Lake County Residents Return To Ash After Pawnee Fire

LAKE COUNTY (CBS13) — Some evacuees are returning home Wednesday night to get their first look at the damage left behind from the Pawnee Fire.

The fire was contained at 30 percent as of Wednesday night after burning 13,700 acres and destroying 22 homes since it started Saturday evening.

Evacuees in the community of Spring Valley and areas served by New Long Valley and Old Long Valley Road North of Highway 20, were allowed to return home Wednesday afternoon.

Rodney Harper was one of the evacuees who returned Wednesday and saw what was left of his home for the first time. Harper sifted through the charred remains where his home stood just last week.

"I've got a lot of stuff to be thankful for, this hurts a bunch," Harper said.

Harper and his wife, Katie, has recently moved into the one-story property after Katie began having hip problems.

He said the Pawnee Fire swallowed his home on Saturday, two weeks after his wife had a total hip replacement, and now he says he doesn't know where to go.

Harper said he lost sentimental artwork that he made with his children, his son's recent high school diploma, and tens of thousands of dollars worth of restaurant supplies in the fire.

"Ice makers, espresso machine, blenders, all of it in the garage, gone," Harper said.

He was getting ready to open a cafe after his motorcycle shop fell on hard times.

He not only lost his home on Saturday,  but he lost all the equipment he needed to launch his new venture.

"Trying to reinvent myself to make a living for another 5 to 10 years, you're almost there, the building was supposed to be open last month, we would have had everything," Harper sobbed.

Since his wife's hip replacement, Harper says he's been going non-stop to keep his family afloat.

"You're about ready to explode because you don't know if you can keep up," Harper cried.

But Harper says he won't let the charred memories and destroyed sentimental pieces, beat him.

"I ain't done yet, forward and up, forward or up or in the dirt, ain't going anywhere else," said Harper.

In an effort to support his family in the meantime, Harper says he's going to salvage some of his burned property, including melter metal from his rims which he calls "fire art".

Evacuations were lifted Wednesday morning for areas east of Walker Ridge, North of Highway 20 accessed by Bear Valley Road, Bear Valley and Brim Road, and Leesville and Bear Valley Road.

Fire personnel are still active in the area and CAL FIRE warns residents to drive with caution, access is limited to residents only at this time.

Evacuations are still in place for Spring Valley community which includes all roads accessed off of Old Long Valley Road and New Long Valley Road north of Highway 20. Areas also include Mule Skinner, Long Branch, Watertrough Rd, Flintlock, Muzzleloader, No Guns, Antelope, Cougar, Marianne, Ramrod, and Moccasin.

Evacuees can visit the evacuation center at the Lower Lake High School 9430 Lake Street, Lower Lake, CA.