ANGORA FIRE

A YEAR AGO TODAY WAS DAY ONE OF THE ANGORA FIRE. THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF OUR SCARIEST CAMPING EXPERIENCES. AS I RECALL WE WERE BLOGGING ABOUT TWICE A DAY.

WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER WE TOOK A FEW PICTURES OF THE DEVASTATION.

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IN THE END 254 HOMES WERE LOST AND 31,100 ACRES BURNED. SOUTH LAKE TAHOE WAS LUCKY TO SAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS AN ABANDONED CAMPFIRE AT A POPULAR PARTY SPOT.

WHAT ABOUT A YEAR LATER? 161 BUILDING PERMITS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN THE FIRE ZONE OUT OF 254 HOMES LOST.

I CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF THIS, PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE REBUILDING AND PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE WALKED AWAY. IT'S GOING TO BE DECADES BEFORE THE AREA LOOKS ANYTHING LIKE IT USED TO. WHERE THERE WAS ONCE A BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN HOME SURROUNDED BY TREES WITHOUT A NEIGHBOR IN SITE IS NOW BLACK DEAD TREES, NOT EXACTLY PICTURE WINDOW PRETTY.

WE TOOK A DRIVE BACK THRU THE AREA TO GIVE YOU THE BEFORE AND AFTER EFFECT.

IT'S ALL TREE STUMPS, DIRT, AND CONSTRUCTION CREWS. NOT EXACTLY A MILLION DOLLAR NEIGHBORHOOD..........