I had the great privilege of meeting Steve Dixon and his wife Denise last Sunday to present them with a check for $1,645 from the members of The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board. I also gave Steve one of our
TVWBB t-shirts.
That's my dad, Gary, on the left and Denise Dixon on the right. My dad road shotgun with me on the trip to Middletown.
Steve and Denise have moved into a fifth wheel trailer and are living on their property next to their burned-out home. They've got sewer, water, and electricity connections but no internet service and are hoping to get that soon. The next step is to get a property inspection and environmental hazardous sign-off from the county this week. They're looking for signs of asbestos, heavy metals, and other hazardous stuff that needs careful removal. With that sign-off in hand, the lot can be cleared in preparation for rebuilding. Then it's all about architectural design, building permits, contractors, construction, etc.
If you've ever visited the Napa Valley/St. Helena/Calistoga wine country, you know it's one of the most beautiful places on earth. Middletown is located 17 miles north of Calistoga. As you drive along windy, two-lane Highway 29 over Mt. St. Helena, you don't see any signs of the fire. We pulled into Middletown and only saw small patches of burned grass on the side of the road. When we turned onto the road leading to Steve and Denise's house, we started seeing burned trees that had been cut down and some houses burned to the ground, but other houses that were completely untouched. When we got to Steve's house, everything on the property was completely burned to the ground, except for a chicken coop and a few small trees. But the house next door was intact as were some other nearby homes. Burning embers blew in and lit the house and property on fire, leaving surrounding homes untouched.
However, when you looked to the north and west, as far as you could see was complete devastation. Everything was burned, all the hillsides, all the trees, all the houses. All gone. 2,000 homes destroyed. Sadly, we learned that not only did Steve and Denise lose their home, but Steve's brother and Denise's mother lost their homes, too.
So it was great to meet Steve and Denise and talk with them and see their determination to bounce back and rebuild, having been a part of this community for over 30 years, but also depressing to see so much devastation and loss. Some like Steve will stay and rebuild and start a new chapter in Middletown, but some are leaving to start a new chapter elsewhere because the beauty that attracted them to the area is gone and will never be the same in their lifetimes.
Here are some photos I took of the damage at Steve's house. He lost his gas grill and his Weber Performer was badly burned, but his Weber smoker was basically OK except for melted door and lid handles. Their chickens survived as did their cats, so they're grateful for that.
And again, I want to thank each of you who donated to this worthy cause. You make me proud to be part of this online community.
