In October 2017, a series of fast-moving wildfires spread across Northern California.
More than $10 billion in property was destroyed. Seven billion of that was in the Santa Rosa, a city of less than 200,000 residents.
Three thousand homes were lost. Three hotels burned, along with a K-Mart and a new $4 million fire station. The fires killed 22 people in Santa Rosa.
A year later, the community is still measuring the long-term effects of the blazes.
Just under a third of the 3,000 homes have been rebuilt.
Many families have temporarily left Santa Rosa, while others permanently relocated.
Santa Rosa City Schools, the largest district in Sonoma County, stands to lose over $4 million in funding if attendance does not return to pre-fire levels.
The city hopes to fund its recovery — and tackle its affordable housing problem — by passing a bond in November. But the controversial initiative would draw money from all residents' parcel taxes, including those currently rebuilding.
Meanwhile, forests are still burning in California.
Welcome to Santa Rosa in 2018.
In this six-part mini documentary from Nightly Films, you’ll go inside the city’s recovery effort for a front-line view on the recovery. Hear from those living the effort every day — firefighters, school teachers, residents and city officials.
