Fire’s economic toll hits Petaluma

Many local business owners, employees lost homes in blazes.|

For Petaluma business owners Cynthea Amnatkeo and Desiree Cerda, an Oct. 8 evening that began with a relaxing dinner at the upscale Chalkboard eatery in Healdsburg quickly gave way to a morning of terror spent packed in a Volkswagen Jetta, driving though flames along dark Santa Rosa roads to escape an unrelenting firestorm.

Amnatkeo and Cerda, two of three sisters who own the downtown Petaluma Moon Room salon, were driving back to their Mark West Springs Road home around 10:30 p.m. with their boyfriends when they noticed flames along the highway in Windsor. They recently celebrated their first anniversary of living in the family home with their partners, and were rattled by the possibility that fires could rip apart their lives.

By 1 a.m., they awoke to frantic calls from family members warning of catastrophic blazes surrounding them. Within two minutes, the power went off as the thick smoke outside was back lit by a menacing red glow in the sky.

“I remember standing in front of the dresser and thinking ‘what do I grab?’ We got our three dogs, and we’re going to India on Oct. 19, so I grabbed passports,” Amnatkeo, 25, said. “We had the clothes we had on – our PJs – and we weren’t able to get the cats. We’re still searching for them.”

While escaping, the foursome was turned around several times by first responders.

“We were literally just driving through the fire … there were flames on both sides and burning branches falling to the ground,” she said. “I was really scared … it was the longest 20 minutes of my life.”

By 1:36 a.m., they were en route to a family member’s house in Rohnert Park, but were forced to evacuate there less than five hours later. Three days later, they learned their home was destroyed.

The sisters’ story isn’t unique - many merchants and workers across the county have been displaced after multiple fires burned at least 6,800 structures and 103,285 acres throughout Napa and Sonoma counties. As residents return to evacuations zones, a clearer picture of impacts to the local economy will emerge.

At least 175 Sonoma County business owners lost homes, according to a document shared on Facebook by the Petaluma Downtown Association. In Petaluma, the owners of LaLa’s Creamery lost their Mark West Springs residence, while at least two city employees and two police officers’ homes burned.

Large Petaluma companies, including Camelbak, Workrite Ergonomics, Enphase Energy and Amy’s Kitchen have launched GoFundMe campaigns for employees who are displaced. Staff at the Petaluma Valley Hospital also lost property, according to Petaluma Chamber of Commerce CEO Onita Pellegrini.

Early estimates show economic losses of at least $3 billion, said Ben Stone, the executive director of the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. Stone lost his Coffey Park home.

While Petaluma remained untouched by fires, Stone said the city is likely to see other impacts, including a dip in tourism that could signal a monetary hit for local retailers, as well as increased home prices in an already-tight market. Conversely, the hospitality industry will likely see a bump, as hotels in Santa Rosa were destroyed. Some retailers, such as Kmart, may see increased business, since the company’s Santa Rosa location burned.

Those who live in Petaluma but work in areas impacted by fires may be eligible for financial assistance.

“There are going to be positives and negatives,” he said. “Even though Petaluma wasn’t hit with fires, it will feel the affect.”

City Councilman Mike Healy said he is looking into the city’s role in providing housing as thousands are displaced.

“I’m starting to reach out to developers to see what the city can do to accelerate the delivery of pipeline projects – both projects that have approvals and ones that are in the planning process, because there’s probably a window before the rebuilding starts in earnest in Santa Rosa and other burn areas,” he said.

Pellegrini said the chamber will work with other local agencies to help recovery efforts.

“What’s really heartwarming is seeing how the whole community, the county and all of Northern California are pulling together with the donations and the outpouring of support,” she said. “That helps to heal a little of that hurt.”

Amnatkeo said her Keller Street salon is filled with donations. Her family is back at work and looking to the future, buoyed by support from Petaluma.

“What happened is very devastating, but we feel so rich with love,” she said.

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