Lake Tahoe Residents Devastated by Wildfire; Red Cross Responds

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Lake Tahoe Residents Devastated by Wildfire; Red Cross Responds

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Lake Tahoe Residents Devastated by Wildfire; Red Cross Responds

Katie Lawson, Staff Writer, Redcross.org

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 — “It’s a miracle!”

Those are the words Neil Cohn kept repeating as he viewed his South
Lake Tahoe home for the first time after fleeing the Angora Wildfire.
Cohn’s home was one of only two on his street that

The blaze that raged through his neighborhood this week continues to
threaten homes in the small California resort community. The wildfire,
which began Sunday, June 24, was sparked by 30-mph winds and has forced
thousands to evacuate their homes in the Lake Tahoe area.

Although the flames were nearly 40% contained on Monday, strong wind
gusts late Tuesday afternoon caused the flames to jump fire lines,
threatening even more homes and buildings. CNN reports that the blaze
has destroyed at least 276 homes and buildings, and another 1,000
remain at risk.

The American Red Cross has been responding since the fire first broke
out. Two Red Cross emergency response vehicles (ERVs) have been touring
the affected areas, delivering food and water to firefighters who are
still on the scene battling the blaze. The Sacramento Sierra Chapter
set up a shelter at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center and welcomed
roughly 350 people. Two more Red Cross shelters were also recently
opened in Reno, Nev.

Maintaining a Defensive Area

Many residents who were not as lucky as Neil Cohn have a place to stay
free of charge thanks to the generosity of some Lake Tahoe casinos and
motels. Meanwhile, Neil and his family returned to his home for the
fist time Tuesday, after being gone for two days. He discovered windows
cracked by the heat of the fire, rubber window seals melted out of
their seams and paint that had bubbled and cracked along one side.

Still, Neil is able to point out that much is his home is unharmed.
“Look at that redwood bridge in the back yard,” he said. “It wasn’t
even touched.”

Neil and his daughters recognize how lucky they are to have escaped the
wildfire nearly untouched. He attributes some of that luck to his
insistence on maintaining a defensive area around his rural home—a key
strategy in protecting a home against wildfire.

“I’ve been doing that all along and I won’t stop now,” Neil said. “I think it’s a large part of why my home is still standing.”

Neil and his daughters say they are grateful for the support provided
by the American Red Cross as well as other agencies, individuals and
businesses in the community. A Disaster Assistance Center in now in
place at Lake Tahoe Community College where residents have access to a
number of different resources, including the American Red Cross and the
Office of Emergency Services to assist them.

Although the scenery around Neil’s home has changed, and there are many
repairs to make before the recovery is complete, Neil and his family
are committed to repairing the home and enjoying the mountain view.

“We’ll be here,” he said. “We’ll stay.”

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by
voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can
help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year
by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief
Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling
and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross
honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a
specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call
1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the
Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross
chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC
20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting
www.redcross.org.