The sound of aircraft has quieted, ashen skies and unbreathable air have given way to familiar blue sky and Lake County’s famous fresh air. The raging inferno, labeled the Valley Fire, is nearing 100 percent containment. Photos of the emblazoned sky, impenetrable smoke, fire-framed evacuation routes, miles of headlights crawling to escape, the devastating loss of homes and pristine natural habit have been etched in our collective memory. The history books will record this as California’s third worst fire. We are grateful for firefighters, emergency responders and countless gestures of humanitarianism. We give thanks for the rainfall amid the conflagration.
Now we are faced with the aftermath. Shelters and assistance centers rim the lake. Help is coming from every direction. FEMA, Red Cross, and a host of local organizations and individual volunteers are demonstrating an unprecedented outpouring of support, drawing our community together in re-building. “Lake County Strong” is being seen and heard amid the devastation. Hope rises as we realize by uniting our efforts we have a chance to not only restore what was, but to actually make things better. Those who have helped out at one of the assistance centers are saddened to hear story after story of loss, but at the same time inspired by story after story of courage and gratitude. Despite the fact that so many in our community are sifting through ashes, there is very little “woe is me” to be heard.
On the long journey to recovery we will continue to press together in meeting our challenges with a resilient spirit, defined as bouncing back into shape after being stretched, bent or compressed and recovering strength. With crisis comes opportunity. With setback comes a path to progress.
Paving the way to a brightening future will create opportunities to continue supporting emotional well-being and basic welfare of children and families, to strategically develop affordable and transitional housing, to create employment and economic stability, and to increase public safety. The challenges we faced before the devastation will not disappear, and the urgency to take action has dramatically increased. We are grateful that resources and people are coming together, and it will be important not to let momentum fade. Though the path to progress will not be easy or smooth, we are grateful for the spirit of community that continues to grow. There are numerous factors that will come into play moving forward, but sustaining our community connection will be among our greatest assets in rebuilding and restoring what we had, as well as inspiring all that is possible for us to become.
