Neighbors celebrate their resilience one year after Holiday Fire near Goleta

The Holiday Fire burned on the Friday night after the Fourth of July last year, but it isn’t named after that holiday, it’s named after the Holiday Hills near Goleta.

The cause of the wind driven fire that burned more than 100 acres and ten homes is still unclear.

Most people who have lost homes have not rebuilt.

Landscaper Gary Gruetzmacher was surprised to lose his home.

“It came out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting that it would happen, and I didn’t think my house would burn down.”

Gruezmacher credits the community with helping him cope and County workers with helping him get through the paperwork needed to break ground on a new home.

“When we come back next year, I would expect to see instead of a two story house, a one story house because we downsized.”

He recommends checking your insurance for what is covered.

A neighbor up the lane lost his wife to cancer months before the fire.

Jim Mattinson said that put everything he was going through in perspective.

He likes to tell people, “The advantage of having your house burn down is it takes your mind off some of those more immediate things. You can rebuild your house, but you can’t rebuild your spouse.”

Members of the close community didn’t let the fire stop them from having a “Lane Party” last summer.

This year they marked the July 6 anniversary on Saturday with a resilience celebration.

They took a group photo and looked at before and after photos.

They also received special bowls. Potter Clodi Vallicellas mixed ashes from every property with her clay and glaze to create bowls for the survivors.

Party organizer Patty Driskel said, “Something beautiful came out of something very stressful.”

She hopes the next party will be held at the first rebuilt house next year.