MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — The hammering, banging and thunder of sheet metal are the bell toll of progress across Medical Lake, including within Jason Steege’s backyard.
“You know, unfortunately it takes that sometimes to see the best in the community,” said Steege.
By that, he means the Gray Fire, which destroyed 240 homes across the city and unincorporated areas along the lake shores in 2023, including the home Steege's family of seven had lived in since 2016.
“This was the only place they ever really grew up,” said Steege, referring to his five children.
The Steege’s were a military family, moving around and then settling into a 1950s former duplex. Family members brought them back after the fire, but the family they found in the community will keep them in Medical Lake on the same footprint of the old home.
“It's like, why would we want to go somewhere else, flee this when we saw the people come together?" said Steege.
The Gray Fire destroyed more than 180 homes in unincorporated areas near Medical Lake like Silver Lake.
Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper says most people are choosing to return to the areas and rebuild.
“We moved out here two weeks before the fire,” said Bobby Dematteo. “My wife grew up on this street."
Dematteo is relatively new to the Silver Lake area, but his wife's family lives nearby. When his father-in-law passed away in early 2024, the Dematteo's saw a window, a door and a vacant lot had opened up where his wife's family home once stood.
“He started ours four weeks ago today,” Dematteo said referring to their builder. “We'll be in that house first week of October."
Mayor Cooper says 55 homes within city limits burned. There are 47 permits to build new ones and 14 people are already living in their new homes.
Steege says the fire held a “silver lining" by allowing their family to build a dream home.
“When your whole life burns down, right? Your whole house, it's like I’m 51 years old, let’s build the house, well not me but my wife wants,” said Steege.
The Steege’s expect to move into the custom home in the fall and have made room for new life.
“This is going to be a bookshelf door,” Steege said, pointing to a framed-out doorway. “We wanted something, another room, a nursery for my granddaughter."