Nick Rees, a firefighter with the United States Forest Service station in Alpine, was already at work July 6 when strong Santa Ana winds fanned the flames that destroyed parts of that hillside enclave two months ago during the West Fire.
“I want to say it was definitely over 100 acres by the time we got here and started doing structure protection,” Rees said. “We were doing 16-hour shifts on it and that lasted roughly about five or six days.”
Kathryn Ruedy from Alpine saw the fire approaching and evacuated even before it became mandatory.
Ruedy saw “huge black smoke coming right on our home. Very strong winds, it looked very serious. We didn’t even discuss it, we went in the house, got our important papers and our computers, got in the car and drove away,” she said.
Ruedy came back two days later and found her home intact, but the fire wasn’t as forgiving with her neighbors’ homes.
Since the disaster, dozens of people are still without permanent housing, living in hotels or in their cars.
Rees and Ruedy were among the people who participated in a recent fundraiser to benefit some of those people.
The community of Alpine led by Stephanie Sorrels organized a Sept. 8 fundraiser at the American Legion hall. The money raised is to benefit uninsured and under insured former homeowners with no available resources to rebuild their homes. Sorrels said approximately 20 of the 45 families are still displaced by the fire without a home, and there are five survivors “in pretty bad shape who really need our help. Some are still in hotels, there’s one who will have nowhere to go after the first of October and another one living in his truck,” Sorells said.
The firefighters from Alpine and Japatul were guests of honors at the fund raiser.
“I care about this community. I want to help raise money for families who are under insured or uninsured,” Ruedy said.Clarice Jackson, an Alpine resident, said she went to the event to thank the fire department and make a donation for the victims, explaining that “my sister’s house almost burned up in the fire and they had to evacuate.” Sorrels said the event raised $2,061.
