Burned-out Willow residents scramble to rebuild as winter closes in
Sprengel is one of dozens of
"Right now I got a long ways to go," he said Thursday, standing in the pit off
As
Victims are "all across the spectrum" when it comes to rebuilding, said
"There is growing tension that winter is coming. It's starting to get yellow here," Lynch said. "I'm pretty sure there is not going to be anybody living in tents. There may be some people in RVs. And there's going to be some folks in houses that are not finished but they're livable."
Range of recovery
Roaring to life amid high temperatures and ferocious winds
At least a half-dozen dogs died or disappeared in this eclectic community of about 2,000 known as
An
A quick driving tour of the fire zone reveals the range of recovery. Some homes are up and almost ready for a roof. At others, smaller cabins or sheds now serve as dwellings, with outhouses built by Eagle Scouts in the yard. Sled dogs sleep atop freshly built dog boxes. Many residents lost trees if not structures and are spending the summer clearing fire-killed timber or even creating massive piles of charred but usable firewood. But some properties look vacant, abandoned and untouched since the fire swept through.
More than two months later in the fire zone, fireweed shows pink against blackened soil and bushy green alder are already 3 or 4 feet tall amid the devastation.
Gray port-a-potties rise at select road junctions for residents still without indoor plumbing.
'A chance for me to come back'
Sprengel lives in a musher-heavy subdivision off the
Last week, the rapid-fire rhythm of hammers mingled with a chorus of dog howls from the nearby home of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race favorite
But Sprengel, a welder whose home insurance lapsed this year, is waiting -- gratefully, he says -- on building materials and equipment supplied by a local grassroots group of volunteers known as the
Rebuild coordinator
Sprengel isn't complaining.
"A well-built house is what I intend on having," he said. "I try to accept this as a blessing, because the other house was kind of old. Now's a chance for me to come back and fix things up."
Evolving needs
With rebuilding and cleaning up underway, now community members need winter gear and warm clothes, Lynch said. Some have been donated; the team is also giving out vouchers.
People also need tools, she said. "To do the work to build your home you have to have the right tools. We're getting those donated, but that's another big need -- everything from screwdrivers to power tools."
The team is planning a September "give and take" event, with part of the day open only to invited fire victims. Organizers are matching donors with families.
Residents say they also need property tax relief for fire-scarred land and lost buildings.
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough last week sent revised assessments to 167 property owners and is processing another dozen or so applications for relief, according to borough assessor
Anyone with property damage automatically got a 20 percent reduction.The borough also reduced assessments on 38 properties that suffered structural damage from the fire, for a total of more than
"There's some that the entire house was wiped out. Others received just three or four thousand in damage -- they might have lost power to the house or the septic system," he said.
The state is also finishing up the disaster assistance process.
Seventy individuals and families applied for
"We realize if someone has lost their house, the
The state so far has paid more than
Changing season
Sprengel plans to spend his state assistance money on new tires for his pickup, an air compressor and a nail gun.
He was working a job in the village of St. Mary's near the
Sprengel still kicks himself: he could have saved tools and vehicles.
Instead he lost just about everything except a randomly spared hot tub and heating oil tank: welder, furniture, keepsakes, his first motorcycle (a 1971 Honda CB750), entertainment system, seven vehicles including his plow truck and two snowmachines.
These days, Sprengel sleeps in a camper, his pickup, or a van donated by a friend. He splits his time between the property and a friend's shop in town.
"I am running around in circles," he said Thursday. "I'm so busy I don't know which way to go."
The mercury dipped into the 20s by the next morning.
How to help:
Cash donations can be made to the
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