Santa Rosa neighborhoods affected by 2017 Tubbs Fire continuing to rebuild
By Kenny Choi
Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park is hardly recognizable these days. The neighborhood was burned to ashes by an unrelenting inferno eight years ago and has been undergoing a rebuild since then.
Emil Lyon lived through the terror of the Tubbs Fire.
“A young guy came and pounded on our door. He said, ‘We got to get out of here. There’s a big fire,” recalled Lyon.
His old red truck somehow survived and still runs strong, but the Tubbs Fire destroyed his home.
“It took us a while to get out of here, but we got out of here,” said Lyon.
He was displaced for nearly two years before his home was eventually rebuilt. He continues to fill his front yard with plants.
“You look at Coffee Park, over 96%, 97% rebuilt with few vacant lots. Fountain Grove still has a lot of construction underway,” said Paul Lowenthal, Santa Rosa Fire spokesperson.
Residents said they’re accustomed to nearly a decade of constant construction. The owner of this home in the Larkfield Wikiup neighborhood, who couldn’t talk to KPIX on camera, said he’s fortunate his home will be completed.
But others in the area haven’t been able to rebuild. Experts say a lack of insurance or no insurance at all is a common reason why.
“I would love to see the area repopulated in a very responsible way,” said a Santa Rosa homeowner, who asked not to be identified.
He moved in after the 2017 wildfire and said it’s good to see more accessory dwelling units also popping up in the neighborhood. His main concern is whether residents will remain vigilant and prepared for the next wildfire whenever that might be.
As residents build more fire-resistant homes, the city’s fire department has bolstered its staff and added a new engine company after voters approved county ballot measure H, giving them more resources.
“It was the right time to put these new units in service, around the anniversary of the Tubbs. It builds into the resiliency that we’ve worked so hard on the last eight years in Santa Rosa,” said Scott Westrope, Santa Rosa Fire chief.
Fire officials said certain areas, including Fountain Grove, have been rid of dangerous tree canopies, but that in some cases, invasive, heavy vegetation is worse than it was in 2017.
In Coffey Park, residents like Emil have settled into their familiar but new neighborhood in many ways.
“It’s a good neighborhood. It really is,” said Lyon.
Like so many in Santa Rosa, he’s adapted and pressing forward in a resilient way.
The Tubbs Fire burned more than 36,000 acres, destroyed over 5,600 structures, and killed 22 people.
