California Wildfires Touch Church Members' Lives
By Lisa West, Sacramento Multi-Stake Public Affairs

It's 0700 hours on Friday, July 4, 2008, and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services is putting out its daily report on the status of the California wildfires. By their numbers there are currently 26 active, ongoing, major fires. There are literally hundreds of smaller fires scattered throughout the state, which do not rank high enough for a status report at this briefing.

Following nearly 8,000 lightning strikes in a single weekend near the beginning of June, and fanned by unusually windy conditions, the California fire season started ferociously, and more than a month earlier than anticipated. At the peak, some 1,781 fires have raged up and down the state. Estimates today are that 601,677 acres statewide have burned. Helicopters, DC-10's and Dozers are deployed to assist the 19,233 firefighters and 1,523 fire engines.

Tuesday June 24, 2008 in Concow along Concow Road — fire engines from mostly southern California pour into the Camelot subdivision for structure protection as the Empire fire grows near.(Ty Barbour/Chico Enterprise-Record )

The OES estimates place eight of these major fires in the lower half of the state, the two largest being the Gap Fire and the Basin Complex Fire currently standing at only 3% containment, with more than 70,000 acres burned, 24 residences destroyed and a section of scenic Pacific Coast Highway closed. The popular coastal tourist town of Big Sur was completely evacuated just before the 4th of July holiday weekend.

The Gap Fire in Santa Barbara County is approximately 28% contained. The majority of this area has not had a major fire in 50 years and consists of extremely steep and rocky terrain. About 10,000 acres have burned and 5,000 residents are under a mandatory evacuation order. All national forest lands are closed to public entry, ruining summer vacation plans for thousands. The CDF estimates this fire could continue to burn for the rest of this month before it is reasonably contained.

The remaining 18 major fires are all in Northern California. Much like hurricanes, each fire is named and given a classification based on its severity and the number of residents and structures being threatened.

The Lime Complex Fire in Trinity County consists of 70 individual fires and has only reached 41% containment, although firefighters have been battling it for nearly a month. Most weary firefighters have been on the front lines, somewhere within the state, for 30 days straight — without a single day off. They ‘crash' and grab sleep whenever and wherever they can. Much of the time they collapse from fatigue and sleep on the ground right next to their engines.

Firefighter Chris Wels of Boulder Creek, CA gets some much needed rest beside the wheel of a fire engine as he and other firefighters await their next assignment at drop zone 110 on the V-Line Road Friday. The firefighter on the Watsonville Engine refused to give his name. Fire continues to crawl along the forest floor along the V-Line near Jordan Hill Rd. approx. 2 miles from Sawmill Peak Lookout tower as Fire crews from around the state gather at an area they call DP110 (drop zone 110) to get their daily assignments Friday June 27, 2008. (Bill Husa/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Only 9 of these 26 major fires are more than 50% contained. Some fires in very remote areas where no residents and minimal buildings are threatened, such as the Alps Complex Fire, are classified as 0% to 5% contained. Resources that could fight these fires are needed on higher priority fires where lives are in jeopardy.

Weather has been a contributing factor to the great difficulty in getting a handle on even the smallest fires. High winds and dry conditions amplify the difficulties the firefighters face. Division Chief Dan Sendek of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as ‘Cal Fire,' described the Humboldt Fire by saying, “It's a June fire in August conditions.”

A firefighter from Clovis works to contain the Humboldt Fire which has grown to more than an 8000 acre fire on day two of the battle Thursday, June 12, 2008 in Paradise, CA. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Girls' Camp Saved

In a dense forest near North San Juan, California, preparations were underway for the upcoming yearly Girls Camp for Sacramento North and Antelope California stakes. Camp Bountiful, located just above Malakoff State Park; an area used for hydraulic mining back in the gold rush era, is owned and maintained by the Church and consists of 20 small cabins, a large pavilion, shower house and amphitheater.

Gail Thomas, of Northgate Ward, went up to Camp Bountiful two days early to guard the generator and supplies. While he was there, a lightning strike hit just 100 yards up the hill from the camp. “Brother Thomas's quick thinking and action saved the camp from burning down,” noted Linda Thompson, a camp counselor from the Foothills Ward. “He rode his quad to the California Department of Forestry to report the fire and they came quickly.”

Fire came within 50 ft. of Camp Bountiful. Photo by Cecilia Froude.

Thomas said, “There was a crew of prisoners from Camp Washington that literally saved the camp by digging a trench around the two-acre fire. They were wonderful. These inmates earn the right to be on a fire fighting crew and are paid $1.00 a day. For every day they work on a fire, they get two days off of their sentences. It's a great program.”

Thanks to youth leaders and the work of prison inmates, Camp Washington was saved. Photo by Cecilia Froude.

Linda Thompson affirmed, “The CDF and inmates had the fire out by just after midnight Sunday morning. All day Sunday and Monday, Brother Thomas and his wife Vina continuously hosed down hot spots to make sure the fire didn't reignite and the camp would be safe.”

Despite the fire, girls' camp went off without a hitch. Photo by Cecilia Froude.

Shannon Beltram, Camp Director for the North Highlands First Ward noted, “When the young women and leaders arrived at Camp Bountiful Tuesday morning, there was still quite a bit of smoke — but fortunately it did not affect any of their activities. The fire came just 50 feet from the property line of the camp, but it could have burned down if it weren't for Brother and Sister Thomas.”

Za Lo and Vickie Vang of the Nong Shala (Hmong) Ward enjoy girls' camp at Camp Bountiful. Photo by Cecilia Froude.

Two new fires just broke out — one is in Nevada County near Yuba Gap and it has caused mandatory evacuations of that area. Girls' camps scheduled at Rucker Lake for the next two weeks have had to be moved to Clarks Fork because of this fire. The other is the American River Complex fire. It is bearing down on the tiny community of Foresthill in the Auburn California Stake.

Don Criswell evacuates Indian Springs Rd with his horses as firefighters work to contain the Humboldt Fire which has grown to more than an 8000 acre fire on day two of the battle Thursday, June 12, 2008 in Paradise, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

The Humboldt Fire has by far been the most dangerous in the north part of the state and recently surrounded the town of Paradise in Butte County, just 90 miles north of Sacramento. Cal Fire ordered mandatory evacuation of more than a third of the 30,000 residents. Thousands of others were given voluntary evacuation notices.

A firefighter from Clovis works to contain the Humboldt Fire which has grown to more than an 8000 acre fire on day two of the battle Thursday, June 12, 2008 in Paradise, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Fire raced up the low ridgelines of the rolling Sierra foothills, creating massive amounts of smoke. Both the fire and the smoke blocked two of the three escape routes out of Paradise, slowing the evacuations. It took as much as two hours for some residents to make the 14-mile drive to nearby Chico, California.

The fire burns intensely along Neal Rd. as firefighters work to contain the Humboldt Fire which has grown to more than an 8000 acre fire on day two of the battle Thursday, June 12, 2008 in Paradise, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

A major power line supplying electricity to Paradise went down and some 18,000 customers were affected. So far approximately 40 square miles have burned, destroying 74 homes.

Cal Fire S2 plane dumps retardant as firefighters work to contain the Humboldt Fire, which has grown to more than an 8000-acre fire on day two of the battle Thursday, June 12, 2008, in Paradise, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Bruce Lawrence, a member of the Paradise Third Ward, Chico California Stake, and former fire captain with the Paradise Fire Department said, “I have never seen fire and smoke conditions like these.” Now a member of Butte County Search and Rescue, Lawrence and his team were very active helping with advisory evacuations when the fire first started.

Joan Chamlee, the Chico Stake Public Affairs Director said, “Many members volunteered at evacuation centers. Toiletry kits, packaged snacks and pillows were donated to various shelters. Once the word came down that people needed to evacuate, we were ready within two hours to accommodate over 300 people at the Chico Stake Center.”

She also reported a story about a couple from New York who were in town visiting their elderly parents when they were urged to evacuate. They went to a neighborhood church shelter and it was almost full — and the comfort level was not the best for their elderly parents. They tried to find a motel room, but none were available.

The four headed toward another evacuation center at Pleasant Valley High School, which is just down the street from the stake center. As they drove past the church at 11:00 p.m., they noticed that the lights were still on, so they pulled in and found help and housing.

Their comment was, “We found room at the inn,” concluded Joan Chamlee. The couple was LDS, but their elderly parents were not.

Marilyn Cable is comforted by her husband as they spend the night in Fit One Athletic Club, which was set up for evacuees on day three of the Humboldt Fire on Friday, June 13, 2008 in Chico, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Latter-day Saints Lose Homes

“We have experienced the driest March and April on record, which is contributing tons of fuel for these fires. The Sacramento valley, along with the majority of the state, is covered in a thick blanket of smoke,” said S. Dennis Holland, Sacramento Region Director of Public Affairs for the Church. “We have confirmed that two LDS families have lost their homes. But until some of these fires are better contained, we won't know what additional assistance is needed.”

The California Office of Emergency Services continues to coordinate firefighting resources and has called on the public to volunteer in any capacity they can. All Californians have been advised to protect their health from the smoke. The primary pollutants of concern are fine particles, which can be harmful to breathe, especially for children, the elderly and those with on-going cardiac or respiratory conditions.

Cal Fire-Sonoma Valley firefighters eat a nice meal as firefighters rest up at the Cal Fire Command Center at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds Friday, June 27, 2008 in Chico, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a state of emergency for the Humboldt and Ophir Fires during his visit to the command center at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, California. A state of emergency for Monterey and Trinity Counties were added as a result of the Basin Complex Fire, Gallery Fire, Lime Complex Fire, as well as the Marin Fire in the Santa Cruz mountains.

As the fires were creeping toward town, Matt and Cindi Sterling of Paradise First Ward were doing some sprucing up around their home preparing for their oldest son's return from serving in the Canada Halifax Mission.

“Robby, our Elder, is scheduled to come home in August, so my 13-year old son, Ryan, and I were planning to stain the backyard deck,” explained Cindi Sterling. Matt Sterling answered the knock at the door to firemen who gave them a voluntary evacuation order, so he told his wife and son they might need to postpone the staining.

The family had received a similar order 15 years earlier but, the fires never reached them. They felt confident that since they had cleared most of the trees and brush from around their home, their house would be safe this time too. But as a precaution, Matt Sterling asked the firemen, “If it were you, what would you do?” The unanimous response was, “Leave soon. The smoke alone could kill you even if the fire never gets this far.”

“I'd been preparing for this possibility since the last time we were asked to evacuate,” noted Cindi Sterling. “But even so, I kept thinking we wouldn't really have to go.” The Sterlings were grateful that their oldest son was away on his mission, and their 19-year old daughter, Stacey, was attending BYU-Idaho. But with two children still at home — 13-year old Ryan, and their 17-year-old disabled daughter, Renee — they would be prudent and start packing.

A view of smoke as taken over the rooftop of the Sterling home as the fires approached. Photo by Matt Sterling.

When they were asked to evacuate 15 years ago, it was 2:00 a.m. and they had three small children. Cindi Sterling remembered going into panic mode at that time. “We were frantic. It was chaos, completely crazy,” she said. “I was determined that would never happen again.”

Right after that night of chaos, she vowed to be better prepared. “We had a family home evening and I gave everyone in the family a recipe card. We titled them ‘evacuation cards.' Each member of the family wrote down what they would need to gather if they ever had to evacuate again.”

She added, “The family included the obvious things such as photo albums, files, pets, and other things. Then each of the kids also listed 3-4 things that were important to them.”

From those cards, she made a master list and put it in a kitchen drawer they labeled the “safe drawer.” “Our safe drawer is used on a regular basis since our daughter, Renee, is handicapped. I keep her important medical records and prescriptions in the safe drawer. I never know when I might have to gather them quickly for an emergency, so when this new evacuation order came, the family went directly to the safe drawer and pulled out the evacuation cards.”

She continued, “I felt really calm this time. All of our other important papers were organized in a binder with our 72-hour kits. We were prepared.”

Fire comes over the ridge near the Sterling home. Photo by Matt Sterling.

She mentioned that she was so calm that she refused to start packing their things into the car. Instead, they moved the dining room table up against the wall and began gathering everything they wanted to take and placed it in a pile on the dining room floor. “I knew that if the evacuation order was lifted, I'd be the one stuck putting everything away, and I didn't want to have to unload it all from the car,” she quipped.

Although they had everything they felt they needed (photos and family videos, prescriptions, medical records, insurance files, legal documents, clothes and their 72-hour kits), they still weren't feeling any urgency to leave. Cindi Sterling went to Renee's summer school and picked her up and brought her home.

“For some strange reason, Renee wanted to take a nap. She never does that. I put her on the couch and she went right to sleep. She slept through everything. I was able to continue getting things ready to go with no worry at all about Renee.”

The fire drew closer as the Sterlings prepared to evacuate. Photo by Matt Sterling.

The family decided they would go through the house, garage and yard and take some added precautions in case the fire came close to their home. The Sterlings had a large pasture area about 100 feet from the house, and so they moved everything potentially flammable out to the center of the pasture.

“We even moved the barbeque and patio furniture out there because we didn't want the firemen to trip over anything if they had to hose down our house,” she said. The also moved their go-cart and boat away from the house and out next to the well.

They could see heavier smoke plumes over the ridge, but still felt no concern or sense of urgency that the fire was getting too close because there were no firemen on their street, no mandatory evacuation notices, and it didn't seem that any of their neighbors were rushing off either. Cindi's parents, Fred and Leslie Zoellner, showed up and began helping the family load the vehicles with all of those items piled up on the dining room floor.

After they finished loading, Matt Sterling got up on the roof to take more pictures of the smoke and see if there were any visible flames. He saw a huge chimney of smoke and flames on the ridge reaching northeast and as he was watching it, there was a shift in the wind. The plume changed direction and started heading south, in the direction of their house.

At the same time, Fred Zoellner was in the backyard and saw flames on the next ridge over. Both men hurriedly came back to the front and said, “We need to go!”

A photo taken just as the Sterlings were leaving their home. Photo by Matt Sterling.

“As a last thought, my husband decided to hook up our aluminum fishing boat and he began loading it with camping gear while I ran back inside and started pulling more pictures off the wall,” exclaimed Sister Sterling. The sense of urgency was now upon them. Within just a few minutes they were ready to go and stopped for one final moment to say a prayer that all would be well and safe.

The last photo taken of the Sterlings' home. Photo by Matt Sterling.

The family drove to the Zoellners' home; they lived just six miles away.

“The calmness returned and we had every expectation, and peace of mind, that our home would be spared and we would be back in one or two days,” Cindi Sterling said. Throughout the evening the entire family anxiously watched the TV news reports and called friends to see if anyone knew anything.

“When I spoke with one of my daughter's friends, she said she saw on the internet that the fire was on our street. I called another friend and ward member, Rae Lyn Hall, who also owned a canyon home to asked if she knew anything.”

Rae Lyn Hall told the Sterlings that she thought the road that went the back way into their area might be open. “I told Cindi that she and Matt might be able to get in, or they might get stopped and turned back, but they should try to check on their house.”

Fire moves over the ridge toward the Sterling home. Photo by Matt Sterling.

Around 11:00 p.m., the Sterlings decided to drive toward their home. They assumed that if the fire had reached their street, certainly it would be blocked off by firemen or police. But the street was eerily dark and quiet. They felt relieved when they saw the first two houses standing safe and sound. The next two houses had burns at the shoulder of the road but the houses were okay. As they got closer to their driveway Cindi Sterling told her husband, “Our house is gone.” But Matt Sterling kept saying it wasn't possible to tell yet because the house isn't normally visible from the street.

“Typically you can only see our roof line from the street because of the trees and brush on the vacant property next to us,” Cindi recalled. “Although it was dark, I could see that all of that was gone — no trees, no scrub oak, no manzanita — nothing.”

As they turned down their long gravel driveway, their headlights came to rest on the go cart and boat next to the well. They were untouched, and a moment of hope engulfed them. As they rounded the corner a little further, they saw glowing embers on the ground and something in the shape of a large box — on fire. As their eyes focused, they realized it was their air conditioning unit from the roof. It was now on the ground and the only thing left. It illuminated the area that once was their home. They could see a metal bench in the distance, just a silhouette surrounded by darkness.

The air conditioning unit from the roof was all that was left of the Sterlings' house. Photo by Matt Sterling.

“Naturally, we were stunned,” Cindi continued. “We stood in front of the ruins and hugged and immediately felt the sweet Spirit of the Lord rest upon us. We shed some quiet tears because of the many memories now in ashes. But we also smiled through the tears because of the things we had been able to save.

Cindi Sterling takes a look at her home along Calernbar Road that burned to ashes as people begin to return home to see the remains on day four of the Humboldt Fire on Saturday, June 14, 2008 in Paradise, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

Answer to Prayer

“As the reality began to sink in, I suddenly realized something very profound,” she added. “And yes, this may sound very strange, but our house burning down was a blessing from the Lord. We immediately knew we had just received an answer to a series of prayers and pleadings to Heavenly Father.”

The series of prayers she was referring to had to do with their home and their disabled daughter, Renee. Over the years as Renee had grown, they began to realize it was becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate her special requirements. Although Matt was a builder, he had not yet come up with a solution to how they might remodel the house to meet Renee's needs. Their friends often joked that they should nominate the family for one of ABC's “Extreme Makeovers” so they could start from scratch and put everything into the house that Renee would need for the rest of her life.

“I also had concerns that as I got older, I might not be able to physically do all the things I had previously done for Renee,” Cindi Sterling continued, “And heaven forbid something were to happen to me or Matt? How would Renee survive in this house?”

The rubble of this house was a blessing in disguise, the Sterlings say. Photo by Matt Sterling.

The family certainly never expected this would be the way the Lord would answer those prayers. The odds of someone's house burning down are fewer than if they had actually been nominated and chosen for TV's “Extreme Makeover.”

“I suppose we will now be starting our own Extreme Makeover,” Cindi quipped. Knowing what she knows now — and that this is an answer to years of prayers and a true blessing in their lives — makes the loss of their home much easier for the family to accept. Except, possibly for Renee.

Cindi added, “This has been difficult for Renee to understand. She is unable to grasp the concept that her home is gone. We have explained how a fire burned our old home but we are going to build a new one. It is imperative for disabled persons to maintain sameness in their lives. Changes in routine can be extremely stressful. All Renee really knows is that her summer school has been cancelled, she is not wearing her same clothes, not in her same house, not in her same room, and not sleeping in her own bed.”

Ryan Sterling surveys the family's burned-out vehicles. Photo by Matt Sterling.

The Sterlings say they are trying to keep upbeat and positive for Renee. “I keep telling her we are going to build her a new mermaid room and she gets to help Mommy paint and decorate. I bought her some new mermaid sheets and pillowcase, but she knows everything is different and it is a huge adjustment for her,” Cindi said.

“As prepared as we were, we just didn't think the house would burn,” she added. “We left some things behind that we had plenty of time to take with us, but we truly believed we would be back to find it all still there. I could have saved my hope chest, DVD's, CD's and keepsakes stored in the attic. Of course, the most important things were still with us and for that we feel extremely blessed.”

The remains of the Sterling family's food storage. Photo by Matt Sterling.

Even though the Sterlings are convinced this is a blessing for them, they would still like to pass on a message to anyone who will listen to do all you can to be prepared for a catastrophic event because homes often burn down in places that don't ever experience wildfires.

“A year ago I went through all my important papers and copied them,” Cindi said. “I had all of the originals at home in a binder with the copies of all those documents someplace safe.” Fortunately the Sterlings had time to get those important documents, but many others were not so lucky. “Ask yourself this question, ‘If the fire department told you that in six hours your house would be gone, what would you take?' and then plan for that possibility.”

Cindi Sterling picks through the collectables she saved from her home that burned to ashes as people begin to return home to see the remains on day four of the Humboldt Fire on Saturday, June 14, 2008 in Paradise, California. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record )

The other message the Sterlings would like to send to the world is their heartfelt gratitude to the firemen. “These firemen are true heroes,” Cindi said. “The third day after the fire the cinders were still hot. Firemen were there in full gear kneeling on the ground, sifting through debris looking for anything they could help us salvage. They helped me look for my jewelry and my marble collection I had had since I was a little girl. Each time they found a melted marble, it was a big deal to the firemen. It brought tears to my eyes that they would care so much.”

Signs are posted near homes along Skyway in Paradise, thanking firefighters for their help Tuesday June 17, 2008. (Bill Husa/Chico Enterprise-Record )

One other ward member and dear friend of the Sterlings', Josette Rogers-Davis, also lost her home. Rae Lyn Hall reported, “When I received a mandatory evacuation notice, Josette offered for me to come and stay at her home. But as it turned out, she fell under mandatory evacuation also.”

Josette Rogers-Davis loaded her possessions in the bed of her pickup truck and stored it with friends. A few days later she flew to Omaha, Nebraska, to cheer on her son, Dale Rogers, at the Olympic Time Trials. “Her son is a swimmer hoping to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. This is his third try and Josette needed to be there,” said Rae Lyn Hall. “She's doing okay. After her house burned we both actually joked about it, saying she has just downsized from a 4,500 sq. ft. house to a 5 sq. ft. pickup truck.”

President George W. Bush has declared a federal state of emergency in several California counties at the behest of Governor Schwarzenegger. The governor also pleaded with citizens to skip fireworks this year.

June 25 2008 In Chico Ca. At the Silver Dollar Fair Grounds Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger got a fire briefing and then gave a press conference. After he visited a few people that were at the fair grounds. In this picture, the press conference. Butte County Supervisior Kim Yamaguchi,USDA Jeanne Pincha-Tully assemblyman Rick Keene and Chico Councilwoman Ann Schwab. (Ty Barbour/Chico Enterprise-Record )

“I know that the people who are selling all this stuff are going to go crazy now when I say this, but don't buy any of the fireworks … you would help the fire department and the state and law enforcement and everyone a tremendous amount. So be careful. Don't buy the fireworks, don't go out and play with fireworks, because it's just too dry and too dangerous to do those things.”

For many charitable organizations that rely on the yearly sale of fireworks to boost their programs, the Governor's recommendation was met with some trepidation. But overall, as most Californians saw the devastation of these fires, and smoke-filled skies, many heeded the governor's counsel.

For additional information, please contact Lisa West, Media Assistant, Sacramento Multi-Stake Public Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. sacpublicaffairs@comcast.net; 916/275-1041

Postscript from the author:

Here is an update since this article was written: Over the past two days, temperatures in California have soared to more than 100 degrees from Fresno north to the Oregon border (111 degrees in Redding and 106 Wednesday in Sacramento , with a new record in Stockton of 107 degrees).  Winds have kicked up, and the Butte County fire has flared up worse than ever. 

Just above Paradise (where the Sterlings lost their home), another 40 homes burned. This brings the total to 114 homes destroyed. 

Although the closest fire to Sacramento is 40 miles away, all of the smoke settles in the Sacramento valley.  The sky is yellow or brown, and you can't even see the sun (even though there are no clouds) because of the smoke).  The smoke burns your eyes and nose, and at the end of the day you can even smell it on your clothes. 

The triple-digit heat makes it even worse.  When you go outside it feels like someone threw a blanket over your head.

I have lived here for 50 years and have never seen fires and smoke this bad. 

The governor called up 400 National Guard to fight fires (and that hasn't happened in 30 years).

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