Californian Man Heartbroken After Dream Home He Spent 30 Years Building Is Destroyed In Wildfire

By Samantha in Heartbreaking On 24th August 2020
advertisement

#1

A massive fire last week in California forced Hank Hanson and his wife to flee from their home. The couple managed to escape without getting hurt but when they returned all they found was rubble and destruction everywhere in place of their property.

Hank is heartbroken by this destruction. The man spent last three decades of his life making his dream home the perfect place.

Credit: PA

On the property, which was bought by Hanson in 1974, there were two homes. After purchasing the huge lot of land, he spent the next 17 years going up there on the weekends to plant walnut, peach, fig and eucalyptus trees.

#2

Fast forward 20 years later, he added a 3,000 square-foot addition, which had a wine cellar, an indoor and outdoor pool and a bunch of fireplaces.

He said: "I worked on it for 30 years. It was pretty nice. I wouldn't want to do it on a lesser scale, and I don't got time to top the old one."

Credit: PA
advertisement
Follow On Google News

#3

Now he is devasted because he has lost it all. Hanks was lucky that he was awake when the wildfire started pouring over the ridgeline in Vacaville in Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento.

Credit: PA

It was a baking 35 degrees Celsius at 1am and Hank couldn't sleep. That's when he noticed the inferno was coming his way.

"It started pouring toward us like a waterfall," Hanson told Las Vegan Sun.

advertisement

#4

Not all hope is lost. Hanks is planning on turning the lot into a park and campground and hopes to be able to visit it every now and then with his mates.

Credit: PA
Follow On Twitter

#5

California has been facing raging fires since last week which have killed six people and destroyed more than 700 homes. It's the second-largest wildfire in the state's history and it's not over yet.

They were partly fuelled by extremely hot conditions and exacerbated by more than 12,000 lightning strikes.

Californian Governor Gavin Newsom has requested help from firefighters from Canada and Australiain controlling the blazes.

He said: "Many of you will recall, I think it was 2017, the support that we were provided and the support that we provided in turn of some of the best wildfire firefighters from Australia. We also have requests out for that talent, as well."

Credit: PA

New South Wales Rural Fire Service reportedly said they have not received a formal request yet, but they were in a 'good position' to help, although coronavirus restrictions may affect their deployment.

A spokesperson told Brisbane Times: "We are in a pretty good position [to help] compared to where we were at this stage last year. The consideration would just be what the request is in relation to Covid-19 and quarantine restrictions for going there and on return."