Ray Nutting

(HAPPY VALLEY, CALIFORNIA) Aug 23, 2022 — First-hand Daily Recount of Fighting the CALDOR fire on his Ranch near Grizzly Flats by Retired South County Supervisor Ray Nutting.

Part 3, Aug 16, 2021.

On the morning of the 16th I checked the news outlets and was shocked that the fire had not been put out. The news said that the fire is still in the canyon and getting larger. I decided to go back on Caldor Road again about 5 miles and looked down into the canyon.

It was mid-morning and the fire was a little larger and could not understand why the fire has grown. Moreover, still no activity on Caldor Road making a fire break to save homes and the community of Grizzly Flat. Caldor Road follows a ridge which could of been turned into a fire break.

After viewing the fire, I went to my sisters home where her family was having brunch. My sister asked me what is going on with the fire. I told her that it is still in the canyon and no activity on
Caldor Road to build a fire break. I thought they were still on top of the fire and it would be put out.

The first alerts came out about noon. So I told my sister to get ready to go. This is very bad. So I helped my sister and then told her that I need to go to my home on Edgewood Circle.

Once at my home I again talked with the renters. Her sons were experienced in the woods. I told them to get their timber falling equipment because we still have time to fall all the trees below the home. If we fell a strip wide enough, then we can force the fire to the ground. The young men with my son and I met about 5pm with all the equipment needed. Then the alert went out that Grizzly needs to evacuate. The boys and the mother said it is time to pack what we can and get out. They decided to use the time to evacuate. By 8pm they had backed what they could and evacuated.

I helped my sister do the same. I felt that was the best use of my time. Although, I knew if the fire stayed in the trees, then my home had zero chance of surviving. My son and I worked protecting against a ground fire. By 10pm our task was done. Flooded all the gutters and had 100 feet of defensible space. The police and fire personal were driving around on loud speakers telling everyone to get out. I walked to a hill near by and could see a wall of flames coming towards Grizzly from the the south. The sound was intense and I told my son William this is really bad. We evacuated. On the way out I stopped a fire engine and asked what is the plan to save our community. The answer was shocking. The fireman replied, “no plans and get out”. To this day I am still perplexed with all the planning and knowledge known for years, how the authorities let this fire burned down an entire town. I was angry because they had two days on this fire and not enough resources to put it out.

As a logger and equipment owner, I know within 10 miles of Caldor Road there are hundreds of bulldozers and logging equipment ready to help. The government just has their way and a system. In the old days loggers would show up and put the fires out. Now loggers have to be on a list and called. The calling process takes time and judgement.

We drove to our home in Happy Valley knowing that the fire is coming. We started to pack our stuff and get ready to evacuate.

It was extremely difficult. There are four homes on the ranch and I told everyone to evacuate. Two of the homes had seniors that needed a lot of help. By 2 am on the 17th police was in the community letting people know it is time to go.

By 6am on the 17th everyone on the ranch had left except my son William and I. I told my son that if the fire is in the trees then we have no choice we need to evacuate to a 32 acre plot of land where all vegetation had been removed. This land was almost all cleared off by our family company. We had a D6 Cat and a 966 loader on the job site which was only a mile away from the east side of our ranch.

The night of the 16th was hell. Grizzly Flat was three miles away a little south-east of us. We could hear the explosions that vibrated our home and windows. Morning of the 17th was scary and extremely emotional. I knew that if I left the ranch, the ranch would burn to the ground. Not one firefighter was in Happy Valley. There were dozens of law enforcement with sirens blaring.

I told my wife Jennifer that I knew what I was doing and I will be safe and ok. Fire on the ground we fight! Fire in the treetops we leave. The fire blew by our ranch and laid down on the ground. The fire coming towards our ranch was a slow moving ground fire. We stayed and started fighting. An old bulldozer and old log loader and old man with his young son starting to cut lines.

I was sick about my and my sisters wonderful homes in Grizzly. The history and people of Grizzly all changed this night!!! I didn’t find out that 2/3 of the homes including our family homes burned to the ground until about 2 weeks later.

— Ray Nutting

Part 1 [Aug 14, 2021] 

Part 2 [Aug 15, 2021]

TBC