Santa Rosa red flag warning conjures memories of wildfires since 2017
SANTA ROSA - As a red flag warning blankets Santa Rosa and surrounding areas this weekend, residents like Bruce McConnell are grappling with memories of past disasters.
"The red flag warning, immediately you start thinking, 'There was a red flag warning back then.' And we actually saw the start of the Tubbs Fire from our backyard," McConnell said.
The Tubbs Fire obliterated McConnell's home, a residence he had shared with his wife Kathy in Fountain Grove since 2000.
"You can see over in the distance, those are all new homes. They all burned, and far out on that hill, they burned," McConnell said.
Living in an area perpetually threatened by wildfires, McConnell has taken proactive measures to safeguard his property. Wooden fences, once a direct line for fire, have been replaced, aligning with recommendations that have emerged from the community's collective experiences.
"You hear the red flag warning, you get a pin on your phone and it catches you, it takes your breath away. Everybody who lived through the 2017 fires was incredibly devastated. And then they were followed by the 2019 Kincade Fire, and in 2020, the Walbridge and the Glass Fire, the Paradise Fire in 2018. Year after year, triggering that emotional fear," said Lisa Carreño, CEO of United Way of Wine Country.
"We provide the 211 service 24/7 so people can get access to resources and information about housing, economic assistance, food, and other basic needs. But when we have a red flag warning, 211 is directly connected to the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, and it's live information from them," said Carreño.
Despite the worry, McConnell and his wife Kathy choose to stay put.
"It was a long, hard road, but we're finally back in the home, creating new memories in our home," McConnell said.