A year ago this week, rural Vacaville was in shambles. Walls of fire encircled the area and many residents lost their homes, their businesses and some even lost their lives.
Today, the grief remains raw, though survivors say they’re doing their best to move forward from the devastating LNU Lightning Complex Fire. In total, 350,000 acres were lost along with 1,500 structures and six people were killed.
Missy, Steve and Zack Benzinger own the nonprofit Zinger Ranch animal sanctuary off Pleasants Valley Road.
It’s normally a vast, peaceful place where you can shuck your worries among friendly goats, cows, chickens, dogs and other furry pals. But on Aug. 19, 2020, all of that changed in an instant.
Flames had quickly crested the ridge near their residence and they didn’t have much time to evacuate. Neighbors pitched in and got the family to safety, though the chickens at the entrance to the property didn’t make it out.
On Thursday, the family stood inside their new chicken coops and played with the relaxed fowl.
“We built all this for the ones we lost,” Missy said, indicating the two outbuildings. “We’ve been focusing on the rebuild.”
No doubt, it’s been a tough year. Four of Zack’s classmates had lost their homes, COVID-19 shut down Zack’s school and, like others, he was forced to distance learning.
“Our biggest takeaway was at any time at all you could be on your own,” she continued.
Though a deep sadness remains, Missy said they have much to appreciate including their health, that their house is still standing, many of their rescue animals are still with them and that they now know many more of their neighbors.
As well, Zack is back in class, the community has helped with some reseeding and building, Zinger Ranch became a nonprofit and they bought a bigger truck.
“If something happens, we can help our neighbors,” Missy said. The truck, she added, helped them move a galvanized pool up to the house in case more water is needed in an emergency.
The family is also big on defensible space, weed-whacking way more than expected just in case.
“We’re supposed to do 50 feet but we do 200,” she said.
Steve said he worries that, should another fire require evacuation, those with animals may be at risk due to county protocols.
“If there’s a fire and you leave, you may not be able to get back on and animals will die,” he pointed out. Residents, he said, may not want to take that risk.
“That was the most traumatizing part of the fire,” Missy chimed in. “That inflexibility.”
Heather Carollo also experienced loss due to the raging fire.
Her home, a beautiful space she shared with her husband and children, was razed and she learned of the desolation a day after the fire struck.
But thanks to a friend who called to warn the family, the Carollos had an hour to pack up and evacuate. Because they had a gathering at the home at the time, there were people to help them. Despite the darkness of the moment, she said, there were blessings.
“We had a moment where we know a lot of people didn’t have that,” Carollo said.
A friend gave them a contact who took the family in for two weeks and not only looked after them, but fed them three meals a day. It made their losses — their house, a work truck and tools — a bit easier to take.
“It was mind-blowing the way people came together. It was really, really humbling,” she shared. “We have made a lot of friendships through this crazy, terrible experience.”
The community fund-raised for them, started a meal train and sent an abundance of gifts.
“Amazon packages kept showing up at the gate,” Carollo recalled.
This week, ground was broken on their new house. It will sit where the old one did, just because.
Animals were brought back to the property — the chickens and their coops had survived though some pet snakes did not — and their shop was intact, as well, allowing her husband to continue to work.
Meanwhile, the family is back on the property in a Fifth-Wheel travel trailer, school is back in session and all are grateful.
“It’s been nice to see some forward movement,” she enthused.
Denise Revel and her husband, Dan Schwartz, spent the anniversary of the fire fly fishing in Fall River Mills.
“We had to escape the one-year anniversary. We didn’t want to be there and live through it again,” she said.
The loss of their hilltop lavender fields, workshop and inventory that made up Girl on the Hill was excruciating. Add to that COVID-19 restraints and the death of their beloved dog, Hazel, and you have a seemingly perpetual downward spiral.
Getting away was just a marvelous idea.
“It’s just the experience of being out on a river, being out in nature,” Revel emphasized, explaining the very amazing and much-needed distraction.
Though the initial revelation of their losses were heartbreaking, she shared, 150 of 4,000 lavender plants had survived and have returned. A crew came to cut back their vineyard canes and they, as well, are regrowing.
“We were hoping and you just never know how things are going to turn out,” she said.
She’s harvested what she could of her lavender to make eye pillows, her only product for the year. Though they make her smile, she’s still quite sad.
“We’ve suffered a lot of grief,” she said. “Dan and I have struggled a lot.”
So, she’s rethinking what the future will look like. Most likely, it will include a wonderful labyrinth of lavender.
“People can come to a quiet, meditative place, walk through the labyrinth and clear their minds,” she explained.
The spot will help her grieve the adorable Hazel, and others find their own peace.
“God only knows we need it and I’m sure a lot of people need it as well,” she said.
The survivors shared lessons they learned from the fire in hopes that others will have more of a head start than they did. They include:
- Defensible space. Make it happen. Now.
- Know your neighbors — who they are, where they are, whether they have animals, whether they have transport for those animals.
- Have a safety plan for you and your animals. How will you get out, where will you meet up, what’s your destination and that of your animals if they can’t come with you?
- Make sure you know where your important documents and items are so you can grab them and go.
- Keep a go bag with clothes, food and water, medications and anything else you might need.
- Check your insurance. Many residents were under-insured and didn’t factor in belongings, Carollo said, so take a look.
- Join the Pleasants Valley Fire Safe Council. It’s new, headed by people dedicated to safety and you get to know people who have likely been through what you have.
Revel, for one, heavily promotes it. It’s been a great support, she said, ad you’re always learning something.
“We have a good group of friends. We’re all there for each other,” she said. “The Pleasants Valley Fire Safe Council has been the most positive and valuable resource we have created to keep ourselves and our neighbors safe.
“We encourage everyone to attend our meeting once a month. Bring a chair and a friend. Together, we need to be prepared.”
For more information on the Fire Safe Council, call Rose Loveall at 888-5013 or visit https://bit.ly/3xZPfli.
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