Sparked in Santa Paula and pushed by Santa Ana winds, the Thomas fire streaked along the southern slopes of Sulfur Mountain. Consuming an acre a second, it crossed 11 canyons before reaching eastern Ventura late on the night of Dec. 4.
Now the clock is running. Most insurers cover two years of rent and give homeowners two years to replace their belongings. Those who are displaced feel the pressure. With all the damage and the work that lies ahead, they anticipate a bottleneck of demolition and construction.
They put together lists: Call the assessor. Stop at the bank. Talk to the insurance adjuster. Tally everything that they have lost.
No wonder they talk so easily about family members who recently died, about cancer diagnoses and relapses, about childhood illnesses. The vulnerability they feel today has opened up older wounds and fears.
“The totality of the loss makes this different from an illness or an accident,” said Hochberg-Miller. “If you have a family member who is sick, you have family members who can ground them and be their roots. But when everyone is affected, everyone is impacted. Who will be the strong one to hold the pain for the other members of the family?”
At intersections, brightly colored poster boards thank firefighters and first responders. Above Highway 126 hangs a “Ventura Strong” banner.
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