CALIFORNIA ISN’T OUT OF THE WOODS YET.
HELLO EVERYONE, I’M RICK JACKSON.
WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SOME HAVE BEEN BURNING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH. BUT AS FIREFIGHTERS WORK TIRELESSLY TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES, SOME RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETURN TO SEE WHAT IS LEFT OF THEIR HOME TOWNS.
IN SONOMA COUNTY, HOMES WERE LOST, BUT THE SCHOOLS MANAGED TO MAKE IT OUT UNSCATHED. NOW FOLK THERE ARE HOPING SCHOOL WILL ONCE AGAIN BE A SAFE SPOT FOR RETURNING STUDENTS. REPORTER LAURA ANTHONY HAS THE STORY.
LAURA: THEY ARE TWO SCHOOLS THAT ARE STILL STANDING...AMID THE CHARRED RUINS AROUND THEM...AMONG THE HUNDREDS OF HOMES DESTROYED BY LAST WEEK'S FIRES.
PERHAPS THEY SURVIVED TO SERVE AS AN OASIS FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES...WHO HAVE LOST SO MUCH.
"WE WENT BACK INTO RIEBLI SCHOOLS AND SHAEFER SCHOOL AND THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT."
LAURA:SONOMA COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT STEPHEN HERRINGTON SAYS IT'S UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR HIM...AND HIS STAFF...RE-OPENING TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN NEIGHBORHOODS NEARLY FLATTENED BY FIRE.
STEPHEN: "THE SCHOOL'S STANDING, BUT THE COMMUNITY IS GONE... AND EACH SUPERINTENDENT FACES THE CHALLENGE OF RECONNECTING WITH THAT COMMUNITY."
LAURA: THE PLAN IS TO CLEAN UP THE SCHOOLS...AND RE-OPEN ON OCTOBER 30TH.
STEPHEN: "WE'LL PROBABLY RUN THE GAMUT OF EMOTIONS THAT FIRST WEEK... I IMAGINE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE EXCITED AND HAPPY AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE MOMENTS WHERE THE FEELINGS COME UP, THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO EXPRESS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE IN SHOCK."
COLORED PENCILS, PENCIL CASES...
LAURA: KITS AND BACKPACKS WITH NEW SCHOOL SUPPLIES ARE ALREADY BEING PREPARED FOR STUDENTS WHO'VE LOST EVERYTHING.
DEBRA SANDERS IS THE HOMELESS SUPPORT COORDINATOR FOR THE SONOMA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT... BEFORE THE FIRES, SHE WORKED WITH DOZENS OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, NOW THERE ARE HUNDREDS IN HER DISTRICT WHO HAVE LOST HOMES...
AND SHE AND HER FAMILY...ARE AMONG THEM.
DEBRA: "WHAT IT DOES IS IT HIGHLIGHTS PRIVILEGE, BECAUSE FOR ME, LOSING MY HOME IS JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT IT DOES NOT COMPARE TO WHAT FAMILIES WERE EXPERIENCING BEFORE THE FIRE....AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE."
RICK: THANKS LAURA. THE FIRES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CAUSED AN ESTIMATED ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. TO SEE WHERE THE BLAZES ARE STILL BURNING HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE NEWSDEPTH DOT IDEASTREAM DOT ORG AND CLICK THE LINKS BENEATH THIS STORY.
Find Out More
Map: 2017 California Wildfires
Website Article: DogoNews, Brave Dog Saves Family Goats And Stray Deer From California Wildfires | Another brave animal story.
Website Article: Weather.com, Weather Explainers, Why California's Wildfires Are Worse in Fall | Explains why wildfires happen in the fall
PDF: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Wildfires, Be Prepared | Helps kids understand how to prepare for wildfire emergencies.