Caldor Fire survivors lose newly built barn in fire that killed show animals
GRIZZLY FLATS – Fire has devastated a Grizzly Flats family for the second time. The family, who lost their home in the 2021 Caldor Fire, had just finished rebuilding their barn when tragedy struck again, taking the lives of two show animals.
"It took me three days to not just cry," said Amber Tyler, who lost her show animals to the flames.
Amber has not been back to their property in Grizzly Flats since that fire engulfed the brand-new barn last Tuesday. She has been staying with her grandparents.
Since she was 5 years old, Amber has been raising animals for show. The now 17-year-old has just brought Dottie the pig and Oakley the lamb home to their barn a week before the fire.
"How do you call your kid and tell them that they just lost everything that they dreamed of?" said Amber's mother, Candance Tyler.
Candance said a neighbor noticed the barn was on fire as the family was out of the house. By the time they returned, it was too late.
"Mainly everything that she lost was stuff she had replaced since Caldor with her own money, so it's heart-wrenching watching her struggle again," Candance said.
Like many other Caldor Fire survivors, no insurance has made the rebuilding process slow and pricey.
"We're still in our trailer almost four years later struggling to rebuild," Candance said. "We're building everything by ourselves with the help of family and friends. California just has so many rules and regulations that make it so hard to rebuild."
They will have to start from scratch again on the barn, but Amber's passion hasn't died and she is seeing the Grizzly Flats community show up for her when she needs it most.
Amber's grandma is giving her a piglet for show and a family friend has provided her a lamb.
"I am just so proud of her she is just so resilient she just keeps moving forward," Candance said. "Even though we just have one tragedy after the other that seems to just keep happening."
The family believes a heat lamp inside the barn may have started the fire. It will cost thousands to rebuild what was lost, but Amber is looking forward to showing off her new animals this summer with dreams of becoming a large animal emergency veterinarian someday.
"We lost our home in Caldor, and it hurt to lose everything, but we didn't lose life in Caldor," Candance said.
