One year ago, there was nothing.
“Everything was gone. Burnt to the ground,” said Dan Bresniker, a 21-year employee and safety coordinator with Chula Vista’s Sweetwater Authority.
Bresniker and his wife Tami are residents of Alpine, the East County community that was damaged by the 2018 West wildfire.
Images on TV of their house on fire were screenshot and sent to them last year by friends and concerned parties.
“Since Loveland is part of the water reservoir, they (co-workers) were monitoring it,” Dan said. “They started to realize some of the employees lived in the area. I got a call from co-workers asking how we were doing. They were very supportive.”
Bresniker noted their emotional support and gift cards were a tremendous boost.
“We were lucky we got that support,” he said. “It could have been much worse.”
Fortunately for the Bresnikers, they also were insured. The family is now in their new home purchased from Jimmy Coia of Wholesale Manufactured Homes in Alpine Oaks Mobile Estates.
An American flag, previously displayed on their home and damaged in the fire, is now displayed in a shadowbox on their living room wall.
“It’s humbling, it makes you see the value of family, not stuff,” Tami Bresniker said.
Another park resident noted that the community and residents pulled together and helped each other.
“Alpine has a very good sense of community,” said Jolene Hilldebrand. Her home was not destroyed but her family was displaced. The community offered emotional support to her and her family.
“It was a while, we (her and her daughters) were out a week,” she said. “We had leaks with propane. So they had to redo the propane (under the roads).”
Hillebrand noted some homeowners had their fire insurance dropped.
“My fire insurance has not gone up,” she said. “A lot of people were dropped off their fire insurance.”
Another homeowner in the park was fortunate along with Hilldebrand, his house did not burn down.
“I do vegetative irrigation,” said park resident Duane Yee. “So that’s probably what saved it from going up.” His neighbor’s home burnt down.
“I’m so happy to hear the big equipment and see people rebuilding,” said Alpine homeowner Judy Nichols. Nichols lives across the street from homes that were destroyed.
She can see rooftops with shingles to be added and homes under construction dotting the canyon and area across from her home off Pine View Road.
“The gal (across the street) who owns that house, is working on her loans,” she said. Nichols sustained minimal damage.
“My fire insurance has not gone up. I’m on the high side,” said Nichols. “I’m never under-insured.”
The county offers a wildfire hazard map at www.readysandiego.org that also offers resources on wildfire preparedness and other wildfire related information.
The one-year-anniversary of Alpine’s West Fire was July 6, 2019. The fire burned approximately 504 acres and destroyed numerous homes and structures.
Since last July homes have been restored or are in the process of being built.
