Guitarist Volker Strifler cannot imagine what it would be like for a musician to lose all of their instruments in a natural disaster. Instruments become a part of the musician. This inspired him to collaborate on the benefit music CD “Out of the Fire.” He believes we need to focus on the spirit as well as the physical aspects of fire recovery.

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Found object artist Adam Shaw and his family survived the North Bay Wildfires fighting back the flames around their Sonoma Valley home. The objects he has collected and curated are used within his evocative works of art to express the damage that trauma can inflict, and also the hope that it can inspire.

 

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On Monday night, The City of Santa Rosa invited the community to attend a ceremony and express themselves with chalk art in Courthouse Square.

KRCB reporter Adia White met the Terrazas family there. She listened to the stories of 15-year-old Isabella and younger brother Jesse.Their family was separated after they lost their  home in the Tubb’s fire. They are now living apart with friends and other family members. The Terrazas family, with 15-year-old Isabella on the left and 12-year-old Jesse in the middle. Credit: Adia White

This week we are remembering the night the wildfires ripped through our community. In observance of the anniversary of the fires, the City of Santa Rosa invited members of the community to illustrate their experiences with chalk in Courthouse Square. In this audio postcard, KRCB reporter Adia White listens to Lisa Mast as she writes messages of hope on the sidewalk with her friends. Coffey Park resident Lisa Mast (right) with friend. Credit: Adia White

 

Yesterday we heard about the report of the Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury –- a report that found serious shortcomings in the county’s emergency preparedness. One part of the jury’s report concerns the evacuation and sheltering of animals displaced in the wildfires.

The anniversary of the October wildfires is coming next month. Even now, some aspect of the disaster is in the headlines nearly every day.

On August 28, Sonoma County held its first wildfire recovery meeting entirely in Spanish – nearly 11 months after the October fires began. About a hundred people showed up at Lawrence Cook Middle School in Roseland to meet with county officials. Reporter Adia White was there and has more on residents’ The Larkfield neighborhood in Santa Rosa was devastated by the Tubbs Fire. Many Spanish speakers were affected by rising rents after thousands were displaced during the October fires. Photo Credit: Lars Plougmanntop concerns.

This report was supported by a grant from Internews.