Hello, friends.
I find it difficult to start sharing the many recent makes that I’ve yet to photograph before delving into a recent “natural” disaster that happened on our ranch. If you follow me on Instagram, you may already be aware that we had a fire hit our pastures. This was the most frightening event thus far in my life as it was not only unexpected, but it was fraught with worry and not knowing if the life that I and generations before me had built was going to turn into ash. The outcome was thankfully not a devastating one, but the experience was somewhat traumatic.
The Detwiler Fire started on a Sunday in a remote area called Hunters Valley about 20 miles away. Fires seem to burn over there in the chaparral and dry grasses quite often and although the smoke was horrid, we did not worry that it would travel that far to reach us. Of course we were concerned for the folks we know who live in that area and the pets, livestock and wildlife. The fire started burning fast and spread quickly. Many people only had minutes to evacuate and get out of it’s path. We watched it’s progression both online and by watching the smoke from our side of the mountain. The smoke was so thick that it permeated everything and obstructed the view of the sun.
By Monday as we heard of more and more people being evacuated as the fire spread, we started thinking about getting ready to evacuate ourselves. I honestly never thought it would happen. It was more of a preparedness thing and something that we think about quite often in my area as wildfires are always a threat. In fact, my grandpa (who was a volunteer firefighter) spent decades preparing our ranch and our houses on our ranch for a wildfire. There were two times in my life that I can remember a fire coming close to our ranch. The first was in the early 90’s when we watched a wildfire burn on the mountain across from us, which was then quickly extinguished. The second was in the 00’s, when I drove home from college in South Dakota to find a burned up patch by a turnout on the highway below us and fire crews in our driveway mopping up a small fire caused by a vehicle fire. That, too, was quickly put out.
As the fire quickly spread on Monday night and got closer to us, both my family and our neighbors started thinking more seriously about it. We moved livestock to a safe place and some of our neighbors started bulldozing and clearing a line. My family set up an evacuation plan and we thought about what we would take if it happened. Then on Tuesday morning the fire reached Mt. Bullion and began ripping through the brush. We figured that we had a highway between our mountain and there, but I started getting ready. The fire had fingers that went off in different directions and I think it was still 0% contained at that time. It was an unpredictable and very quick moving fire as the high grass from our recent wet winter paired with the dead trees from the drought combined to make highly flammable fuel for the fire.
Tuesday morning we received a call from the Sheriff for mandatory evacuations for my little town on a road about 3 miles away. That’s when I started packing. Before long there was a nixle update on my phone texted to me and my area was under evacuation orders, too. Our “finger” of the fire had jumped the road and crossed over to our mountain.
It is a surreal feeling when you pack your belongings to evacuate a home you may never come back to. After the animals, important documents and emergency supplies were taken care of, what really matters? I originally had plans to take two of my sewing machines and my vintage patterns. I walked around the house and looked at my possessions along with all of those that I have that belonged to family members before me. Some of those things are just things. They have memories attached to them, but they aren’t the memories themselves. I walked around the house and thought about what cannot be replaced. I packed up all of the family photo albums along with our century old family heirloom quilts. I looked at my closet full of dresses and thought to myself that I can sew those again. I looked at my sewing machines and decided that those could be replaced. I felt a little bad for taking a recently made dress off my dressform to pack as it seemed materialistic, but the dress was made of vintage 1950’s fabric I had recently unearthed in a trunk that could not be replaced. I basically packed clothing that was easy to wear and care for and that was cool enough to wear in the summer heat, threw in some jewelry and make-up and headed out the door. My parents had their RV hooked up and ready to go. Our animals were loaded and we got ready to head out of the driveway just as a deputy drove in the yard to ask if we needed help evacuating. As we left, we saw the fire on the side of our mountain and planes flying over our heads dropping water and retardant. I snapped a pic of my house and prayed that when we returned that it would still be standing.
That day and the next were the two most agonizing days of my life. The worst was that we did not know what was going on. We didn’t know if our house had succumbed to the flames. We looked for any news that we could find and were so thankful for Facebook as we had two local fire and emergency groups that we were able to keep updated on. My parents stayed in their RV beyond the evacuation point and heard from neighbors who did not evacuate and from fire personnel. My husband and I stayed down in the valley in a crappy Motel 6, but we were just happy to be allowed to have our dogs and cats with us and to be safe and cool for the time being. I had brought a book to read as well as a dress I was beading for Costume College. I could not concentrate enough to read or bead or do anything else but worry and cry, because not knowing was fearful and agonizing. They had evacuated about 50% of my county by that time and from the valley I could see a big plume of smoke.
Wednesday morning my dad had called and said the fire was behind our barn. I wept all morning as I imagined everything that my family has built going down in flames. My house is more than just a house as my grandparents lived here and my grandpa built it. My grandpa also built our barn and outbuildings and our other houses and there are hundreds of years of family antiques and memories contained inside. Just thinking that it could all have been gone was the saddest feeling. When my dad called around noon and said that we were “okay”, I could finally relax.
The fire crept all around our ranch and nearly swallowed it whole. Fire crews from all over the state were stationed on our ranch combating the flames. My dad told me that a crew from Grass Valley held a line behind our barn for 36 hours. I saw a post doing a hashtag search on IG and found firefighters from Rancho Santa Fe below our house saving it. As well as firefighters from Grass Valley and Rancho Santa Fe, we have met crews on our ranch from Bakersfield, Turlock, Chino and Porterville. There were many others that we did not meet and I hope they know how thankful we are. I am eternally grateful to the firefighters who saved our houses and to the law enforcement who kept us safe. Without them we would have lost it all.
Although it looked like our prayers were answered and our house was protected, the fire continued to rage. My parents decided to come down with their dogs and get a room at our motel on Thursday. The evacuations were not lifted for our area until Saturday and that’s when we went home. For another 24 hours fire crews were still stationed at our ranch. After that for a week or so, they were still in the vicinity to put out any flare ups. My husband went on patrol in the pastures every day and had to put out a couple of hot spots. They were in the burned area, so the crews were not too worried about it, but when some flames went up, they came and put them out.
I feel very fortunate, especially as I know many people came home to nothing but ash. That could have very well been my family’s outcome. They stopped the fire at our wells, which are on the hill behind our barn. The fire surrounded my house, except for one little strip on the side. The only casualty was an old sheep barn that was not in use. A lot of the darkened hillside and pastureland looks like dark shadows, but it’s really eerie to gaze at every day knowing how close the fire came. I am eternally thankful to those who helped to save our place.
The entrance to our ranch. To the left is one of two strips of land that isn’t burnt.
Going down the driveway. My parents house is up on the hill to the left with the other strip of pasture that isn’t burnt. At the end of the driveway is our barn.
Looking up the side of the mountain from our house. The line there is where our well is. It doesn’t look like it, but the whole mountain is burned. The green that’s still on the trees kind of obscures it. You can also see some of the retardant that they dropped.
Looking off our deck at the back of the house. They stopped the fire right below us and it did not cross the road. Unfortunately the fire burned almost all of the pastures for the neighboring ranch below us and all of the ranches above us on the mountain.
A fire line using a cow trail to the right side of our house/barn beyond the corrals. There was a manure pile there, too, and it burned up.
Burned up grass and my ashy boots.
The remains of the sheep barn.
This part of the creek is one of my favorite spots. It’s all ashes.
Looking down from the side of the mountain. That unburnt part is where they stopped the fire at our well behind our barn.
The backside of my house. My grandpa built those rock walls all around the back and the left side and that’s where the fire stops.
Looking on the bright side, many of the trees that died during the drought have burned. We also had a lot of brush that came down the creeks during the wet winter. The fire cleaned all of that up. I think much of the grass will begin growing again once it starts raining and the pastures will be renewed. Our mountain hasn’t burned for 90+ years, so I guess it was time. It was a terrible experience to go through, but I felt that my grandpa was watching over all of us and keeping us and our homes safe.
— Tanya
It was so moving to read your account of the fire and see your photographs. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. When these things happen it makes us realise what really matters in life. I am so glad that you are all safe.
Thanks for the update. Such a scary experience! Your grandpa certainly did a good job in protecting the family property and those firefighters are heroes!
Thank you for writing this and am so glad you and your family are okay. I live in Victoria Australia, the most bushfire prone area in the world. Living in a country town we have a fire kit organised each summer. Our farming friends have their fire clothes and evacuation tubs ready to go at a moments notice.The ember attacks are so frightening, smell of smoke permeates clothing, furnishings, etc and the black gunk covering everything is so hard to remove. My thoughts go out to you if you are also experiencing this. Could you post some photos after a few months so we can see the green returning to the earth.
Thank you, Sam. Those bush fires sound like terrifying events. The smoke and ash was the worst at the beginning of the fire when the winds were blowing the smoke towards us and then when it was on top of the mountain with the high flames. It seems to have been a slower burn when it came down to us as they stopped it right below us on our neighbor’s ranch. I can’t wait for summer to be over and for the rainy weather to start. I will definitely share some photos as it as the grass comes back.
So glad your are well Tanya, and your home and family are likewise safe.
My thoughts to those who were hurt or lost property.
I can’t imagine the visceral fear of such an experience and am very thankful that I can’t. All I can think about is the selfless bravery of the firefighters, who worked so hard to protect people and homes.
Thank you for the intimacy of sharing your story and the pictures.
I hope you will share pictures of when the land comes back to life – I live in a country susceptible to bushfires too, and the images of how things regenerate is always healing.
Thank you again.
Thank you for your kind words. Those firefighters are definitely heroes. We are so thankful for them. I really can’t wait for the rain to come and to watch the grass come back. It’s still so sad looking out on the black pastures. I will definitely share photos of the rebirth of the land.
wow, what an incredible story! I am so glad it turned out OK for you.
Thank you, Deborah. We’re so very fortunate and are thankful to our firefighters.
OMG! Tanya, I never realized that we are so close geographically, as well as sewing interests. I am very involved in Little League, and Mariposa is in my district that my husband, Tony and I oversee. We are close friends of Matt and Teri Arebalo through LL. She works at The Miners Inn. My nephew and neice, Joe and Cathy Lema hiked into your area to help just anyone move their animals, then they and our family started a drive for just anything for those who lost thier homesand food for their animals. Please do not laugh, but I included fabric, thread, needles, scissors, etc, and hobby things for adults and kids. I even bought a sewing machine from Costco. A 4Her recieved it, along with the fabric so that she could remake her 4H sewing projects. The crayons, coloring books, Perler beads, etc. were used up in shelters, and given to homes. Thank goodness for Oriental Trading. I live in Turlock, and I love your area. My husbands career was at CSU, STANISLAUS, so moving to God’s country was not possible. Every morning i che ked Calfire to see what was going on, and doublechecked beforebed. I am so happy that you and your family came out so well. Next we will worry about the rains. I will pray for snow, but not rain. That will help regenerate your land and hopefully will not cause mudslides. The stone walls that your Grandfather built, were they extentions of the “Chinese”walls that you see for the miles snaking through the hills? The history of where you live is fascinating. Everyone reading this, she lives near the famous Hiway 49, which follows in the hills the mining townsof 1849. Mariposa is home to the world famous mining and ore museum which draws people from all over the world. Yes, I am so happy that you had few problems of long standing. And do not feel quilty forgrapping your fabric. My husband knows that incase of fire, once the pets are safe, it is my sewing room. Firxt the machines, then theplastic boxes, fabric first. I package my fabric with all notions, exceptcommon thread. But special color thread is, a needle wrapped in plastic, zippers, buttons, interfacing, and misc. just for that outfit,and then my notes, what pattern, and other plans. They are placed in plastic boxes, along with other projects that make up the matrix. They go, then my patterns, some of which were grandmas. So do not feel bad, many of us would havemade your decision, and more. I feel as if we are neighbors now. I do not sew for myself in retro fifties patterns, but I watch you do it and I am so envious. I am VERY curvy, and the time it takes me alter the pattern to fit me,just is to much. But i am thinking of using either the Lenox by Casmerette or the Penny by Colette, and then doing some hacks to make a shirt dress like my mother wore. Again, I am so happy that you are safe. Melody Lema, from Turlock
Thanks, Melody. Thanks also to you and your family for helping out those in my community who have lost their homes. I also donated some crafty stuff as a friend’s in-laws lost their home, so my mom and I gave her a bunch of yarn and needles to keep her hands busy and help de-stress from this terrible event.
The rock walls that we have are made from rocks found in our pastures, but are a bit sturdier than the Chinese walls as they are reinforced with rebar and cemented together. We do have some Gold Rush era Chinese walls below us.
The Lenox is a great patterns and I look forward to seeing some versions of the Penny. Good luck with your shirtdress!
Tanya, I’m so glad to hear that you and your family are safe and had a home to return to. I can’t imagine what a truly terrifying experience this must have been, and I’m so sorry you had to go through this. It’s amazing to hear about the dedication and hard work of the firefighters and emergency responders, and it must be reassuring to know that you have people fighting for you, even when you can’t be there yourself. Hopefully being back home will bring you peace, and life can start getting back to normal. Sending hugs.
Thank you, Carolyn. The firefighters treated our home like it was there and stayed for many days to protect it. I am so thankful for them and blessed to have a home to come back to.
Well done to your grandpa, I didn’t realise from your IG posts how much he’d built defences against fire into the property, like that stone wall. As an Australian it’s interesting how so few of your trees burnt- our bush is made up of gum trees which have the unfortunate habit of exploding in a fire, so you end up with the canopy burning as well as the ground. I hope you get some rain soon so the grass will grow up and the black will seem less stark, and you might find unexpected flowers and shoots and new life popping up as the bush goes into survival mode after the fire.
Thank you. Yes, my grandpa put a lot of thought into defensible space. We work hard to keep that space up. The oak trees here are pretty sturdy. The only one that I can see that have burnt are the ones that were already dead from the drought. The pine trees seem to explode when they burn. I can tell where one was when the ash is white. I really can’t wait for the summer to be over and the rain to start. I look forward to seeing how the pastures replenish themselves.
It seems grandpa knew a thing or to building that wall. So glad your homestead was not lost. Thank you for sharing this, must have been so nerve wracking over those days. Thinking of you and all your neighbours.
Yes, that wall is a blessing for so many reasons! It definitely was a terrible experience. We’re just relieved and thankful that we had a home to come home to and that our animals are safe and sound.
I was so happy to see that your family got through this ordeal okay. People complain and highlight all the negative aspects of social media, but it was comforting to be able to keep tabs on you guys and know that you were safe. And the plus side that there wasn’t any major damage to your property was truly a blessing.
Thank you, Abbey. I’m so happy that you and others were thinking about us. Social media is a great tool for a disaster like this. The news media could not keep up with what was happening and from social media, we were able to know what was going on.
Thank you for telling your story, Tanya! I didn’t realise wildfires have always been so common there. I’m so impressed with the work by the fire crews, and grateful that your house and your family’s legacy is safe!
Thanks, Gillian! They are an unfortunate way of life here. The forest fires in the high country are often a necessary thing, but it’s terrible when they venture into populated areas. We’re so thankful to have our home.
I read your post with tears running down my face. My town is full of evacuees from the fires raging around British Columbia and we have been sitting in smoke since early July. Some days visibility in smoke is under a mile. There are no fires threatening us (at the moment – one stray spark could change that in an instant. As you said, the wet winter & spring made for extravagently lush growth, which has since dried and turned into fuel), but we’ve had the discussion about what to take if it should happen. I am thankful that your home and animals were saved. I can feel your relief all these miles away. What heros the firefighters are!
The fires up in your area look so terrible. I hope we all get a reprieve soon. I look forward to summer being over. I hope you and those in your community are all safe.
Praise God this was not catastrophic for you!
We are very blessed.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am so glad you and your family and animals are all safe.
Thank you. We’re so very grateful to have our home and that we’re all safe.
Wildfires are so very harrowing. The unpredictability of a wildfire is absolutely terrifying and to have your livelihood tied into the land it becomes even more scary. Thank you for talking about it here. I hope that you find peace and helps you recover from the trauma of ordeal.
You’re right, things can be replaced, but it is devestating to rebuild after a fire.
I grew up on the prairie of South Dakota, where there were wild grass fires. Even though it’s highly unlikely we would have something like that here in Iowa I have an evacuation plan in place for the family, pets and livestock.
I think wherever you live it’s good to have a plan just in case of an emergency. Thank you for your kind words. I’m not sure that I will feel 100% safe again until it starts raining and the grass turns green again. It’s still so devastating to look out at the scorched pastures surrounding us.
You Californians are made of strong stock. My daughter is now counted among you. She’s a teacher at an outdoor school for ecology in Cambria, where they prepare for evacuating students and themselves, not only from wildfires, but also from tsunamis. I hope all of you there stay safe. (On the other side of the Ring of Fire is my son in Japan, where I don’t worry about wildfires, only earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons. )
It seems that wherever we live that we may have some kind of disaster to think of and prepare for. I’m thankful to have it through this one.
Thank you for posting.
🙂
I’m so sorry that you and your family had to go through that experience. How terrifying.
Thank you. It’s definitely not an experience that I’d wish for anyone.
Sounds like your Grandpa knew what he was about! So glad you were all ok in the end as I cannot imagine how the whole episode must have been for you x here’s hoping your mountain has had its turn now xx
Thank you, Jenni. He definitely knew what he was doing. My fingers are crossed that it won’t burn again for a very long time.
Oh, so sorry about this. I’m glad you are OK.
Thank you, Deb. We are so happy and thankful that we made it through this alive and well.
So glad that you and your family came through this fire event safe and well. I’m writing from Australia where bushfires are a fact of life and in some summers the ash and smoke from fires turns the skies purple black even deep inside Melbourne’s boundaries. You are living a unique and lovely way being so close to your families history of work and the things they’ve made. It’s a blessing that these things survived and you can go on with your lives. I enjoy your sewing adventures and admire the way you have a go at things and share them with the world. Looking forward to more of your adventures Tanya
Thank you so much for your kind words. Bush fires seem to be such a disastrous thing to witness. Wildfire is a good thing, but terrible when it takes people’s homes and livelihood with them. I’m very thankful to still have a home.
I’m so glad that you and you family (and pets) are safe. I’m also grateful that you grandpa had the foresight to put in protective measures. I hope you have gentle and persistent rains this winter than nourish the ground and bring new life to the pastures. I hope you share photos of the green when it returns.
Thank you, Kristen. I really look forward to the rain and hope it comes soon, and hopefully not in a torrential downpour. It will be interesting to watch the pastures heal themselves.
Tanya, I can’t even imagine how terrifying that must have been on so many levels. I’m so happy that it turned out the way it did in the end, but so sorry you had to endure it. Good on those firefighters- what amazing work!
Thank you, Meg. I hope that we will never have to go through it again. We’re so very thankful to our firefighters.
What a scare! Good to hear that all ended well for your family and home!
It was the scariest experience of my life. So glad to have made it through relatively unscathed.
How horrifying for you, I am so glad for the very brave firefighters who saved your ranch, and that you were all unhurt.
Thank you, Patricia. We are very blessed and so thankful.
I’m so glad you were safe and still have your home. Fires are frightening. Thank God for the firefighters.
Thank you. Fires are definitely a scary thing. I’m thankful that we made it through.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and pictures. I hope your recovery will be fast, along with the refresh for your land.
My prayers are with you and your neighbors.
Thank you, Ann. I’m looking forward to some rain and watching the pastures replenish themselves. We feel very blessed that our home is still standing.
There’s nobody braver than firefighters. I’m so glad you are safe.
Yes, they sacrifice themselves for us and I’m so thankful for them.
Thank you so much for sharing this story. I’ve never had to evacuate, but fires have come close enough to our Northern California home that I’ve gathered valuables. I really related to that feeling of “it’s just stuff” combined with the recognition that there are so many memories intertwined with the objects. With the family history you have on your property, that must have been overwhelming. I’m just so happy for you that your property was saved. I’m curious how the fire will affect your pasture lands and the grazing. I hope you will see something positive come in the aftermath of the fire. Maybe new/different plant growth? Where we live, some of the native plant species need the heat of a fire to spread.
All the best to you and your family,
Kim
Thanks, Kim. It’s the first time that we’ve had to grab our stuff and leave. It’s definitely not something I ever want to do again or that I would wish for anyone to experience. I think the fire will be good for the land, although there is going to be a lot trees to clean up and erosion to control.
I’m so thankful your house was saved. We had our house burn in 2010 and things can be replaced, though it hurt to lose pets and family heirlooms. Your fields will be brilliant green after the first rain. Its a gorgeous renewal wrought from a harrowing experience. Hugs to you, your family and animals.
Oh, how terrible Heidi. What a horrific event for you. I am very thankful to still have a home.
Oh my goodness Tanya, I’m so glad you and your family and animals are ok!! Wildfires in our northern California hills are just devastating.
Thank you, Cadi. It’s always something we fear, but hope that it never reaches us.
I’ve never commented before, although I love your sewing posts. I’m so glad your home, barn and family history was able to be saved from the fire. My heart hurts for those around you who weren’t as lucky. I live in fire country too (although it’s not as bad as California), and watching how fire licks around property and can seemingly be so fickle, touching one house and not the one next to it, is heartbreaking and terrifying. Wishing you and those around you the best.
Thank you, Di. It’s definitely not an experience that I would wish for anyone. Just glad we made it through it, especially when others were not so lucky.