As the five-year anniversary of the Tubbs, Nuns and Sonoma Complex fires approaches, I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions. At top of mind always is the 22 lives lost, the grief of their families and our community at such tragedy. I vividly recall the stories shared with me about how families were alerted to the approaching inferno, franticly packing a few essentials, family members and pets into vehicles, and escaping with flames lapping at their tires…or feet. I remain in awe of the sheer scale and swiftness of the destruction endured by our county during the fires of October 2017, continue to be horrified by the stories of narrow escapes from the flames, and gratified by community coming together to thank our first responders and ease the loss of so many.
While anniversaries serve as helpful demarcations to reflect on events and their impacts, they bring back painful memories of trauma and loss and don’t fully account for the lifelong journey of recovery, the highs and lows, the cycles of frustration, triumph, fear; nearly every imaginable emotion. Five years of time marching forward can be disorienting – so much has happened in the intervening years, yet it feels like just yesterday. We have endured fires since then: the Kincade Fire in 2019, and the Wallbridge, Meyers, and Glass Fires in 2020. With each fire we learn important lessons on alert and warning systems, identifications of evacuation zones, safe and early evacuations, and how to help those who lost so much. Beyond the fires, we experienced a pandemic, flooding, power outages and, even just earlier this month, a record-breaking heat wave. While Sonoma County is not alone in these experiences of disaster, our community suffers an immense fatigue from the compounding of traumas. We have five years behind us, but have we had time to heal?
It is undeniable that the 2017 fires changed Sonoma County forever. While I am hopeful that we as a community are more prepared for fire than ever, we also face, as a consequence of climate change, longer and more intense drought, heat and fire seasons than ever before. This year, the third year of an extreme drought, we must remain vigilant and ready in case of emergency. I hope you were able to visit the Community Preparedness Fair in Larson Park, sponsored by the Springs Municipal Advisory Council. Thank you all to all of the organizations and agencies for bringing important information to help our community prepare for emergencies. But even if you couldn’t make it, please make sure you are signed up for emergency alerts, have a go-bag ready, and know your evacuation zone. To learn about all of these preparedness activities and more, visit SoCoEmergency.org.
While I grapple with the overwhelming emotions of this anniversary, I’m also reflecting on the more tangible markers of the last five years. Most personally, I moved back into my rebuild in the summer of 2021, and continue to slowly replant my growing garden with an eye for defensible space – if it weren’t for the drought, heat spike last week and the deer nibbling at my plants, it would be further along.
Across the unincorporated areas of the county, 64.9% of parcels with destroyed structures from the 2017 fires have been rebuilt, with an additional 25% in construction. The City of Santa Rosa has also made tremendous progress in rebuilding from 2017, with 1,947 parcels rebuilt and an additional 270 currently in construction, as of writing. Not all fire survivors chose to rebuild; fire trauma, lack of insurance and inability to navigate through the rebuilding process all played a role in decision making. A number of families chose to relocate to feel safer or be closer to families.
PG&E settlement funds awarded to both the city and the county have been allocated towards historic investments to repair fire damaged roads, to implement a vegetation management grant program, to jumpstart the construction of city-centered infill housing, efforts toward climate change, and more priority projects that make our county more resilient. Lastly, I always think about the ways neighbors have come together, in ways both formal – forming Map Your Neighborhood and COPE groups, becoming block captains, helping to develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans, etc. – and informal – lending a helping hand, an open ear to vent, and shoulder to lean on.
Individually, many families are struggling through the PG&E lawsuit process – with lack of transparency of the process, alarm at the large payouts to attorneys and trustees, and insufficient understanding about how a determination was calculated for each loss. Some settle quickly as they are exhausted, and some spend time thinking about how any amount could compensate for the trauma, loss, sleepless nights and weighty decisions on insurance and the rebuilding process. In the end, it is perhaps an unsettling final piece toward recovery, helping those to move forward. Many in subsequent fires can expect to receive none of this added compensation.
One of enduringly relevant concerns amongst my conversations with fire survivors is insurance. Having to become an expert on insurance is one of the many surprising and not so pleasant aspects of life after a wildfire takes your home. Many fire survivors were underinsured or uninsured when they lost their homes, and many who have rebuilt have a challenging time finding coverage. United Policyholders is a nonprofit that serves as a resource on all things insurance in the realm of disaster recovery and preparedness. For resources, visit their website at www.uphelp.org. I am aware of the increasing numbers of people who live in fire impacted areas and beyond struggling with increasing premiums or even being dropped from insurance entirely. United Policyholders is a great resource, but this problem needs to be tackled at the state level. I know many of our legislators and our insurance commissioner are working hard on these issues, and we have a long way to go, but I have hope that legislative relief might come forward.
Five years on, the trauma of the 2017 fires endures. Many fire survivors have not been made whole. As we come together to reflect and grieve this October, I hope we find strength in our community, and continue the never-ending process of healing.
Closer to October 8th, I plan to share another newsletter checking in with fire survivors in the First District. Thank you for reading.
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Board of Supervisors' Aide - Spanish/English Bilingual, Part Time. The County of Sonoma is seeking a skilled administrative professional to serve as a Part-Time Board of Supervisors’ Aide for the First Supervisorial District, represented by Supervisor Susan Gorin. The ideal candidate will be a skilled administrative professional with familiarity of the First Supervisorial District community and the concerns and needs of its residents. They will also possess civic awareness and an interest in public service, fluent bilingual Spanish and English skills, and a proven track record of providing excellent administrative support, involving public contact.
Learn more about the position and how to apply at the flyer linked below.
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Pathway to Income Equity, Sonoma County’s new guaranteed basic income program, is now accepting applications from residents countywide, including in the Springs and Sonoma Valley!
Sonoma County initiated the Pathway to Income Equity program which awards $500 per month for 2 years to 305 residents of Sonoma County. Residents will be randomly selected. To be eligible participants must:
- live in Sonoma County
- have a family income up to 185 percent above the federal poverty level based on family size (for example, a family of 4 has an annual income of $51,338 or less)
- be pregnant and/or have a child under 6 years of age
- have experienced adverse economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic (loss of employment, income, childcare, or housing)
To apply and be considered for the Pathway to Income Equity program visit: www.pathwaysonoma.org/apply The program is now accepting applications and will continue until midnight on October 31, 2022. See the flyer above for more details.
Sonoma Valley residents can get help with their application at La Luz Center one of the partnering organizations. Thank you to La Luz staff for supporting this program and our community! The full list of organizations with bilingual staff can be found at www.pathwaysonoma.org/apply
Selected participants will receive $500 per month for 24 months. Program eligibility is based on a participant's income, place of residence, and impact of COVID-19. 75% of funding needs to go to families living in “Qualified Census Tracts”, which are areas of Sonoma County with a concentrated population of people who were most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The remaining funds can be awarded to families who live outside of these areas but otherwise meet the requirements. The Sonoma Valley has one Qualified Census Tract, which is Fetters Springs/Agua Caliente West.
The Pathway to Income Equity is an initiative of First 5 of Sonoma County and the Sonoma County Department of Human Services, with additional funding from the cities of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and Healdsburg. For more information on the program and funding, please see the County’s press release at the link below.
We know there are a lot more than 305 families that could use this kind of help, but this is a great opportunity and I fully support this effort.
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View the flyer below for Town Hall Meetings from the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, Wednesday September 21st and Thursday September 22nd.
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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. View information for two upcoming events in the flyers below, and thank you to these community organizations for their important work.
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Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival - Join our Sonoma Valley community this October 7th – 8th as we celebrate the 198th grape harvest at the historic Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival. Sonoma Valley's winemakers and grape growers welcomes you for a weekend celebrating the beauty and bounty of the Sonoma Valley.
The weekend features a Legends Dinner on Friday, October 7 at the historic Buena Vista Winery, the daytime Plaza Festival on Saturday, October 8 featuring the Historic Grape Stomp, Artist Festival, Live Music and Dancing, Wine + Beer a BBQ and activities for kids. The evening of October 8 features the Sonoma Valley Grand Tasting at the Sonoma Barracks where more than 40 local wineries and 10 local chefs and restaurants will be pouring incredible wines and local cuisine under the stars.
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Sonoma Marin Ag and County Climate Coalition - The Natural Resources Conservation Service, within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced its selection of the County of Sonoma for a tentative award through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity. The project, titled Sonoma Marin Ag and County Climate Coalition, represents a large partnership effort across multiple organizations from both Sonoma and Marin counties, with the County of Sonoma acting as the lead entity.
The Sonoma Marin Ag and County Climate Coalition project will focus on successful carbon farming and the forging of regional and local food partnerships across the two Bay Area counties to create a regional supply chain, tracking system and marketing campaign for “climate-smart agricultural products” – agricultural commodities produced using farming, ranching or forestry practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. Carbon farming is a term used to describe several strategies that maximize long-term carbon sequestration and reduce emissions in agriculture. The project will help achieve the ambitious climate mitigation goals established in formal county climate action planning documents.
Continue reading the press release at the link below.
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Charla Comunitaria - Join us for the First District's monthly Spanish-language community town hall, Charla Comunitaria, on the second Thursday of each month from 6-7pm. Spread the word, and we hope to see you there! View past and future meetings on Facebook and YouTube.
Next meeting: Thursday, October 13th at 6pm
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Springs MAC - Join the Springs Municipal Advisory Council on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 12th at 6:30pm.
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North Sonoma Valley MAC - Join the NSV MAC on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 19th at 5:30pm.
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Sonoma Valley Citizen's Advisory Committee - The Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission advises on local planning projects in the Sonoma Valley, and hears informational items on other areas of interest. Join the SVCAC on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 26th at 6:30pm.
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Susan Gorin, 1st District Supervisor
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