Support for Family Devastated by Fire

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read this.

On July 11th at around 10:30 pm, I got a call from a sheriff in Lassen County regarding reports of a fire near my mom and stepdad's property. The sheriff asked if I had heard from them, but I hadn't, as they don't have cell reception where they live. He assured me he would call back once the fire department reached their area. That same night, while working on their permanent house about 300 feet from their current home and workshop, my mom and stepdad saw flames whipping up around their storage containers. They rushed to the house, but the workshop was already engulfed in flames. They tried to turn on the hose, but the fire had taken out the electricity, so the water pump wouldn’t turn on. They had a fire extinguisher in the house, which did nothing to help, and the other fire extinguishers were in the workshop, now inaccessible. The smoke was so thick and the fire so hot that they had to flee. Air compressors and propane tanks started exploding, forcing them to retreat.

It took the fire department an hour to reach their home, as they live off-grid, with the nearest neighbor 3 miles away and the nearest town 45 miles away. The fire spread to their house and two storage containers, which held everything they had ever owned. They stood there, helpless, watching everything they had worked so hard for turn to ashes.

The next morning, on July 12th, I received a call from my mom. She informed me that an outlet had caught fire while they were away from their property. My mom and stepdad had moved to Lassen County to buy property and build a home, aiming to be more self-sufficient. My stepdad had cashed in his retirement to buy the property and everything they needed to build their home, including a $12,000 solar system which was their only source of power. They now have no water, as all their water storage was burned to the ground. Welders, air tanks, power tools, hand tools, generators, hardware—all gone. His Harley and a quad that they had just gotten—gone. Thousands of dollars worth of guns and ammo—including the one his dad gave him—gone. All of their house furnishings—gone. Not to mention everything that can never be replaced, like their kids' photos and memorabilia. Their dog, Bentley, made it out but has a burned paw. Everything they worked so hard for is now in ashes.

Despite this immense loss, my mom and stepdad are determined to stay and rebuild. If you are still reading this, any kind of donation would be deeply appreciated. It will take a lot for them to get back on their feet and feel motivated again, but I know if they see this support, it will make a huge difference.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.