"Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country's Deadliest Firestorm" by Paul Gullixson
Our speaker for March 13, 2025, was Paul Gullixson, co-author with Anne Belen, of “Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country’s Deadliest Firestorm.” Paul has spent 37 years in journalism, including many years with the Press Democrat, and is currently the Communications Manager for the County of Sonoma. As Editorial Director of the PD, Paul was deeply involved in the paper’s Pulitzer Prize winning coverage of the October 2017 wildfires. “Inflamed” tells the story of the rescue of 100 residents of Varena and the Villa Capri during the Tubbs Fire.
Varena and Villa Capri are senior living complexes operated at the time by Oakmont Senior Living and/or related entities in the Fountaingrove area. Villa Capri is an assisted living and memory care facility at the complex. According to Paul, assisted living facilities are poorly regulated and often do not have a culture of safety. The book outlines the many acts of heroism by everyday people, many of whom had come to the facility to help their relatives and stayed to get them to safety in the midst of an inferno and utter chaos. One of these heroes was R.J. Kisling, a welder from Petaluma who came to the facility to determine if his grandfather had made it to safety. When R.J. found many residents left behind at Varena, he helped get them safely away.
The book also tells the story of the criminal investigation of Oakmont and the civil suit filed by residents after the fire. No criminal case was ever filed against Oakmont or its owners or employees, although a civil suit for unlawful business practices was filed by the State and/or County of Sonoma. There were also a variety of civil suits filed for damages against the Oakmont entities. Some of these suits were ultimately settled. The book also tells the story of the failed efforts by Oakmont owners, and others, to recall former District Attorney Jill Ravitch (who had shortly before the recall effort announced that she would not seek a new term as D.A.) because of her involvement in the criminal investigation.
Our thanks to Paul for his presentation and for telling this amazing story.
Click HERE for a limited time to see Sunrise Rotary presents - "Inflamed" with Paul Gullixson.
