On Nov 8, the sky over California was filled with ash. Two wildfires, the Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire, had ignited within eight hours of each other, forcing evacuations in Butte, Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Among the thousands affected by the fires were first-year undeclared life sciences student Monica Campbell, from Paradise, California; first-year physiological sciences student Tyler Ray, from Malibu; second-year psychobiology student Angela Yu, from Thousand Oaks, California; and Charlotte Lerchenmuller, current president of the Sal Castro Foundation. Campbell, Ray and Yu have been tasked with rebuilding, each in different ways. For each student, the task of rebuilding has been difficult. Campbell, having completely lost a home, Ray, within a few yards of losing a home, and Yu, who was deeply disturbed by the nearby tragedies, are still managing their stress from afar but have also come to gain new pride in their communities as they see people rush to each other’s aid.
It has been four months since the Camp Fire swept through the town of Paradise and since the Woolsey Fire ripped through Thousand Oaks and Malibu. Since then, affected communities have been going through their deserted homes, cleaning up abandoned, rusted cars and the burnt shells of houses, schools and workplaces. Though the physical task of cleanup is arduous, the emotional rebuilding can be even more grueling for those affected. These communities faced the emotional turmoil of destruction but have to rebuild from afar – from their homes at UCLA.