Category Community Story

Signs of Gratitude

Roadside signs abound encouraging residents and thanking the first responders for their efforts during the Creek Fire. (If you have  photos you’d like to add to this collection please submit them via the form on the Storytelling page!)

Jean Larsen

Those of us who live in the mountains of California are always aware that it can happen – – and undoubtedly will happen, sometime – – (but it surely won’t happen to us.)It did happen!!We were among the lucky ones.

Mariah Colbert

I just wanted to make this because Avalon meant a lot to me and I know it did to you as well. The Cabin played a huge role in my childhood and I didn’t realize how much I appreciated the place.

Gary Colbert

Gary A. Colbert | Cressman Road 9-9-2020 In the 1980s my parents bought an empty plot of land near Shaver Lake. With their own hands, with a lot of blood, sweat and tears and with some help from a community,…

Victoria Bell

It was Aunt El’s birthday. She was driving up from San Diego to Grandma Ellen’s cabin on Dowville East, the cabin that had been home to us for the last two months. “Us” is my husband, Nick, myself, and my two boys, James and Luke, our sweet mountain toddlers-in-training.

Jan Russell Hobbs

Jan Russell Hobbs | Huntington Lake 3-16-21 It was the morning of Saturday, September 5th, 2020. Our thoughts for the day ahead were full of beach time, sitting on the porch, and enjoying the company of good friends. As I…

Rosemary Zettler

We built our first cabin in 1972 in Sierra Cedars. Having fallen in love with the area we built a larger resident-like cabin on Littlefield Road in Meadow Ridge in 1980.

Mark Martinez

Mark Martinez | Fresno Fire Department 3-12-21 My name is Mark Martinez. I am a Fire Captain with the Fresno Fire Department – entering my 28th year. Although our duty to serve and do our best work does not differ…

Peter Arroyo

Peter Arroyo | Cressman Road 2-10-21 The Creek Fire started at 5:30 in the evening on September 4th at Camp Sierra. The morning of September 5th was already blistering its way into the oppressive heat that was to be all…

Ari Arroyo

The Creek Fire was the largest single fire in the history of the state of California and burned 379,895 acres. I am a firefighter and engineer and my husband, Peter, is a firefighter with the Pine Ridge Volunteer Fire Department. We were here from the beginning and will forever be affected by what happened, what we saw, what we did, and the people we met.