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The Last House Standing

For people whose homes are spared in a wildfire while their neighbors lose everything, the road ahead can be isolating, plagued by feelings of guilt and shame.

“I felt super grateful, but also guilty — you know, people lost their lives,” she said of a fire that killed 84 people.

In the weeks and months that followed, Ms. Fisher, who’d lived in Paradise almost her entire life, found herself and her family in a precarious position. Her two brothers, her parents and her father-in-law had all lost their homes. Her house was standing, but unlivable: The inside was covered in an inch of ash — thick enough that Ms. Fisher’s lips tingled and her mouth tasted of soot. The roof, flooring, windows and appliances needed to be replaced, and the walls shellacked and repainted. Insulation and ductwork had been damaged, as had the deck.
(by Ronda Kaysen)

Read Full Story below:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/realestate/california-wildfires-homes.html

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The Last House Standing<br /> <br /> For people whose homes are spared in a wildfire while their neighbors lose everything, the road ahead can be isolating, plagued by feelings of guilt and shame.<br /> <br /> “I felt super grateful, but also guilty — you know, people lost their lives,” she said of a fire that killed 84 people.<br /> <br /> In the weeks and months that followed, Ms. Fisher, who’d lived in Paradise almost her entire life, found herself and her family in a precarious position. Her two brothers, her parents and her father-in-law had all lost their homes. Her house was standing, but unlivable: The inside was covered in an inch of ash — thick enough that Ms. Fisher’s lips tingled and her mouth tasted of soot. The roof, flooring, windows and appliances needed to be replaced, and the walls shellacked and repainted. Insulation and ductwork had been damaged, as had the deck.<br /> (by Ronda Kaysen)<br /> <br /> Read Full Story below:<br /> https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/realestate/california-wildfires-homes.html
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