Feather Falls holds its first remembrance event 3 years after the Bear Fire

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AVA NORGROVE, ANCHOR: 

Today (Sept. 8) marks three years of recovery from the Bear Fire, later known as the North Complex, which leveled the communities of Berry Creek and Feather Falls.

As NSPR’s Jamie Jiang reports, today is also the first time Feather Falls will have its own event.

JAMIE JIANG, REPORTER: 

The Bear Fire killed sixteen people in 2020, including two Feather Falls residents.

Now, for the first time, the community will be getting its own event, which they are calling a “celebration.”

Denise Bethune co-chairs the Bear Fire Long Term Recovery Group, which holds annual remembrance events for the Bear Fire.

She says it’s a good thing Feather Falls is getting its own event this year.

BETHUNE: “It's important that they be remembered and not forgotten.”

She says people often overlook Feather Falls’ recovery needs because of its relatively smaller population.

Sandy Bourasa lives in Feather Falls and is a volunteer firefighter.

BOURASA: “I've done a lot of advocating for the community over the last couple of years since the fire, and this is the first time that some of those organizations have reached out to us to do a remembrance event.”

Feather Falls’ event will be held at Bourasa’s business, the Gold Flake Saloon and Cafe.

BOURASA: “I think it's important for the community to feel that they're not forgotten, that they’re still here. The recovery process is ongoing.”

She says recovery is slower in Feather Falls than in Berry Creek but it’s still happening.

That gives her hope, she says, and people should know about it.

AVA NORGROVE, ANCHOR: 

The Third Annual Bear Fire Remembrance will take place at the Gold Flake Saloon & Cafe this evening from 5-7 p.m.

That’s followed by a similar event in Berry Creek on Saturday, which will be held at the Berry Creek Community Church from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.