Hope lies in California ashes

We had the opportunity to visit northern California last week during several beautiful, smoke-free days. I say “smoke-free” because, unless you’ve been hiding out somewhere, the state has had rampant fire damage this season, one of its worst ever. The devastating Carr Fire, the sixth largest in California’s history, burned very close where our daughter Carli lives in Mt. Shasta, California.
    Being married to a member of the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department, we couldn’t be just an hour away and not visit the Redding, California area. Redding is the largest city in the area where the Carr Fire charred nearly 230,000 acres. It destroyed 1,079 residences, 22 commercial structures and more than 500 outbuildings. The fire that burned for weeks is now, thankfully, 100 percent contained.
    We drove through one neighborhood and a cul-de-sac where about five homes had been leveled by the fire. One property caught my eye because there flew an American flag above several signs in what was the former lawn, thanking firefighters and first responders. Another read, “From these ashes, we will rebuild: Shasta Strong.”

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