A California couple whose home was destroyed in a 2017 wildfire is at risk of losing everything once again as the Kincade Fire tears through Sonoma County.
Nicholas and Stephanie Stauer lost their home two years ago in the Tubbs Fire, which at the time prompted them to stage a rushed evacuation.
“When we left the last time … we had five minutes,” Nick told ABC News. “Power’s out, people knock on the door, we got ash hanging down. I’ve got to wake up two teenagers. …. I yell [at] them and of course they don’t wake up because it’s 2:30 in the morning. I yell at them again, they both get out of bed, grab one thing that’s important.”
Though the family emerged unscathed, their house was not so lucky, and when they returned, there was nothing left but its foundation and the chimney. Also gone were precious family heirlooms, like a hand-carved desk made by Stephanie’s great-grandfather and her grandmother’s bible.
Just three months ago, they moved into a brand-new house in the same neighborhood as their old one — only to be evacuated once again due to Kincade, ABC News reported.
“I hate to say it, we’re experienced. You shouldn’t be experienced in something like this,” Nick said. “But we are and we’ll take what we’ve learned and even next time around, there’s things that we learned from this time that’ll be better. … We’re veterans now.”
As Stephanie explained, they were given much more warning this time, and were able to “take out what was most meaningful” from their new home before making their exit.
Since evacuating, Nick, Stephanie, their son and daughter, as well as Stephanie’s brother-in-law, niece and nephew have been staying at a KOA campground in Petaluma along with their four pets.
Both natives of Sonoma County, the couple told ABC News that while they love the area, the fires have made them entertain the thought of leaving for the first time.
“As much as I don’t want to leave … I love it. This is our home. .. But I can’t do this every two years. I went through a stroke at 37, I suffered breast cancer at 40, my house burned down at 47 and at 49, we’re here again,” Stephanie said.
The Kincade Fire broke out on Oct. 23, and has burned more than 74,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection.
It’s just 15 percent contained, and has so far destroyed 124 residential and commercial structures.
The Tubbs Fire, meanwhile, hit Napa and Sonoma Counties for 123 days starting in October 2017, burning through just over 36,000 acres before it was fully contained, according to Cal Fire.
The Stauer’s home was among 5,636 residential and commercial buildings that were destroyed. Twenty-two people were also killed.
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