California

Santa Rosa Residents Gather as Tubbs Fire Anniversary Nears

Santa Rosa residents gathered at a church Saturday to raise money to help build homes for people who lost them to the devastating Tubbs Fire last year.

Monday will mark exactly one year since the tragedy and as a red flag warning is underway, fire officials are telling people to be extra careful as winds whip through the area.

"October tends to be one of the months that has the largest fires in California," said Jonathan Cox from Cal Fire.

It’s for that reason that they’re warning people to be extra careful and while fire officials urge vigilance, at the Church of The Roses, they urged healing.

"We figured this weekend, all the memories would be pretty traumatic for people so we thought music is a wonderful tool for healing in body mind and spirit," said Reverend Cindy Alloway.

The event featured a choral concert organized by the church’s outgoing director of music Barbara McElroy who is leaving in part because she is one of the people who lost quite a bit in last year’s fire.

"We’re celebrating how far we’ve come since the fire and we’re trying to raise money for those that still need help," she said.

The concert was one of McElroy last events in Santa Rosa and she is happy they raised more than $3,500 which will go to Habitat for Humanity to help build homes in Santa Rosa.

Contact Us