LAKESIDE, Calif. (KGTV) — As rain arrives in San Diego County, anxiety is flowing at a Lakeside mobile home park more than two months after the Coches Fire swept through the area, destroying six homes.
In mid-September, I met victims like Roger Dickson as they began surveying the damage. Now, fire survivors near burn areas are bracing for the rain.
At the Dickson home, all eyes this weekend are on the burn scar above them as the rain falls. The home next to him burned to the ground. The intense heat caused damage at Dickson’s home.
After an insurance claim was filed, repairs at Dickson's home were just completed.
"I had to replace two windows that broke from the heat," Dickson said.
From a new air conditioner to new flooring after soot damaged the carpet, the repairs addressed damage throughout the home.
"I replaced an air conditioner that melted," Dickson said.
The Coches Fire swept through Monterey Mobile Home Park and surrounding areas, damaging some structures and destroying six homes, including Sharon Martin's mobile home.
"It's like a death, being in shock. Going through a grieving process," Martin told ABC 10News in a September 13 interview.
Now pouring onto that grief are some rainy day worries.
"Water is going to come running down that hill," Dickson said.
While Dickson says flooding hasn't been an issue in the mobile home park, the burn areas left behind by the Coches Fire are laying bare nerves for residents.
"I'm nervous about the rain," Martin said.
Martin says demolition is set to begin on her lot soon, before a new driveway and drain are put in. Her lot is partway up a slope and she'll be holding her breath all weekend. She plans to put in a new trailer on the lot.
"If it rains really hard, all the water and debris floats into my driveway," Martin said. "I don't know if there's going to be erosion on the property. It's a big unknown."
"I'm going to be watchful, be sure and watch that," Dickson said. "If it does come running down, I'm going to get sandbags."
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Martin with rebuilding and living expenses. Dropped by her carrier, Martin did not have homeowners insurance.
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