MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — It's been months since the Gray Fire destroyed more than 240 homes in Medical Lake, and the picture is still grim. For those who lost their homes in the Gray Fire, the DNR report is not surprising and doesn't help with the road ahead.
Robert Mountjoy has lived in Medical Lake for 19 years. He wasn’t at home when the fire broke out on August 18 of last year. His wife was and only left with the clothes on her back. “It's a real hardship for us, because we left with two shirts," Mountjoy said.
Throughout the last six months, Mountjoy and his family have done their best to recover. “I don't want to look back because it's very difficult," he said.
When Mountjoy saw DNR's report that the Gray Fire was likely caused by sparks from an Inland Power light, he wasn’t surprised. He says it confirmed what he knew all along. “I don't think it surprised anybody," Mountjoy said. "The source of the fire? I don't think it came as any surprise.”
Others say the report doesn't change anything. “My first reaction was doesn't change anything. It’s still burned down," Terry Andrews said.
Andrews lost his home on Silver Lake. He says the cause of the fire is the least of his worries now. “We're just looking forward to the future," Andrews said. "We're looking at the positives. And the community has been amazing.”
As for Mountjoy, he’s ready for what’s to come. “We're rebuilding on top of the existing foundation with a little different home," he said.
There were also a couple of names that were listed as witnesses in the report. KREM 2 had the chance to talk with two of them. The witnesses say they’re glad the report is complete and that it’s a step forward for everyone affected.
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