Sonoma County’s Glass fire survivors take first steps in recovery at assistance center

Carolyn and Ken Campbell and their three dogs were keeping cool under a tree outside Maria Carrillo High School Monday afternoon, unsure of all the fire recovery help they needed.

They knew their Futura Way home was one of the few lucky ones at the northern end of Los Alamos Road to survive the Glass fire still actively burning in Sonoma and Napa counties. Ken constructed a defensive space around their property this year because “he had a feeling,” according to his wife.

But the couple, Santa Rosa residents for nearly 40 years, were among the over 920 people who live in the Santa Rosa burn zone and are still awaiting clearance to go home.

The gymnasium inside the Rincon Valley school has been transformed into an all-encompassing maze of disaster relief, linking fire survivors with crucial resources and services they need to start rebuilding.

From the DMV to hazardous waste removal to information about mental health or Buddhist teachings, the service hub inside drew more than 100 households Monday, the debut of weeklong aid center.

For the Campbells, to begin with, there was the question of when they could go home.

“I’m very thankful for that,” Carolyn Campbell said of their home’s survival. “Our frustration is not knowing when (we can go back).”

Many were not as lucky. The Glass fire, which was 41% contained Monday, has claimed more than 550 homes, including at least 301 single- and multi-family homes in Sonoma County.

Jose Lopez and his wife fled a cottage they had been renting off Los Alamos Road for nearly two years on the night of Sept. 27, as the Glass fire crested the mountains behind their neighborhood.

They were sleeping when the evacuation orders were issued, leaving little time to grab anything. The fire took everything, Lopez said as he stood in line on Monday. His trip to the assistance center would be a long one, including stops at nearly every table.

Still, Lopez remained upbeat.

“I tell my wife, ‘Life you don’t buy. Life you can’t replace,’” he said.

The inside of the gym resembled a career fair, built with coronavirus safety in-mind. Each table was distanced several feet from the next. A sheet of Plexiglass was placed on each table, and waiting chairs were stationed nearby.

No more than 120 people, including workers, were allowed inside at a single time. More than 50 people waited in line as the center opened at 1 p.m., delayed by the mandatory health screenings and temperature checks. Santa Rosa employees then interviewed each person as part of the intake process to guide them to the right tables.

With space limited inside due to pandemic protocols, some organizations were forced to setup in the courtyard outside.

Local agencies and philanthropic organizations have learned what specific things fire survivors need most when they start the recovery process thanks to years of repeated disasters, said Santa Rosa Mayor Tom Schwedhelm. Even down to the details, he noted, such as having English speaking employees in yellow vests and orange for Spanish speakers.

These centers have been a more efficient way to give residents a head start in their recovery, he said.

“You learn things you never knew, you never knew,” Schwedhelm said. “Unless you’ve actually experienced the rebuild process, you have no idea.”

The assistance centers can also provide a sense of solidarity. Those waiting in line swapped stories of loss or tips and recommendations for resources they had already discovered.

Connecting with neighbors can be its own form of therapy, said Anne Barbour, vice president of Coffey Strong, the neighborhood organization formed in the aftermath of the 2017 firestorm.

The group, which has provided support for fire-struck communities across Northern California, was on-hand Monday to help the latest wave of local fire survivors.

"Just do what you can do at this point because everybody’s brain at this point is muddled,“ Barbour said. ”It’s too much to take in. Fire survivor to fire survivor is going to be your best mental health play.”

Sonoma County’s fires the past three years have affected a wide cross-section of the community, exposing different needs for survivors. Barbour said her concern was this one struck senior communities, as well as rural, isolated properties in the mountains of Sonoma and Napa counties that may not have that as much neighborhood support.

That’s the case for Tim Richardson, whose 20-acre family ranch on St. Helena Road was destroyed when the Glass fire’s embers crossed from the eastern Napa Valley slopes to Spring Mountain and into Sonoma County.

His wife and in-laws had to evacuate in 30 minutes when it became clear they couldn’t stay, Richardson said. He mourned the livestock he lost, and the family heirlooms that couldn’t be replaced. No government or nonprofit, no matter how supportive, could replace those.

“The amount of loss going through this building over the next couple of days is going to be pretty terrific,” Richardson said.

You can reach Staff Writer Yousef Baig at 707-521-5390 or yousef.baig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @YousefBaig.