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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — On Saturday, the Middletown community held a commemoration marking 10 years of resilience since the Valley Fire and honoring the lost lives following Friday’s gathering in Cobb.
As traffic and passengers went by, the crowd gathered beneath the large oak trees at Middletown Square Park, recalling the days during and after the Valley Fire.
The blaze, ignited on Sept. 12, 2015 — also on a Saturday — burned 76,067 acres and destroyed nearly 2,000 structures.
The event began with a flag ceremony at 4 p.m. led by Middletown 4-H and FFA students. The American flag was raised to the top of the pole and then lowered to half-staff.
As families, children and pets gathered, local and state leaders spoke of resilience through personal and collective memories, beneath the distant gaze of the two water tanks on Rabbit Hill, painted with the iconic Pomo basket patterns that signify community strength after the Valley Fire.
Cal Fire Division Chief Mike Wink, who fought the Valley Fire as a battalion chief, recalled four firefighters from the Boggs Mountain Helitack were sent to the burn center and five lives were taken.
“But in the midst of that destruction, something greater rose from the ashes — community,” he said.
Jim Comstock, District 1 supervisor at the time of the fire, thanked Middletown Rancheria and Twin Pine Casino for being “first to open up and become an evacuation center.”
He also recalled seeing 26 Pacific Gas and Electric trucks on the road, putting “over 100 sticks of wood in the ground every day,” to get power back.
“Ladies and gentlemen from Cal Fire — the work that they’ve done is just unbelievably remarkable, and I cannot thank them enough for all that they did,” Comstock said.
Middletown Rancheria Chairman Moke Simon asked the crowd to stand up.
“If you look around, what we did for each other was stand up as a community, stand up for our neighbors, and continue to do that as we rebuild,” he said. “We all stood up together, and even the folks that couldn't stand, they were lifted up by everyone.”
Chief Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein said Congressman Mike Thompson and his team were not able to attend, but Thompson presented a flag to four young Middletown 4-H members earlier in the afternoon.
"This flag now flew proudly over the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, and now it flies as a source of inspiration and resolve here in Middletown," he said on behalf of Thompson. "Thank you all for your strength and your uncommon willingness to step up and do what is necessary, even in the face of the most challenging of circumstances."
“This day should serve as a reminder to us of Lake County's resilience. In the face of tragedy, we came together as a community, united. New partnerships and stronger bonds were built, bonds that will continue to serve us well in the years ahead,” said Lake County Democratic Party Chair Nara Dahlbacka on behalf of Assembly Member Ceciliar Aguiar-Curry. “Our work is not finished, but we are stronger and more prepared because of what we've been through together.”
Sheriff Luke Bingham began his speech reading out the names of the lost lives, with a bell rung to remember them.
They are:
• Bruce Beven Burns, 65, Hidden Valley Lake;
• Robert Taylor Fletcher, 66, Cobb Mountain;
• Robert Litchman, 62, Seigler Springs;
• Barbara McWilliams, 72, Anderson Springs;
• Leonard Neft, 69, Anderson Springs.
Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg recalled seeing social media posts of the schools “burning to the ground” while having a different perspective from the Office of Emergency Services’ reports.
On the immediate Monday when Falkenberg visited the burn area, “The schools, for the most part, were intact, and it was evident the hard work that had been put in to do that,” he said.
The schools represent the “beacon of light that we could rebuild around,” Falkenberg said, commending the Middletown Unified School District teachers and staff, who, despite their own losses, supported students returning to school.
Rosemary Cordova of Callayomi County Water District recalled the times when people stood in their pajamas together in the evacuation camp, and treated a clean pair of socks “like we won the lottery.”
“All the questions that we asked each other — did your place go? How’s the rebuild going? Who’s your contractor? Where are you getting your permits? — we’ve been through so much together, and it just fills me with gratitude that we came together every time,” she said.
Cordova also highlighted the community’s collaboration on the Rabbit Hill water tanks, a project collaborated by Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, Callayomi County Water District, and the Middletown Art Center.
“I like how we can now navigate with the tanks — we're known for the tanks as people drive through,” she said. “And it's a sign of how we come together just the same way that we celebrated those pairs of socks.”
District 1 Supervisor Helen Owen said she had been searching for the silver lining of the catastrophe and she found one on a personal level.
“Sure it was horrific — we all had lost so much. But for a few blessed years, we had lost the wretched ticks, fleas and rattlesnakes, my dogs and I had enjoyed a brief interruption and peace from parasites and rattlers,” she said.
“It was as if someone had hit the unity button, and suddenly everyone was reaching out with love and support, much like 911 we found ourselves united,” Owen said. “There was no room for politics, jealousy or drama, just pure love, hope and determination. It felt like a giant group hug, embodying humanity and overflowing with generosity.”
Owen thanked agencies and businesses who have stepped up to support the community, and acknowledged the impossibility of having a complete list.
She then presented a bronze plaque of recognition and memorial, designated to the Middletown community as a whole, to be placed in the Middletown Park near the senior center. The names of those who died in the Valley Fire were carved on the plaque.
The ceremony ended with Lake County Poet Laureate Brenda Yeager reading her poem, “In the Language of Flower” dedicated to the commemoration.
Later in the evening, the Middletown Art Center held an art and expression session featuring poetry, live music, dance and visual arts.
The gallery launched a new exhibit dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Valley Fire, showcasing art that reflects the community's history, resilience and creativity.
The exhibit is on view from Saturday through Nov. 10, from Thursday to Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
