This is the second summer in a row that Bonny Doon residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes as a fire threatened their homes and way of life.
But the Lockheed Fire, the largest
Santa Cruz County has seen in 60 years, didn’t just burn more than 7,000 acres — it strengthened a community and brought neighbors closer together.
Lisa Palm, a Molina Drive resident, received the mandatory evacuation call at 11 a.m. Aug. 13 and was out the door by 12:15 p.m., with her husband, two young daughters, two kittens and six dwarf hamsters.
“I was lucky my pets were movable. People that stayed behind helped with the larger animals, and everyone was very grateful,” Palm said.
When an evacuation call is made by Netcom or law enforcement officers traveling door-to-door, residents are expected to leave any drapes open and doors unlocked. Palm said she is filled with thanks for the fire crews and police who watched out for looters.
“They did a great job and, from my perspective, it was much more organized than last year — last year was pure fear,” Palm said.
When the Martin Fire broke out in Bonny Doon in 2008, the roads were crowded with people evacuating, and information was hard to come by.
This year, families packed up their belongings and animals, and emergency responders went door-to-door in many cases warning people of the evacuation.
The Palms stayed with a family
in Scotts Valley to ride out the Lockheed blaze.
“They were incredible.” Palm said. “They offered their home not just to us but to others that needed it and served food to many families.”
Palm said she was awestruck at how many people and local businesses stepped up and did whatever they could during a time of intense uncertainty and fear.
“It’s a very bizarre thing to be staying in Scotts Valley kind of away from it all, where you can’t smell the smoke, and then think, ‘Oh my god, my house might not be there,’” Palm said. “There was a 36-hour period when I really thought we were going to lose our home.”
The Palms returned home Monday, Aug. 17, a day after the evacuation order was lifted.
“We didn’t come home on Sunday because of the smoke, and our daughters were still scared. We had to explain that even though the fire was still burning when we came home, it was safe,” Palm said.
Georgia Randle, who lives on Bonny Doon Road, stayed behind and took care of some of her neighbors’ larger animals. Of the 2,000 Bonny Doon residents called to evacuate, Randle was one of about 20 percent who chose to stay behind, signing a waiver to release dental records for identification purposes.
“On Thursday night (Aug. 13), I had the Alameda fire team sleeping on my deck, and I felt very safe,” Randle said. “They were everywhere making sure everyone who stayed behind was OK.”
After the mandatory evacuation was in place, residents were not permitted to return once they had departed. For those who stayed, it meant rationing out food and supplies.
“The neighbors were just great,” Randle said. “A lot of us were out of groceries, so everyone shared what they had.”
Randle said communication between neighbors was most important during the disaster.
“We were all in touch, letting each other know what was going on. We couldn’t have done it without each other,” Randle said.
Palm said it was during those five days that she truly felt what community means.
“It was funny to watch the news and hear coverage of this year’s fire in comparison to last year’s. I bet people that don’t live here think, ‘Why would anyone want to live near danger?’” Palm said. “But, if anything, it brought out how tight the community is. So many businesses and families opened their doors; it was a huge help and a beautiful thing to see.”
