The documentary "The Ashes of Oakridge" takes us to a mobile home park in Sylmar devastated by wildfires.
Ashes of Oakridge: Part 1
For many firefighters, the Oakridge fire was one of the worst in recent memory. Residents and firefighters recount the events of November 15, 2008, when a fire crested the hills above Sylmar and swept through Oakridge Mobile Home Park. And residents remember how the park was a throwback to life in the West, with friendly neighbors, wild animals in the streets, and mountain views.
Residents share their memories of Oakridge with KPCC's Frank Stoltze.
Fighting the Oakridge Fire
Video montage story of the firefighters who battled the flames of Oakridge.
Ashes of Oakridge: Part 2
We take you on the a bus ride through the wreckage and tell you about the miracle home, which survived the blaze when everything around it burnt. Plus, mobile housing advocates and the Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger weigh-in on construction standards, and on the future of mobile home parks in fire-prone areas.
A Bus Ride through the Wreckage
Video of a bus ride through the wreckage of Oakridge.
Ashes of Oakridge: Part 3
Frank sifts through the debris of Oakridge. Fire officials and LAPD explain how they freed an immobile woman who was willing to die in the blaze. Residents share what drew them to the homes in the first place. And we try to understand how elderly residents react to starting over.
Frank Sifts through the Rubble
Video of Frank Stolze walking through the ashes of Oakridge.