Disaster Recovery News

Video about the fire at the View Point Inn, as seen in the Twilight movie

A fire broke out Sunday night at the historic View Point Inn in Corbett, OR. Carl Linde built the Inn in 1924 for Grace Palmer. The Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places. This is also where the prom scene was filmed in the popular movie, Twilight.

The fire started within the walls of the kitchen and spread to the floors above it. The kitchen is currently out of service because of the blaze. The basement and a second-floor room have also been damaged.

Co-owner, Geoff Thompson, reported, “We had a great dinner and then smoke started coming out of the kitchen’s light fixtures.”

Angelo Simione, the other co-owner of the View Point Inn, stated to KPTV: “(It’s) very disheartening to see the damage like this. We’re working day by day just to keep this place going, to keep the business going. Small business has been hurt pretty badly, so this fire is the last thing we needed.”

Like Simione stated, business continuity is greatly affected after a disaster like a fire. One of the first things business owners should do after a disaster is contact a fire restoration specialist who can help restore important documents and the structure of the building. More on business continuity and fire damage recovery.

Learn more about creating a disaster plan for your business.  

Angel Island, seen in the bay of San Francisco, was engulfed in flames last night. So far, the Silicon Valley’s Mercury News reports, at least 380 acres have burned.

In the late 19^th century, Angel Island was a site immigrants suspected of carrying deadly diseases were contained. Now, however, the island is a recreational area used for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.

Tourists in Tiburon could see the commotion of 200-plus firefighters, helicopters, and ferries all fighting the blazes from their vacation spots. The fire was visible to iReporter, Bob Austrian, who was about five miles away. It is expected to take up to four days to contain this fire.

More on wildfires and fire restoration.

The U.S. Forrest Service conducted case studies on residents who live in the area of the San Bernardino National Forest. This forest is infamous for its wildfires that often cause about 70% of nearby residents to evacuate their homes.

In a focus group conducted in 2007, 94% of residents reported to have taken measures to defend their homes against fires, including changing the landscaping of homes. However, residents mention barriers that hinder precautionary measures include lack of finances, physical limitations, and not wanting to change the landscaping around their homes.

Also discussed were the preferred methods residents wished to receive information about fire prevention and warnings and the preferred agencies that gave such information.

Click here to read the full story from Science Daily.

Click on the following to learn more about prevention and recovery from fires:

• Preparing for fire damage

• Protecting your home from wildfires

• A service that help you or your business recover from fire and water damage

House fires often start unexpectedly and can happen at any time of the day. This was the case for a Eugene, OR woman who escaped unharmed from her home that became engulfed in flames on September 23, 2008 during the noon hour. The fire started on the porch in the backyard and spread to the home. It is suspected a propane tank from a grill caused the fire, but it is not certain. Read the full story here . Click here to see the video of the story.

The total cost of the damage is still not known. However, many people do not realize that personal items in such situation are not lost just to flames. Smoke, water, and flame retardant solution also contribute to the loss of many items. Click here to see tips about preventing the loss of your documents and pictures that are irreplaceable.

Photo by By KVAL Web Staff