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Reposted by Lizz Porter

KQED Forum @kqedforum.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

🎧 Listen to the podcast! @afterthefireusa.bsky.social CEO @jgt-707.bsky.social and business owners Melissa Schuster and @lizzporter.bsky.social spoke with Mina Kim on managing the practicalities of losing your home to a wildfire.

buff.ly

Advice on Recovering from a Wildfire, From Californians Who’ve Been There

KQED's Forum · Episode

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

I’m not happy with it as it is now, it’s the only space in the house I don’t *love* I think this is the solution!

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

I love it! I tried to work it into my living room gallery wall but I think I’m going to redo our guest room into a “California room” I already have a vintage SF cable car painting and a couple of historic maps.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Airport bartender says “I’ll be right back” and leaves. There are no employees here. What’s a reasonable time to wait for her return so you can pay? (There are 3 other customers plus me)

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

I’m OG, dude. Hello and I love you. 😘

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Friends, if my wildfire-related content has been helpful to you this last week, you can also help support my own family’s recovery (because it’s still ongoing) by purchasing items from my business, pewpewlasercraft.com. Thank you!

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Too expensive, too much crowd noise, can’t pause it to go pee, uncomfortable seats, too far from my house (20 min to old little theater, 40 to a newer fancy one), too loud, just nothing that can’t wait until streaming. Even streaming, I’m not paying $25 to rent Wicked. I can wait.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

I’m so sorry. I lost the Joy of Cooking my mom got as a wedding gift.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Dog snuggles. A text from a friend to say hey. My husband bringing me coffee in bed. My kid hugging me even if his friends are there. A piece of shortbread to go with my tea.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

They have like a 3.5% average conversion, some as high as 8%. Emails are so cheap to send, they’ll take their chances on annoying you. (As a biz owner, I don’t like them either so I don’t send them)

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I do like Star Trek, grew up watching TNG with my parents lol But Star Wars has my heart.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I recognize you! You’re welcome to look me up and send a request! Same name and profile pic.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

If you have a friend who is impacted by fires, do me a favor: Set a reminder for 6-9 mo from now to check in, send a gift card. It’s hard when you’re in the thick of recovery and the world has moved on. All of this support and donations + assistance goes away + then you’re on your own and it sucks.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Rewatching right now preparing for season 2!

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

This is standard practice for wildfire impacted areas.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Our loss was 3.5 yrs ago. We’re home and on the road to recovery. I’m just trying to help those who are in the thick of it now.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

If the fire starts in the middle of the day (Palisades started at 1-‘z my own was at 2:30) By the time you get an alert, it’s too late to get back to the house.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

No, River Fire in 2021. Placer and Nevada Counties. Around the same time as Dixie and Caldor. Ours was “only” 2500 acres and 100 homes, so it doesn’t get the coverage that others do.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

It’s amazing to see in person.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Here’s what we’re not gonna do: Shame/harass people for how they act (or don’t) after the fire. You don’t know how you’d react either. Exhibit A: I snapped my mask off, posed and smiled for a pic after spending several hours sifting through the ashes of our home. I don’t know why, muscle memory?

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Where in NorCal? Did you notice? Our Placer County crews headed down last night, just like the whole state them to us in 2021z 💙

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

A note for my fellow wildfire survivors: Being on here and helping/talking to people is work in the thick of it work. Hard work. Take care of yourself and be gentle with your heart.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

So true! (My son will be 17 in April. Gah!) He’s such a cool human, I really have enjoyed every phase of his life.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Thank for helping to amplify the info! I hope it helps people.

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Reposted by Lizz Porter

San Francisco Chronicle @sfchronicle.com · 10/01/2025

Eventually, the fires in Southern California will subside and while the grieving process will continue, the rebuilding of people’s lives will have to begin. Here’s what @lizzporter.bsky.social wishes she’d known when she was evacuating and came back to a destroyed home.

sfchronicle.com

I lost everything in a California wildfire. Here’s what people in L.A. need to know now

As a Bay Area native, the threat of wildfires has always been in the landscape. I just never though they would reach my doorstep.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

The air gets hot enough to vaporize things. Our neighbors pull all of the curtains down from their windows when they evacuate, because they can combust if the surrounding air gets hot enough. But again, I pray that your theory is never tested.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Yes. We’re pretty sure that’s exactly what happened to ours. (We have buried power now, thank goodness)

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

I also hope that your theory is never tested. These fires make their own wind, and can send flames half a mile out in front of them.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

We had defensible space, asphalt roof, concrete board siding and several acres. None of that saved our house.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

And please: “Victims” are those who lost their lives. “Survivors” are the rest of us.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

It’s also ok to make jokes. A friend called us from 100 mi away, a few days after the fire. “We making jokes yet?” As ash rained down in his yard. My husband said yes, and he replied “Great. Can you come get your house out of our pool? Thanks.” It’s not right for everyone, but it was right for us.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Speaking of your property, you’ll hear that touching the debris will void any assistance with cleanup. Also not true. Be careful not to increase the size of the footprint. Keep the ash contained where it is. Don’t toss shovel over your shoulder, move it to 1 side.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

When you can access your property, don’t step into the footprint without PPE. That shit is toxic. Boot covers, tyvek suits, N95 masks, the whole nine.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Also. ALSO! You will hear rumors that “You don’t need to sign up with FEMA if you have insurance because they won’t help you.” While you may not be eligible for direct FEMA grants if insured, it opens the door to other options, like low interest loans to help you rebuild. When FEMA shows up, go.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Fire survivors: Go create a dedicated email for anything and everything Fire related. Gmail is fine, but have an address to give out to charities, insurance people, construction people, all that stuff. I wish I’d done this.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

I’m not sure what your criteria is, but I’m not sure that’s accurate. Maybe based on property value, but certainly not by acreage or lives lost. Over a million acres burned in the 2020 fire season in CA.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

I’m safe and live up near Tahoe. Just sharing my experience to try and help others.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Very possibly! 2021 was River (we’re in Colfax) and then 2022 was Mosquito in Foresthill.

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Lizz Porter @lizzporter.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Yes, a plan is vital. I tried to focus here for the folks who have smoke bearing down and have never had to even think about this before. (Although California families should have earthquake plans in place regardless)

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