Brian Williams interview on the 2017 Tubbs Fire, April 12, 2023

I'm Reagan and I'll be interviewing Brian Williams who was in high school during the time of the tubs fire. Um So what grade level? And what age were you during the time of the fire? I was a junior in high school and I was 17 years

old. And uh what school did you go to? And what area was it in? I went to Mario Creo High School. It was in Oln Valley, Santa Rosa. And did you like live near the school? Yes, I live down the street from it. Ok. Um And

then what did your living situation look like before the fire? Uh I live with my, most of the time. Uh my mother and my stepdad and my stepbrother in the same house. Uh the one down the street from the school. Um And then how did you

learn about the fire? Uh I got woken up one night uh by my mom frantically saying that we had to get the hell out and uh we went outside and the fire was already so close um around the mountain that you could see the flame and

it was coming in even quicker, like wrapping around the mountain. So you saw it physically? So did you like, start like, evacuating like, or like packing immediately after you saw it? Um Not really, I, well, kind of, I, I put like little things together just like

underwear, like, like the bare necessities but not a whole lot of stuff. And it wasn't necessarily like immediately. Um And then do you remember like, your feelings or emotions during that time when you first kind of learned about the fire? Yeah, I was, uh, I was

in shock. I was just like, like, wow, I didn't really expect this type of natural disaster to be happening to me. And, um, like, it was just like, kind of crazy just like seeing it wrap around the the mound like that. It was like, just never

thought I would experience that. But, um, I wasn't like, scared necessarily. I was just more shocked and just speechless. It was kind of amazing to watch that in a weird way. Um And then what kind of student do you feel like you were before the fire

with like academics and sleep schedule and things like that? Completely average. That's all. I mean, I was just, you know, I didn't do very good the first two years of high school and I think junior year I stepped it up. But, uh, I mean, I'm just,

yeah, that was like average. Yeah. Um, and then what was it like to go back to class? After the fires was, like, go back to class after the fires. Um, it was, it felt normal to me. Uh, you know, all the teachers and students were very,

um, you know, supportive of one another and stuff like that. So, I'm normal. Um, and do you feel like you're like peers kind of had the same reaction mostly? Yeah, I didn't see anything completely out of the ordinary. Um, I mean, there were some people who

obviously lost their homes and they were having a tough time and they were getting the support from the people around them. But, uh, yeah, exactly. Um, and then do you feel like your academics suffered after the fire and, like, your mental or emotional health or anything

like that? No, I wouldn't say so. I think my mental emotional health stayed the same and, um, was my academics. Uh, I think they actually improved a little bit just because the, all the staff were very lenient. Yeah. Um, and then you kind of talked about

this but do you feel like the teachers and staff kind of made the process easier and were, like, more understanding? Yes, definitely. They were more understanding. Um, and then how were your relationships with your friends and peers affected? And what were some of your friends experiences?

Um, I had a, uh, you know, uh, burned down and I had, uh, a couple of friends who lost, who lost their houses and, uh, you know, had to find somewhere else to live and that was hard for them. And me and my friend group had

to, you know, be there for them and support them like that. Um, and then, like, as far as the peers that I had at school, uh, I knew a couple other people who had lost their homes and it was just, it was very tragic and it

was very hard for them. And, um, you know, I didn't feel good seeing them and that kind of because I felt like they, I feel like, I mean, I can't speak for them because I don't know for sure. But I feel like their academics were kind

of not going so well just because they were actually, like, impacted more severely by the virus. So, yeah. Um, and then did your daily routine change it all after the fire? Um, I honestly, I think the most for that, I think the, the biggest thing about

that is that I just took shorter showers for like a small period of time. I, like, was trying to save water and be like, oh, shoot, like this water can be used for future prevention or whatever. If it, even if it doesn't do anything, I was

just taking like shorter showers and being mindful of that, I guess not. It was just for a short period of time. Yeah. Um, and then did you have, like, any fears about the fire coming back? And at the time now. Not at the time. Um, and

then was your family affected financially at all by the fire? Nothing severe. Now, I wouldn't say that they were impacted, uh, financially that much. The, the biggest thing probably was just leaving the water running, like the sprinklers and, like, watering the house before we left and

stuff like that. That's like, probably, oh, and like, uh, like having like, a generator for power and stuff like that. But, um, other than that, no, there wasn't like any severe financial problems. Um, and then after the fire, did you feel like you had more of

a disaster plan in place if there were to be a fire again? Um Not really. I feel like, uh we just for that, I feel like we just had um, a route planned kind of not necessarily like a, oh, let's have things packed ready to go

or like, you know, let's pack faster or, um, it was just more of like a, let's take a specific route, preplanned route. So we know where we're going and so we can get to our destination and evacuate faster. Yeah, that's it. Um And then what do

you feel like was the hardest part about the fire and why, uh the hardest part? Um, probably the, the traffic, the traffic is, it was just like, you know, it's that honestly, that was the part that made me scared was because you're in traffic you're in

literally the same spot for like 10, 15 minutes and there's a fire hurling to you in your house. So it's like, ok, well, I'm stuck in the same because I'm not gonna hit another person's car, you know, but you're stuck in the same spot for like

10, 15 minutes. You're like, what if the, you know? So, um, I would definitely say the traffic because actually I did get into a car accident. Um, it was the morning after we evacuated from the fire, someone had slam right to the back of my rear

ended me really hard. And, uh, I luckily no one was like, no one needed medical attention or anything like that. But, uh, yeah, it was just the, the traffic and people just completely panicked and like, forgot how to drive. So that was scary. Um, and how

long did you have to, like, be evacuated for? Oh, at least a couple of weeks I stayed at my grandparents place for, yeah, at least at least a week at my grandparents place. But I think we were like, evacuated and out of school for like two

or three weeks, something like that. Um, and then if you had to relive the fire, would you do anything differently? And if so what would you do after experiencing it? Um, uh, because I've experienced it before. I would probably be, uh, a little more proactive about

taking it seriously packing my stuff, uh, you know, convincing my family and neighbors, like, get out, like, even if you're, you know, have a little bit of doubt that it's, you know, not gonna hit your house or whatever. Like, let's, it's better to be safe than

sorry. Like, let's, let's go get your stuff, let's get out, be safe. So just be more proactive and take it more seriously rather than stare at it and be like, wow, this looks cool or this is scary and like, just be, you know, don't be reactionary,

be proactive about it. Yeah. Um, and then what did you learn after, after the fire if you feel like you learned anything, what I learn after the fire? Um, I learned that it can happen anywhere at any time and like, it's completely, just, like, expect the

unexpected kind of because it was completely unexpected, at least by everyone in my area that I know of. Um, so it's just, it, like, just be ready, I guess, you know, like be more prepared. Like it's probably, you know, smarter to have a, a plan like

a, uh, you know, evacuation plan, full, fully evacuation plan. So, but, um, yeah, just expect the unexpected. Yeah. Right. Well, that's all. Thank you.