{"id":309803,"date":"2026-05-11T04:08:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T04:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/309803\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T04:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T04:08:32","slug":"grizzly-flats-residents-struggle-to-rebuild-after-caldor-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/309803\/","title":{"rendered":"Grizzly Flats residents struggle to rebuild after Caldor Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jenny Magidson\u2019s tuna casserole is \u201cjust heaven in your mouth,\u201d her granddaughter says.<\/p>\n

Before the Caldor Fire, Magidson would open the front door of her Grizzly Flats cottage and call a dinner invitation through the trees to a house about 200 yards away, where her son, Tobe Magidson, lived with his fianc\u00e9e, Kristi Williams; and his two children, Bella and Tobe Jr. Magidson.<\/p>\n

About 40 feet in the opposite direction stood a trailer where her sister, Penny Singleton, stayed. All were invited, even the dog.<\/p>\n

It was like a small family village. Tobe Magidson shoveled snow off his mother\u2019s front porch before she stepped out with her morning coffee. Meanwhile, the children could explore the outdoors.<\/p>\n

When the Caldor Fire hit Grizzly Flats, Jenny Magidson packed her Mazda Miata with grocery bags as her dog sat in the passenger seat. Ashes fell as they fled with the convertible\u2019s top open.<\/p>\n

\"Jenny Jenny Magidson, 67, Tobe Magidson, 49, and Penny Singleton, 68, on May 1 stand outside the trailer where Jenny Magidson has lived since the 2021 Caldor Fire. Tobe Magidson bought the property after the fire destroyed his home in another part of Grizzly Flats and plans to build his new home next to trees that survived the fire. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

For survivors like the Magidsons, this coming fire season is a reminder of the blaze that started almost five years ago<\/a> on Aug. 14, 2021, and burned for 68 days. The Caldor Fire spread across nearly 221,900 acres in El Dorado, Alpine and Amador counties.<\/p>\n

Jenny Magidson\u2019s cottage is one of about 785 homes destroyed in her community<\/a>, according to the Governor\u2019s Office of Emergency Services, about two-thirds of those in Grizzly Flats. Nearly 600 were primary residences.<\/p>\n

Nearly five years later, only a small share have been rebuilt, leaving families like the Magidsons split between homes. El Dorado County has received about 115 applications to build in Grizzly Flats, and as of mid-April, about 70 of those projects are built.<\/p>\n

Those who returned to rebuild feel a sense of responsibility. El Dorado County Planning and Building Director Karen Garner said the community is home to contractors and retired individuals on a fixed income. Before the fire, U.S. Census data showed Grizzly Flats\u2019 unemployment rate was four times higher than the national average before the fire.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThey moved up into the Grizzly Flats area because it is remote,\u201d Garner said. \u201cIt is away from the urbanized areas, and that\u2019s what they could afford.\u201d<\/p>\n

Financial troubles are not why residents like the Magidsons want to rebuild in Grizzly Flats. Tobe Magidson said he wants to continue calling the community home because everyone looks out for one another, and it\u2019s a good place to raise a family.<\/p>\n

\"A A few rebuilt houses stand among fire-damaged trees in Grizzly Flats earlier this month. The 2021 Caldor Fire burned 221,835 acres in the Eldorado National Forest and surrounding areas. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

However, the rebuild has proven difficult. Grizzly Flats residents didn\u2019t receive the federal assistance they expected, Garner said. Under former President Joe Biden, the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved public assistance for government entities, but it denied aid<\/a> to individuals rebuilding their homes<\/a>. The federal agency didn\u2019t respond to The Bee\u2019s inquiry.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Food Bank of El Dorado County founder Mike Sproull said the region wasn\u2019t prepared for the fire\u2019s outcome. There was not enough emergency equipment, like tents, nearby for such a large population. Now the food bank brings supplies to Grizzly Flats and plans to build a 10,000-square-foot emergency warehouse to store essential items in case a similar incident happens again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized during the Caldor Fire, and other disasters here, that we need to help ourselves,\u201d Sproull said.<\/p>\n

For many, getting those resources meant seeking refuge away from Grizzly Flats. The Magidson family wasn\u2019t able to reunite near home until a year ago. Jenny Magidson and her sister initially traveled to Texas while the rest of the family stayed about an hour from Grizzly Flats in Camanche. The grandmother now shares a recreational vehicle with her sister while the rest live in a rental home a 10-minute drive away.<\/p>\n

Just beyond the reach of Jenny Magidson\u2019s dinner calls, another family lost not just a home, but pieces of Grizzly Flats\u2019 history. Ben Aubry\u2019s family has lived in Grizzly Flats since the mid-19th century. His mother\u2019s side \u2014 the Tyler family \u2014 owns a combined 200 acres, where seven houses once stood before the fire, including the homestead his grandmother grew up in.<\/p>\n

\"Ben Ben Aubry stands May 1 on the site where his home once stood in Grizzly Flats before the 2021 Caldor Fire. The family\u2019s 600-acre property was largely burned in the fire. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

He now lives in a fifth-wheel trailer at his mother-in-law\u2019s property in Somerset with his wife and two children.<\/p>\n

Grief came in phases, Aubry said. First, he felt the silence where the wind-blown trees used to be. Then, realized that individual FEMA assistance wasn\u2019t coming. All while his mental health took a hit, and he gained about 100 pounds in the years following the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gained over 100 pounds, and then my amazing wife told me one day \u2026 that I had to stop being sad and get back to work,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve since lost 125 pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others, such as Tobe Magidson, struggle to process what was lost. He thought his old house was his permanent home. He kept family heirlooms there. They are now gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve had time to process, even after all this time,\u201d Tobe Magidson said. \u201cI just keep going, and have to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Financial woes in Grizzly Flats factor into the community\u2019s slow recovery, as fire insurance proved expensive. Garner said some residents, like the Magidsons, didn\u2019t have fire insurance for a number of reasons, such as being dropped, not finding an affordable rate or not wanting to pay for a plan on a paid-off house. Some with insurance also struggled to rebuild, Garner said, as reimbursements didn\u2019t cover what they needed.<\/p>\n

One example is the old Walt Tyler Elementary School, a two-room school house that served 36 children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school was initially quoted $1.1 million from its insurance company, Schools Insurance Authority, according to Pioneer Union School District Superintendent Patrick Paturel. After negotiations, Chief Business Official Mike Henkel said that amount increased to $4.1 million.<\/p>\n

The district also received about $350,000 from FEMA, according to Henkel, which Paturel said was \u201cjust enough to clean up the dirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

A groundbreaking for a new $9 million Walt Tyler Elementary School was expected this April. However, Paturel said, it will be delayed until the remaining $3 million is procured. The school hopes to secure state funding to bridge the gap.<\/p>\n

Today, the school district projects about 24 students who would otherwise attend the Grizzly Flats school are part of an hour-and-twenty-minute bus route to Pioneer Elementary in Somerset.<\/p>\n

\"The The basketball court is all that remains at Walt Tyler Elementary School, which served around 30 students and was burned the 2021 Caldor Fire. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com \"A A new post office in Grizzly Flats has replaced the one burned in the 2021 Caldor Fire. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

Many residents, like the Magidsons and Aubry, were among those who weren\u2019t insured.<\/p>\n

Aubry built his home about eight years before the Caldor Fire struck. He cut down trees, dragged the wood with a Toyota Land Cruiser and processed with a portable mill, using his life savings of about $67,000. Because he didn\u2019t get the wood inspected, Aubry said he couldn\u2019t get fire insurance on his home, leaving him without an insurance payout.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took everything I had and built my first house, and it only stood for eight years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A new program could help the families. Twelve new homes are expected to be built with a partnership between El Dorado County and HomeAid Sacramento.<\/p>\n

The two entities are expected to cover the cost of the homes, about $146,000 each. These Title 25 rural dwelling homes \u2014 built under modified code requirements \u2014 are about 750 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom.<\/p>\n

Outside the new project, one Title 25 home \u2014 owned by Mac MacNeil and Cathie Adams \u2014 was finished last November in Grizzly Flats by the Nonprofit Construct Corporation. The two residents, who are in their 70s, were living in an RV with uneven floors leading up to moving in this past November.<\/p>\n

\"Mac Mac MacNeil, 78, Cathie Adams and their dog Harry stand on May 1 outside their rebuilt 750-square-foot home in Grizzly Flats, which was restored with funding from the Nonprofit Construction Corporation following the 2021 Caldor Fire. The home was built under El Dorado County\u2019s Title 25 ordinance, a streamlined process for smaller owner- or nonprofit-built homes that reduces fees and simplifies requirements. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com \"Mac Mac MacNeil, 78, sits on May 1 in his rebuilt 750-square-foot home in Grizzly Flats, which was restored with funding from the Non-Profit Construction Corporation following the 2021 Caldor Fire. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s watertight and that we have a bathroom and kitchen that works,\u201d Adams said about her favorite part of the house. \u201cThat we\u2019re not camping anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, for some families, the clock to build these homes is ticking. The county\u2019s policy that allows residents to live in RVs is set to expire at the end of the year, causing concerns of homelessness to cross Garner\u2019s mind. Generally, recreational vehicles are removed from the property 30 days<\/a> after the permit expires, according to El Dorado County code.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would \u2026 likely force them out of Grizzly Flats because there\u2019s no homeless shelter,\u201d Garner said. \u201cThere\u2019s no affordable apartment complexes in Grizzly Flats that they could take advantage of.\u201d<\/p>\n

The county will likely consider extending the RV policy, Garner said, who plans to ask the county board to extend it by a year and a half. The expiring RV policy could impact the Magidson family, but they have faith the county will extend it.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody\u2019s worried about it,\u201d Tobe Magidson said. \u201cI think the Board of Supervisors will do what\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jenny Jenny Magidson, 67, stands on May 1 in a trailer she has lived in since the 2021 Caldor Fire. Her son, Tobe Magidson, bought the property the trailer is on after the fire destroyed their homes in another part of Grizzly Flats. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

As the impending deadline approaches, one thing is on the Magidsons\u2019 minds \u2014 keeping the family together. Once their new Title 25 home is built, Tobe Magidson plans to rebuild the little Magidson family village in some capacity, with accessory dwelling units for his mother and her sister.<\/p>\n

And while Jenny Magidson\u2019s dinner invitations may no longer be heard through a dense forest of trees, she\u2019s ready for those calls to return to the plains of Grizzly Flats, bringing family together at the dinner table.<\/p>\n

For the first meal, she plans to serve a pot roast filled with potatoes, celery and carrots.<\/p>\n

\"Mac Mac MacNeil\u2019s 750-square-foot home in Grizzly Flats was rebuilt with funding from the Non-Profit Construction Corporation following the 2021 Caldor Fire. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com <\/p>\n

This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n

Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Corey Schmidt<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n

Corey Schmidt is a watchdog reporter for the Sacramento Bee, focusing on Folsom, El Dorado Hills and Sacramento County\u2019s eastern suburbs. Previously, he was the government watchdog reporter for the St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. Schmidt received his bachelor\u2019s degree from DePaul University in Chicago and his master\u2019s degree from Yale University.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jenny Magidson\u2019s tuna casserole is \u201cjust heaven in your mouth,\u201d her granddaughter says. Before the Caldor Fire, Magidson…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309804,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-309803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309803\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}