, most notably Hoberg’s Resort. The resort was not eligible for help from CalRecycle because it had existing hazardous materials debris, CalRecycle Director Scott Smithline said.

Ruminski assured concerned people at the meeting that Hoberg’s will be cleaned up. The resort’s management has produced a plan, and he expects it to be approved within days, and for cleanup to be completed by winter.

McGuire also announced that grants of up to $60,000 each would be available for people who were uninsured or underinsured to assist in building new homes, with help from nonprofit organizations.

Fundraising efforts also have been successful. The Lake County Fire Victim’s Relief Fund alone has raised more than $2.5 million, thanks to donors countrywide.

While there’s a lot of good news on the recovery front, area residents remain concerned about future fires.

Every time a helicopter flies over, Debra Burau of Hidden Valley wonders if there’s a fire somewhere, she said before the start of the meeting, which was aimed at updating the community on the recovery process.

“I feel there’s still so much fuel to burn,” she said.

Sheriff Brian Martin said during the meeting there’s good reason to worry. The drought is not over and more fires are inevitable, so people need to be prepared, he said.

“It’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when,” Martin said.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MendoReporter.