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Santa Rosa evacuees return home to ashes

An Orange “X” is spray painted on the condo’s driveway. It’s a sign that companies are using as they check water, electric and gas lines. 

From the mountain side on Wikiup drive, the devastation from the fire seems to span as far as the eye can see with ash covering Santa Rosa’s Larkfield communities.

For many evacuees, it's been a week since they have been allowed back to their homes. On Monday, police officers opened up many of the road blocks to neighbors.

Penny Hoover was one of the first to start sifting through the ash at her parents condo off Old Redwood Hwy.

“We knew the house was gone. All there were after today was my dads ashes," said Hoover.

Chard boards and melted metal is all that’s left of the fourplex condo. The fire spared the neighboring condos but across the street, all of the homes at the Mark West Development are gone.

“Its hard to know where to start. There is not much to pick through," said Hoover.

An Orange “X” is spray painted on the condo’s driveway. It’s a sign that companies are using as they check water, electric and gas lines. Blue PG&E trucks have taken over the chard neighborhoods making repairs or shutting off services.

The smoke still lingers in the air, but that has not stopped home owners from coming back to their homes.

Santa Rosa residents are urged to stop by the Local Assistance Center at the Press Democide building on Mendocino Avenue. Fire victims can register there with FEMA and find out how to end utilities and get housing assistance.

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