Long-term wildfire evacuees face holidays away from home

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Ray and Curry Sawyer’s Christmas tree is up, still waiting for their grandkids to decorate it. The presents are hidden away in closets, waiting to be wrapped, the ingredients for gingerbread men are sitting in cupboards, and the kindling for the fireplace has been chopped.

A monster of a wildfire burning in Southern California froze the Sawyers’ plans for a big family Christmas and has forced the couple from their Santa Barbara home for nearly two weeks.

Even if their beloved home of five decades survives the next predicted onslaught of winds, the Sawyers are preparing for Christmas in yet another hotel.

The Sawyers are among dozens of frustrated evacuees who have been away from home for days and weeks, living out of hotels or evacuation shelters or staying with friends or family. Some have no home to go back to while others are just hoping theirs survive.

As of Wednesday, 432 people were still staying at evacuation shelters run by the Red Cross, agency spokeswoman Georgia Duncan said.

The shelters are preparing to stay open for Christmas and many agencies are donating toys so that the children there have presents to open.

One company already donated more than 100 bicycles, mostly for children. And Christmas came early for one 5-year-old boy who was handed a Mickey Mouse doll.