Advice on Recovering from a Wildfire, From Californians Who’ve Been There

KQED's Forum

KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 21 January 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Set up a P.O. box. Learn your insurance policy. Know it’s OK to mourn the material objects you lost, or to refuse donations you don’t need. These are just some of the many pieces of advice survivors of past California wildfires have for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires. We’ll talk to people who’ve lost their homes to fires in Paradise, wine country and the Sierra Foothills about managing the practicalities as well as the emotions. And we’ll hear from you: If you’ve survived a wildfire, what advice might you give? Guests: Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO, After the Fire - A nonprofit that helps communities rebuild after wildfires. Melissa Schuster, owner, Burnt Barn Distilling Co, in Paradise - former Paradise town council member Lizz Porter, NorCal small business owner who lives in Colfax; Lost her home during the River Fire in Placer County. She wrote the recent Chronicle op-ed, "I lost everything in a California wildfire. Here’s what people in L.A. need to know now" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:43.9	From KQED.
0:48.9	I'm KQED.
0:48.9	I'm going Kim. Coming up on forum, the steps to take after losing
1:07.8	your home to wildfire from three survivors of past California wildfires
1:12.5	who can also speak to the emotions that will likely come up. We'll also hear how best to reach out
1:18.1	and comfort someone who's lost their home. What to say, and not to say, has thousands in Southern
1:23.7	California now face a home that's burned down. If you've lost your home in a
1:28.2	pass fire, what's something you wish you knew about the road ahead? Tell us after this news. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim.
1:52.0	Liz Porter is a small business owner who lives in Colfax and lost her home during the 2021 River Fire in Placer County.
1:59.6	Melissa Schuster owns Burnt Barn Distilling Company in Paradise,
	...

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