Just 13 months apart, ravaging 190,146 total Northern California acres, stealing over 100 lives and displacing thousands of local families, the notorious Tubbs and Camp Fire were disastrously perpetuated by strong northern and northeastern winds.
But, with statewide recovery already well underway in both cases, surrounding communities rallying together have spread heartwarming stories far stronger and pervasive than the once-sweeping winds.
“You know, it’s kind of bittersweet. It’s kind of crazy and it’s really sad. I mean, I don’t know anybody that’s ever been through this and I never ever imagined I would with my family,” Joe Bykonen, Paradise resident at the time of the Camp Fire, said.
Bykonen, whose family was among hundreds in Butte County suffering at the expense of the fiery wrath, added, “We escaped from the fire and we lost everything we owned. It’s hard to talk about because we just bought our house [the year prior].”
Reflecting strong sentiments felt among victims and workers throughout the ongoing relief effort in Sonoma and Butte County, Bykonen continued, “You know, we’re young, we’re resilient, and we’ll bounce back from this.”
Nine-year-old Loren Smith with his father, Tait Smith.
Though material losses, like Bykonen’s, have paled in comparison to those familial, for some people like Loren Jade Smith and Sonoma native Josh Iverson — whose houses also burned down in the Tubbs and Camp Fire, respectively — losses of baseball memorabilia from their favorite teams mirrored the loss of family, with portions of scorched collections once handed down by close, deceased relatives.
According to the San Francisco Patch, for Iverson and nine-year-old Smith, the recovery effort was giant — joined by an assemblage of teams around the league, the San Francisco Giants led the charge in amending their loss.
Upon sending a hopeful letter outlining the ordeal to the Giants, Iverson was happily greeted by a team “care package” and soon took to twitter to share his brand new, signed memorabilia by the likes of hats, a baseball and a team jacket, among other things.
For young Smith, a Sonoma County local and baseball fan — primarily that of the Oakland A’s — his collection of memorabilia lost in the Tubbs Fire was revitalized by a rallied, league-wide effort.
After Katie Utehs, a freelance reporter for ABC San Francisco, posted Smith’s letter on twitter, A’s President Dave Kaval responded soon after, asserting, “This is so touching. So sad to hear about their loss; we would be happy to completely outfit the family in new Athletics gear.”
Between the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and more than 13 other teams, the Giants excitedly entered the mix, posting, “We’re in too. #BayAreaUnite.”
Yet, compassion and empathy for recent fire victims across Northern California has not been merely limited to the outward expression by professional sports teams: generous public figures, like Greg Zanis, have lightened the suffering for local families and people across the country.
Through his “Crosses for Losses” campaign, Zanis hand paints white crosses to recognize and honor lives lost in national tragedies, from mass shootings to natural disasters.
“It changes a lot for them to show that somebody cares. We do care, but a lot of times people don’t know what to do,” Zanis said in a statement to KCR. “I happen to know this works.”
Zanis, who drove over 2,000 miles from Chicago to the site of the Camp Fire’s aftermath in Butte County, recently visited the city of Paradise to lay more crosses — adding to the 26,000-plus crosses already planted across the U.S., according to the Chicago Tribune.
Over the course of the year prior, all across the country, from MLB teams to charitable actions of citizens like Zanis, the heroic efforts in the aftermath of the chaos have stretched beyond those of the firefighters in Sonoma, Butte County and dozens of assisting counties alike.
