His House Survived a Devastating Wildfire. Now, It's an Island in the Ashes | Short Film Showcase

[Music] My name is Jerry Burs. I've been living in this house for the last ten years. [Music] Fountain Grove is one of the most beautiful spots in California. The weather is fantastic; the flora and the fauna are incredible. We have our little problems with turkeys, but I guess everybody does. I formed some real friendships here with neighbors. A guy across the street makes storage tanks, a guy I had walked with the most is a violinist, his wife works for the county. Such a beautiful area to walk around easily.

It was—I went to bed probably about 11:00, and the neighbors had wind chimes on their back porch, and they were making so much noise; it was just clanging. I couldn't get to sleep, so I put some cotton in my ears. The sheriff won't stand for what have we done? Probably about 1:30 or 4:00, I saw some flashing out the window. It looked like lightning, so I got up, took the cotton out of my ears, looked out the window, and I could see the fire right up the street. [Music]

I came downstairs, opened the front door, and embers were just flowing right by the front door. I got my wife up and we left immediately. I was really thinking that we might not make it out. I was really nervous about [Music].

We left here at about two o'clock in the morning and got back up here at 1:30 in the afternoon the same day. [Music] As soon as I started driving up the hill, then I knew it was gone. I knew it was gone. Now we're seeing on both sides of the street just total devastation. All my neighbors, they're all gone. Every house that reminded me of the pictures I've seen of Hiroshima. [Music]

But coming around the corner at the top of the hill, I can see the sight of my house through the tree. There it was still standing. I almost cried; I couldn't believe it. It was just amazing. [Music] You're living—it's like living in a desert right now. Looking out the window from any direction, you see devastation. You can't see any home standing in any direction; it's all burnt, charred mess. For that, the lot's been cleaned up and it's just leveled. All the neighbors that I'm really familiar with are gone, but it'll come back; they'll be back. [Music]

You [Music] [Applause] [Music] You [Applause] You [Music] You.