MEDICINE PARK, Okla_It has been a
little over a year since fires tore through Medicine Park
threatening many homes and burning thousands of acres. We wanted to go back and
check on those who live in Big Rock Estates to see how things look one year
later, and find out how things might have changed since the fires.
The Fahrion
family has lived in Big Rock Estates for 10 years. They say when the fire first
broke out, they were terrified, fearing that their home they had worked so hard
to put together would go up in flames. They were one of the luckier families.
Their home was still standing after the fire came through, but the siding was
charred, and the inside was covered in soot. A year later they say they are
happy with the rebuilding progress and glad to still call Medicine Park
home.
Muriel Fahrion
said she will never forget hearing the dreadful knocking at her door with
firefighters telling her to evacuate her home because fires would soon be
taking over Medicine
Park.
"It was
extremely scary. What do you grab if you have to evacuate?"
Ten minutes
later, Muriel said they grabbed what they could and ran outside. In that short
amount of time, ash had begun falling on their heads. She said that's when it
became real.
For the next
few days Muriel and her husband kept a close eye on the fire. When they were
able to return, they saw their home standing but not the way they had left it.
"The
outside we had maybe 2/5 of the house was the cedar siding, all that cedar
siding because fire surrounded the house it came from all sides all curled and
it was worthless."
Now the once
cedar siding wall is hardy board, a molded concrete mix not to mention the
inside of the house had to be repainted and completely washed down. Soot covered the inside of the home and trees
that once stood lush were now burnt to a crisp.
"It was so
much more than I think people even think is going to happen. With a fire they
hear on TV their house was saved but meanwhile a month later and $33,000 we
were finally back to at least being able to live in our house."
Muriel said no
amount of fire damage would keep them out of Medicine Park. She said she's
thankful that though the fire tried to take down the house it didn't bring down
their determination to get their home back where it once was.
"It's
really the community that makes having our house here really important. I'm
glad to look out the window and see the sun set and the sun rise."
Fahrion said this isn't the first home fire she has dealt with. When she
was younger, her family lost their home to a fire as well. She said she hopes
this is the last of the fires for their family.
