California Residents Line The Streets To Thank Firefighters Battling Caldor Wildfire [Video]

• Hundreds of California residents gathered in the streets of South Lake Tahoe to say thank you to all the firefighters who helped save their city.
• The community lined up the streets to give heroes’ send-off to firefighters in Caldor Fire.
• The fire is expected to be fully contained by mid-October.

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The Caldor Fire is now almost 80% contained and the residents of the city of South Lake Tahoe are safe to return. When some firefighters were preparing to leave town in recent weeks, the community gathered to cheer for them.

Hundred of residents lined up the streets holding signs that read: “Bless your selfless duty.” They cheered the firefighters and took photos with them — thanking them that their homes and businesses were spared from the wildfire.

According to ABC 10, the gathering started with a few residents over the previous several nights when the firefighters were changing shifts. The gathering continued to grow in size in the succeeding days.

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One resident, Deanna Heinrikson, had repeatedly been coming out to the intersection said, “It doubled and doubled until last night when there were at least 500 people.”

“The thing that got me and made me cry every time, of all the states they’ve been through, they’ve never seen the outpouring of support like this,” Deanna told the outlet. “They saved our homes and businesses.”

Deanna, Angie Mizgireva and Lisa Calderon have been doing this the past several nights, but they haven’t been alone. They’ve been joined by other residents to show their gratitude.

Evacuation orders were lifted for much of South Lake Tahoe more than two weeks ago. Full containment of the fire is expected by mid-October.

South Lake Tahoe was evacuated starting August 30 as the Caldor Fire bore down on the area. Luckily, the weather cooperated and firefighters were able to keep the fire in the mountains outside of most of the Tahoe basin.

“This has been emotionally draining for weeks over numerous concerns, but we are resilient, and the countless ways our community has come together to support one another is heartwarming,” said Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, in a statement.

“We have so much to be thankful for, with the heroic men and women who saved our lives and community… Perhaps the ultimate takeaway is to realize the fragility of our resources and the vulnerability of the places we love,” Carol added.

Source: SFist