On the night of October 8, 2017, at around 9:45 PM, a fire broke out near Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. Hurricane-like winds quickly fueled the flames as it began to roar through the rolling hills Southward. By 1 a.m. that same night, the advancing flames breached the Santa Rosa city limits.
Within the hour, residents of the Fountaingrove community would be rudely awakened to the sirens of immediate evacuation. By morning, a toxic layer of toxic soot blanketed the upscale hillside neighborhood. With nearly 1,600 homes burned to the ground, thousands of acres scorched and the death of two residents, thousands of lives were forever changed.
Homeowners quickly sought to recover. By Spring, as bright lime green leaflets began to peek their way through the charred crust of the forest floor, a new optimism ensued. Residents began the process of rebuilding and could see a new opportunity to create their dream home. An opportunity to tell a story – one of survival and strength.
Salt Shed is proud to work with fire survivors to rebuild their homes and their lives. We understand that a home is much more than just a house. That with every brick laid is a symbolic metaphor towards restitution and that each home tells a story of those who inhabit it.
We strive to make the process inclusive and easy so our clients’ involvement in creating their home is equal to ours. Battling a chaotic cleanup, a crumbling infrastructure, and a congested building department we walk hand-in-hand with our clients. From the initial design phase through construction, we are inspired by the courage shown by our clients. Today we are proud to present two of our recently completed rebuilds in the affected area.
