Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country's Deadliest Firestorm

by Anne E. Belden, Paul Gullixson

The dramatic story of hundreds of senior citizens left in the path of a ferocious firestorm and what the quest for accountability reveals about the increasing risks to our most vulnerable population.

Just after midnight on October 9, 2017, as one of the nation’s deadliest and most destructive firestorms swept over California’s Wine Country, hundreds of elderly residents from two posh senior living facilities were caught in its path. The frailest were blind, in wheelchairs, or diagnosed with dementia, and their community quickly transformed from a palatial complex that pledged to care for them to one that threatened to entomb them. The rescue of the final 105 seniors left behind on an inflamed hillside depended not on employees, but strangers whose lives intersected in a riveting tale of terror and heroism. Headlines blamed caregivers for abandonment and neglect, but the truth proved far more complex—leading to a battle for accountability that stretched from the courtroom to the state legislature, and ultimately, to the ballot box.

Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country’s Deadliest Firestorm is the gripping and emotional narrative detailing what happened to these seniors, employees, and rescuers before, during, and after the Tubbs Fire decimated portions of Santa Rosa, including Oakmont Senior Living Villa Capri and part of Varenna at Fountaingrove. Anne Belden and Paul Gullixson are professional journalists and Sonoma County residents who spent three years recording each phase of the disaster in agonizing detail—from the botched evacuation and its excruciating aftermath to the investigations, lawsuits, and breakdowns that followed. They tell this harrowing story with a veracity and compassion only achieved by experienced reporters with local roots. Their narrative revisits the horrors of 2017 but also asks the reader to look to the future and consider how their community’s most vulnerable will fare as ten thousand Baby Boomers retire each day, the for-profit assisted living industry rapidly expands, and the climate becomes more volatile. If this travesty can happen at high-end senior living complexes, it can happen anywhere.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

464 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2023

Reviews

[Beth Steffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reads like a tense, thrilling work of fiction, except it actually happened. The images the authors create of the disabled, helpless seniors as a firestorm approached was bone chilling. I found I just couldn’t put it down, and I’m familiar with the story and have a personal connection.

The authors take the reader on the harrowing journey of not just the night of the devastating fire as over 100 seniors were abandoned, but they also take us back 50 years to learn the fire history of the area as well as the aftermath with its many twists and turns. It’s clear that every page is so well researched, they capture the trauma of the seniors abandoned as the fire approached as well as the everyday people turned heroes that night.

The authors ask the reader to contemplate the intersection of climate-related disasters, an aging population and corporations who put profits over safety, making it equal parts educational and infuriating.

This book should be required reading for everyone involved in senior care… from caregivers to the owners of residential facilities, and everyone in-between.

I was left feeling hopeful knowing there are selfless people who will risk their lives for strangers, and furious at the lack of regulations and laws to protect seniors from bad actors running these kinds of facilities.

Can’t recommend "Inflamed" highly enough.

[Tim Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belden and Gullixson have done meticulous research into a very complicated story with literally dozens of participants. Even if you think you know all about the 2017 Sonoma County fire, you will learn a lot. But this is more than informative: it's a gripping, hour-by-hour chronicle of life and death heroism (and abandonment). Anybody in fire country, anybody who has an aging friend or relative, anyone who is likely to get old, should read this page turner and take its lessons to heart.

[jack reisner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening and shocking account

Our home burned down in the Tubbs fire. I had heard of the abandonment of these poor people but had no idea to the extent. I had to relive our own escape from the fire during this read but I really felt disgust and shock that Gallaher even made so much money on the houses he built for Coffey Park fire victims. He just made money all around.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just, wow. It is unbelievable that this is a true story. The account is written like a thriller novel that kept me on the edge of my seat from the prologue. I highly recommend this book for so many reasons - as a reminder not to make assumptions, a tale about the importance of advocating for yourself and for others, as hope that there are true heroes among us, and simply as a great read.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tubbs Fire burned from October 08 to October 31, 2017. This fire is estimated to have burned over 36,000 acres of land. Over 5,600 homes and other buildings were destroyed, the bulk of those being in Santa Rosa. It is believed that the point of origin was on Tubbs Lane, hence the name of the fire being the Tubbs Fire. The fire was pushed onwards by strong wind gusts, fueled by excessively dry surroundings due to ongoing drought. This fire alone would cost over 100 million in fire suppression, which is something I think people often do not consider. At least 22 people died in this particular fire.

There were some very serious issues surrounding this fire. Emergency alerts were not sent to every cell phone in the area, because the powers that be were worried about causing a panic... Text message alerts were sent to the numbers who had signed up for alerts, which was not every resident. Reverse 911 called landlines, but only in certain areas. Evacuations were not ordered in a timely manner and were executed poorly. PG&E is notorious for failing to maintain their electrical lines, which often arc, causing fires. One of the most abhorrent issues created the basis for this book: the abandonment of residents of a senior care facility in the midst of a natural disaster. This facility did not have a clear plan of action in case of any type of emergency. They were understaffed. The employees that were there had little to no training, no access to keys for vehicles, no access to generators, no access to batteries. Residents were on a second floor, many of whom were reliant on wheelchairs, with no way to get downstairs. Family members, the skeleton crew with no instruction, and some first responders came to rescue them, not the management of the facilities. Out of the two facilities, Villa Capri burned completely down, and Varenna was heavily damaged.

I would like to say that in 2017, with all of the devastating fires that had been documented throughout history, that a facility such as this would have understood the need for proper fire plans. There was nothing in place for these people. Many of them relied on walkers and wheelchairs. Many were reliant on oxygen or other machines. There were no generators for those people in case of an emergency. There was no way to get them off a second floor with no working elevator. Prior to this incident, there were multiple complaints about staff not caring for people properly. I can see why there were complaints! They weren't doing what they should have been doing, and the ones that were had scant training and no support. I would like to say that stories like this about nursing home and assisted living home horrors are few and far between, but the reality is...they aren't. It shouldn't take a natural disaster to catch people out for not doing what they are supposed to do. I do not blame the families for taking legal action against these facilities. Quite frankly, the state should prevent these people from operating any facility like this in the future, as they are not concerned about caring for people.

This book was very detailed. It gave a lot of information on various residents and the few workers in the facilities. There was a lot of information about the Tubbs Fire as well. I found this book to be well researched, and full of personal statements and sentiments about members of the community and the facilities. This book really made you feel tense with the people in the book and enraged at the abandonment and mistreatment of the people in the facilities. I have the Audible version, which was a long listen. If you are interested in the physical copy, it is over 400 pages.

[Sieglinde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing piece of journalism. The first part is a detailed telling of the Tubbs fire and the problems with the Oakmont properties. Pay attention to how well Brookdale evacuated its residents. There is a villain in this piece who is still actively poking his nose in local politics, Gallagher, who established his senior living facilities as cash cows rather than focusing on care. The second part discusses the civil and criminal actions. None of which made it to a jury trial. The book shows the faults of senior living with possible solutions. I recommend this book to anyone who is planning on going into senior living. I live in Sonoma County and read the Pulitzer Prize winning Press Democrat as this happened. This book is a great example of the beauty and usefulness of journalism .

[Charmaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read countless environmental books but this is the first one that gave me hope instead of an overwhelming sense of anxiety regarding the state of the world. This is also a great book for those who don’t have an environmental background and want to learn more about climate change. It cuts straight to the point without using jargon all while telling a deep, emotional story which is what helps people connect to “complex” topics such as climate change. The way it was written makes it so easy to actually imagine in detail what it was like at almost every minute before, during and after the event. You also become attached to the people affected in the book and you may tear up a bit when you learn about what’s happened to some of them (may they rest in peace).
This book did such a wonderful of job of dodging the one world climate activists and scientist hate: “unprecedented”. Instead, the authors actually make you realize from the very beginning that natural disasters are NOT unprecedented (hence the map and the first chapter). This is why history is so important when discussing climate change (any world event really) and also why people who have money actually aren’t that smart because theyre too busy disguising themselves to be the saving graces of whatever cause theyre pushing, in this case; elderly care. I personally admired how even though this is a story about those left behind during the Tubbs fire, it illuminated what sustainability means. Maybe it wasn’t the goal of the book but it shows that sustainability is about putting people first when it comes to urban planning, environmental planning, disaster planning etc. Sustainability isn’t just about planting trees, it’s about the wellbeing and resiliency of people and their communities. I think this aspect gets left behind in the conversation which is also why we have to continually pay more consequences post disaster. My masters research was actually on community engagement for disaster management and this book is the first resource to tell me that actually, there is a plan that can be made and it should be made by the people. Ultimately, who will be at the frontlines of any natural disaster? The people who live there! So maybe instead of only relying on FEMA and other federal agencies to create plans, we promote more community engagement! Ultimately, you and your neighbors are gonna actually know who and where people need help. The positive outcome of the harrowing event couldn’t have been done without people banding together for something good so I think maybe that is the first step to tackling climate change: community.
Another clear theme is equity in climate change. The world isn’t black and white; neither is risk. When you think about climate risk, it’s not a simple question of who is at risk? But rather who will be at more risk than others? Who has the means to survive risk? Who can prepare for risk the most?
It’s clear in this event that the most vulnerable to wildfire risk are the elderly (especially those who are immobile, have dementia or other serious medical issues), women, pregnant women, single women who have kids, those without a car, low income earners and those without any form of insurance (if you try to fight me on not including men (white) please go read the book). So going back to rich people making themselves to be our saving graces; the saving graces of the Tubbs fire were actually those at more risk: Michael, Andre, Cynthia, Elizabeth and the others who without a doubt have the courage to put their lives on the line to save their community.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST READ for ANYONE with grandparents, aging parents, or even in consideration for our future selves.

There are many lessons to be learned here. Many questions to ask ANY prospective home/care facility/assisted living community that you might be considering for anyone in your family including yourself.

You must do your research and investigation into any facility where you may end up housing yourself or a loved one.

We all should start pressing our state representatives and Governors into strengthening AND ENFORCING laws to protect you/your loved ones who reside in these types of facilities/communities, instead of protecting the individuals/companies/corporations/LLCs who run them.

This book was well researched, and well written. It was fascinating to read, and was fast reading as well.

Everyone who lives in Sonoma County should be required to read it.

Frankly, this story pertains not just to Sonoma county, but anywhere there may potentially be a wildland/forest/grass fire, earthquake, flood, flash flood, tsunami, hurricane, tornado, toxic spill, massive structure fire, gas/pipeline leak/explosion. What happened here can happen anywhere, whether it be a natural disaster or a man made one.

For those who went through the Tubbs Fire of 2017, this can be a tough read, and certainly can trigger anxiety and memories that we may want to forget, but it is so important to read this book and be educated about what happened.

As far as the importance of this book, I put it right up there with another important must read -- Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats, by Kristen Iversen.

We MUST read and educate ourselves about what happened to our communities that we are living in, so that change can be made and that we can protect ourselves and our loved ones.

I cannot stress enough how much this book needs to be read.

[Christina Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inflamed tells the story of the 2017 Santa Rosa Tubbs fire, specifically as it relates to two senior living facilities in the firestorm’s path. It is a horrifying and gripping tale of frightening proportions - AND also, these authors are whistleblowers, courageous truth tellers and should be commended for their commitment to telling the whole story.

The writing is superb - from the first chapter I was hooked. I knew a lot of the details from living in Sonoma County and having been evacuated multiple times since those fires of 2017. While I don’t like sharing this, I feel compelled to share that I was working at Oakmont Management Group at the time of this firestorm. I did not have responsibility for any resident care, but I was part of the accounting team that did the books for the various senior communities owned by Bill Gallaher. So I knew a few things about the properties and the staff, as well as Bill’s position on the reporting. I am grateful to now hear the full story and to be employed elsewhere. I had no idea how brutal the facts really were.

The authors weave facts and history of the area with minute by minute description of the activities at Villa Capri and Varenna during the night and morning after the fire. It is riveting to hear the individual accounts of the family members who put their own lives at risk over and over again to help the helpless on that night. And while that firestorm shocked the whole county with its ferocity, it is still stunning how little thought was given to the residents of these facilities by those in management. The caregivers who did stay and who did what they were able to to help were heroes alongside the family members who helped - including and especially, Anett Rivas, who was 8 months pregnant at the time.

The politics and gamesmanship after the fires were over were frighteningly Trump-like. While I like to think that there are usually two sides to every story, but I’ve lived through enough to know that isn’t always true. Often there are bullies with money and power who manipulate their way into getting what they want. This is one of those stories too.

There are several stories here - story of a fierce and fatal firestorm, but also a story of everyday heroes, a story about the power of one family, a story about politics and fear tactics and a story about how the senior living world is structured and regulated. I hope this book serves as a tool and a springboard for those who can impact change in our country. For the most part, senior care is a profit-driven industry. Without more regulation, there is little internal motivation to do the right thing. This book and the problems it highlights are necessary to bring about the change that is so clearly needed, not just in California, but all over our country. Climate change does not discriminate. We need to wake up.

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
📖 enjoy nonfiction
🔥 remember this fire and want to learn more about it
🧑‍⚖️ love to see justice served
🦽 would do anything to save a loved one

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Just after midnight on October 9, 2017, as one of the nation’s deadliest and most destructive firestorms swept over California’s Wine Country, hundreds of elderly residents from two posh senior living facilities were caught in its path. The frailest were blind, in wheelchairs, or diagnosed with dementia, and their community quickly transformed from a palatial complex that pledged to care for them to one that threatened to entomb them. The rescue of the final 105 seniors left behind on an inflamed hillside depended not on employees, but strangers whose lives intersected in a riveting tale of terror and heroism. Headlines blamed caregivers for abandonment and neglect, but the truth proved far more complex—leading to a battle for accountability that stretched from the courtroom to the state legislature, and ultimately, to the ballot box.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

I remember this fire happening back in 2017 because I was living in Oregon. It was so scary and terrifying to see videos of the fire spreading through the forests and people trying to flee. What I don’t remember is hearing about what happened to these elderly patients who were left for dead. It was fascinating to read all about what they experienced. It almost read like a novel but I kept having to remind myself that it really happened, which honestly made my pulse race more. I was so grateful to see that there were people who actually cared and risked their lives to save those people left behind. The ending is bit dull compared to everything else as it deals with a lot of courtroom information, but overall, I highly recommend this one if you love to learn more about real life events.

[Sue Peisert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tubbs fire is tearing down the mountain at lightening speed, destroying everything in its path. The innocent residents at Villa Capri and Varenna (the poshest of retirement communities in Northern California) have no idea that the staff and management (that they trust), will flee and not take any responsibility while leaving the helpless residents to fend for themselves.

Inflamed is the story of true heroes (the low paid frontline caregivers and maintenance workers who saved the residents) versus Management cowards who left their frontline workers that evening with NO emergency evacuation manual and NO evacuation trainings ever conducted by this company...it is about the truth versus lying and covering up to save Gallaher's reputation...it is about talented reporters (authors Anne and Paul) who discovered the Oakmont details of zero employee training and abandonment versus the Gallahers who desperately tried to cover them up...it is about accountability versus greed.

The first half of the book is riveting, you won't be able to put it down. The second half of the book is the disheartening story of how the wealthy Gallaher family continued to use smoke and mirrors to deceive the public, settle out of court and escape accountability.

[Edward Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, it’s investigative reporting. Yes, it’s thoroughly documenting the horrible events of human failures, the results of greed and the failures of our legal system. But, in reality, Ann and Paul have created an adventure story, one based on in-depth investigations, character development, and the complete stitching together of a complex series of events, during a horrific series of events. Ann and Paul have done a masterful job in the writing and the story telling. The reader almost feels the heat from the fire, the chaos, the system failures; yet, the book show us courage, heroism and dedication of individuals to those they love and at the same time to total strangers. This book is well constructed, easy to read and thoroughly entertaining; it reads as an adventure novel not as a documentary. Yes, this type of fire (or other chaotic event) will occur again, just hope if you are in the midst of it, people with as much dedication, empathy and courage as those at the center of this event are there for you. And that afterward, Ann and Paul are there to tell the story.

[Mary Fricker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning warning about elder-care homes

Please read this book if you or people in your family are, or will be, in assisted living, memory care or independent living facilities.
This book tells the dramatic story of how disabled elderly people in two continuing-care facilities in Northern California were abandoned in the path of raging wildfires in 2017, ultimately to be saved in the last seconds by heroic family and friends.
The authors, skilled journalists, vividly disclose the truth of that terrible night and then explain why some elder facilities nationwide continue to be vulnerable: Facility owners are real estate investors, not elder caregivers. Regulation is minimal. Oversight is slim. Enforcement is weak. Homes are understaffed. Workers are poorly trained. Complaints and inspection results aren’t public.
Learn how to protect yourselves and your loved ones. Read this book!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a Must Read. Not only is it a well written, diligently researched, harrowing tale of survival and heroic selflessness, but it also contains information we ALL need!! Whether you have aging parents in an assisted living, or are aging yourself, you are going to want to read this book. Whether or not you live in an area prone to natural disasters, you're going to want to read this book. Inflamed is full of questions you'll want to ask of any group living situation, and it is a mesmerizing page-turner describing a true story of life and death. Kudos to the authors, especially my friend Anne Anne Chappell Belden. This book took years of painstaking detective work and investigative journalism, and the dedication to telling the story of these elderly care home residents pays off in an incredible finished product. It's already sold out it's first print run! Take my advice and get your copy asap.

[Robert Digitale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book an authoritative recount of a perilous night, one of narrow escapes and lasting trauma amid flames and ashes. The hair-raising episode caused many involved to cry out for the truth of what happened to be told, while others seemed to want things kept hidden in darkness. Belden and Gullixson chose to shine a light. After years of exhaustive reporting, they told a compelling story of frail seniors who nearly died in a raging wildfire and of the lawsuits and investigations that followed. Here's hoping we all learn to take stock of the threats facing both young and old in this ever changing world.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gripping account of two senior living facilities that were impacted by the raging Tubbs fire that devastated Sonoma County in October of 2017. These two journalists did a top notch job of researching and presenting such a fascinating account of the people trapped by the fire and the fallout that followed the fire. It was a page turner from beginning to end. I had a hard time putting it down. It is also an eye opener of what can take place when the pull to make money takes precedence over the welfare of citizens. Excellent writing and arrangement of material.

[Paul Whitman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The excellent kind of non fiction that evokes the frustrations and strong emotions of the ones who lived this story. California wildfires destroy more property and wildlife every year and as it gets worse, it is so sad to see that companies still aren't prepared for this devastation and manage to hide behind lawsuits and corporations when they mess up and almost kill their residents. It is truly a miracle that family members and some of the entry level staff helped out to save every single guest of the retirement home that was totaled by the Tubbs Fire

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone, absolutely everyone should read this book. While it is about one specific event, a wildfire, with the kinds of disasters, both natural and man-made, that can happen in the world, this book reminds us of just how vulnerable we all are. While it is a book based on a true story, it reads like a novel, that is to say characters you really care about and tension that mounts page by page. Read this book!

[Noelle Ihli · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is wow. This nonfiction account of hundreds of senior citizens left behind in the path of a raging inferno is a masterclass in investigative journalism. Belden and Gullixson pull no punches in exposing the corporate missteps that exacerbated an already tragic situation, while also highlighting the extraordinary bravery of those who fought to survive. The story is as horrifying as it is inspiring.

[Dave Harden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow -- Be careful when you pick this book up, because you may not be able to put it down! But that's not the best part. The best part is the truth that comes to light: The heroic deeds, and the not-so-much. Required reading for anyone who wants to be an informed citizen, particularly in Sonoma County!

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying I’m halfway across the country, so while I’d heard about the fire I wasn’t really that informed about it.

Overall thought the first 3/4 is the book was really good as the author recapped the fire. But once it got into the lawsuits it really started dragging. Still a very good read and would highly recommend for any nonfiction fans.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a comprehensive summation of a tragedy in every respect. Unfortunately, the deficiencies and behaviors described therein are not limited to the facilities mentioned but exist throughout the industry. Anyone considering moving a loved one into a senior living facility of any kind, including into a skilled nursing home, should read this book.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that needed to be told. I heard and read many things about Varenna after the fire; after reading this book, I have more empathy for the employees onsite that night and what they went through. I have less empathy for the management team. I think this was well-researched and thoughtful presentation of a horrific night in my community.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading for everyone who has family or friends in Assisted Living, or who may find themselves in Assisted Living. The politics of Northern California are also exposed as being dangerously close to corruption and lobbying influence.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is so good!!! as many reviewers have said, reads like a thriller - was up til 2 reading the section from the fire bc i couldn’t put it down. about greed and exploitation but also the heroism and selflessness of everyday people <3

[Jodi Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

😳

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing but nauseating. The rich people get away with (basically) murder, yet again. The caregivers were kind, but poorly trained.

[Jill Lyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous writing and reporting. As a Santa Rosa resident, I lived through this harrowing night and this book was cathartic for me. Thank you heroes.

[Walter Lederhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. It tells a story of abandonment, hope, and bravery. A spellbinding story of greed.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Details the October 2017 fires in Napa and Sonoma counties, focusing on the Oct 8-10 Tubbs fire and the abandonment of hundreds of senior citizens in an assisted living and memory care facility.