Dear Neighbors,
The somber anniversaries that mark the CZU Lightning Complex fires have begun and I find myself reflecting on the profound changes that have swept through our mountain community. The dates etched in our collective memory—the initial lightning strikes, the hurried evacuations, and for many of us, including my family, the day we lost our homes—weigh heavily on our hearts.
Four years ago, our lives were irrevocably altered. We were thrust into a battle we never chose, facing a force of nature that consumed not just our homes, but our sense of security and normalcy. In the wake of that devastation, we began the arduous journey of rebuilding—not just our homes, but our very lives.
The fire's aftermath revealed not only the destructive power of nature but also the shortcomings of our local government's response to those most vulnerable among us. It is this dual realization that has compelled me to run for office. The stark numbers tell a story of a recovery process mired in inefficiency and bureaucracy: out of 911 homes lost, only 110 have been fully rebuilt—a mere 12% recovery rate after four long years.
While we acknowledge that some factors lie beyond county control—insurance complications, personal decisions to relocate—I firmly believe that with different choices and a more compassionate, efficient approach from our county leadership, far more families would be back in their homes today.
This slow recovery is more than a statistic; it represents countless stories of frustration, displacement, and dreams deferred. Each incomplete rebuild is a family still waiting to come home, a piece of our community fabric left frayed.
My decision to run for office is born from this crucible of loss and the subsequent struggle to recover. Losing everything in the fire opened my eyes to the critical need for leadership that truly understands the challenges faced by our community. It instilled in me a fierce determination to advocate for more effective, empathetic governance that prioritizes the present, equitable representation and advocacy of all community members.
As we remember the trials of four years ago, let us also look forward with resolve. Our community's resilience in the face of devastation has been remarkable, but we deserve better support from our elected officials. I am committed to bringing about the changes necessary to expedite our recovery, to ensure that every family has the opportunity to rebuild, and to better prepare our community for future challenges.
Together, we can turn the page on this chapter of loss and write a new story of renewal, resilience, and community strength. Your experiences, your struggles, and your hopes are the driving force behind my campaign. Let us honor the memory of what we lost by building a stronger, more responsive local government that truly serves the needs of all its residents.
In Community, always.
Christopher
I do not see a comprehensive plan to change the planning department anywhere on your site. I had the understanding that reforming the planning department was a priority however there is NOTHING under your priorities about this
Thank You!
I also hope we can get our cellphone coverage back, and 120 Volts in our lines, instead of somewhere between 84 -140v with the occasional 60,000v spike and fireworks on the pole.
Such a good article, making it possible for those of us who only had to evacuate to really understand what it might have meant to love a home. We are strongly behind you Christopher in this county supervisor campaign! Thank you for caring enough to run.
Christopher, you have written your post so succinctly that I don't think anybody who didn't live through the CZU fire or the other fires from Paradise to now could have a genuine understanding of what we went through. Luckily, our house survived thanks to the BCFD building a fire break just north of us on the east side of Telih Rd. From what I heard, CalFire was going to let us burn. Luckily, we have a very good old friend that offered us to stay in Santa Cruz, so we made no insurance claim. . Good friends up here have all gotten dropped, forced to get the cheapo state plan for up to $5000 or more. I was just recoverin…