Angora Fire, The Aftermath.

The following photos some viewers may find shocking, I certainly do. I would like to assure everyone looking that when we got theses photos we showed nothing but respect. We touched nothing, disturbed nothing. The only time we actually got close was in Lee's yard when we were invited, and also in one yard with a swingset because for some reason that house touched us deeply. Still we touched nothing.
Walking around it was unexpectly hot. It was a hot day in Tahoe at 90 degrees, but in the burnt areas it was hotter. Ron says its because there were less trees for shade. I think part of it was the blackened ground absorbing the suns rays. At any rate we could not stand in one spot long, our feet actually felt like they were burning.
I admit I was not prepared for what I saw. My friend Jeanna was with me and she was just as shocked. We noticed that of all thoe homes spared 90% of them had defensible space, something the TRPA (Tahoe Regional Planning Agency) makes it very hard to do legally. The spared homes had lawns, space between then and the trees. We also notice that on any given block that we viewed all but a few homes were burned. In some cases a home stood unscathed where every single home surrounding it burned to the ground. It was eerie and amazing all at once. We saw homes barely touched, with only surface damage, burnt wood and fences, and siding melted clean off. Metal furniture twisted and bent to the point some of it was unrecognizable.
In the movies you see the aftermath of fires and you see things like photographs poking up from the ashes. We saw nothing of the sort, everything was gone. The only things people found they had to dig for and nothing was truly salvagable. People told us of how they found all the silverware melted into a hunk, and jewelry melted where the jewely box once stood. People were walking around calling to pets who had run away when the fire came, desperatly hoping their pets would return to them.
What I saw today broke my heart. I saw the lives of hundrends of people destroyed by the careless act of one person or group of people. I saw the haunted expressions, the pain. I saw a man look me in the eye and tell me "we are ok, its been a week now" but I knew what he really wanted was to scream and cry.

I will never forget what I saw today. Never. I cried for everyone today, all the people who lost everything they owned, the lost pets, lost dreams, lost memories.


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