River Fire Evacuees Begin Returning Home, Reunite With Animals
COLFAX (CBS13) — After days of mandatory evacuation orders, families forced to leave their homes due to the River Fire impacting Placer and Nevada counties are now returning home. Some were reuniting with their animals Sunday.
Some families up the road from Colfax High School had their first dinner back at home since the River Fire forced them to leave.
Sunday was a big day not just for homeowners, but pet owners, too. Many reunited with their animals.
It was a homecoming unlike any other. Pigs scrambling back into their mudbaths, geese happily eating their favorite snacks. More than a hundred animals are now safely home at the enchanted forest exotic animal sanctuary in Colfax.
Melyssa Descovich rounded up her livestock after fleeing her home just days ago as the river fire grew dangerously close to her property. A call to action from the community helped get all but four peacocks safely back.
"We are getting notifications all over Facebook that they are being spotted all over town," Descovich said.
The California Office of Emergency Services shared a photo on social media thanking community members who opened their stalls and homes to shelter displaced animals.
The River Fire was 65% contained as of Sunday evening. The threat forced Colfax Elementary to delay the start of school to August 18.
Patrick Forseth said he's feeling grateful to have a home still standing and being able to return this weekend.
"It's quite a relief," he said. "We were very nervous and worried for a few days."
As for Descovich, she hopes others get the same homecoming as she did with her animals.
"Hopefully everyone. This will mean that during this horrible fire we will not have lost anybody, we will have everybody home," she said.
As those evacuations get lifted and more families return home, Cal Fire reminds people that hazards do remain as crews continue working to gain full containment of the fire.