>> and i'm dan ashley, live in santa rosa tonight. six massive fires burned more than 200,000 acres. that's about 300 square miles. three of the biggest fires broke out within minutes. the flames moving so fast that some people could not make it out of their homes. 44 people perished. 8900 buildings were destroyed. and it took more than three weeks before crews could contain the flames. but so much damage had been done. "abc7 news" has live team coverage for you tonight. incredibly, comprehensive coverage to bring you every aspect of this story on the north bay wildfires one year later. our team of reporters have put together stories on the fires and how they have changed so many lives. we'll begin our coverage with news reporter cornell bernard. he reconnected with a man we talked with a year ago as he watched his home of 25 years burn to the ground.

cornell is with me live in santa rosa tonight. good evening. >>eporter: this is the front walk that just led to john's home here. luckily, he and his family did make it out. a year later, he is telling us what he told us last year. material possessions and homes can be replaced. >> the morning i saw you, , everything was gone. >> reporter: we met john one year ago, but the firestorm took his home here. >> we'll remember this day forever. >> i was struck by how calm he

was that day. >> we just put it back together and rebuild. this looks horrible now, but this is really a beautiful spot. we lived in our home for 25 years. this is the foot print for the maybe house here. >> reporter: this is the only thing that survived the fire. the family will rebuild, but building permits and insurance have slowed the process. >> you have to be patient. >> reporter: a year late, he's reflecting on what he lost and found. >> one of the things i learned is that material things aren't that important. and that's cliche but it's true. >> reporter: it's a difficult anniversary for kim graves. but they keep returning here. after all, it's still home. >> you see the zodog? he loves it here.

i'm coming back. so i look forward to that day. >> reporter: the gray family tell me that they hope their new home will be ready to move into this fall. dan, back to you. >> thank you. we give you a look at the utter devastation left behind. most of the residents here were senior citizens and the fire moved very fast, killing two

people. this is what it looks like today. the debris has been cleared, but the memories have not. the mobile home park will not reopen. a mixture of affordable and market rate apartment als will built here instead. a good look at that former mobile park there. many businesses are still rebuilding, and regulars, good hearted regular customers and some new clientele have helped keep the businesses alive. and it's made all the difference in the world. wayne freedman is in estates. >> reporter: you mentioned the thousands of structures that were burned here during the fire. a lot of structures had close one year later, pockets of santa

rosa have become miracles in slow motion. maybe it's easy to overlook this one. >> i knew we were going to it. >> reporter: nope for tthe mark center, somehow the tubs fire left stand thing time last year. >> i was back in here 11:00 the next morning. and this place was probably 120 degrees everywhere. >> reporter: it's next to lark field, where joe chandler among others has been rebuilding. a shopping center that's always felt like home. jerry says it's not been easy since their morning commuters disappeared. >> we've been here 11 years. so we didn't just want to walk away. we're part of the community. ro inif the last year, that community has changed. turns out the salvation comes

from different people. >> now there's construction guys. >> they all eat. >> reporter: nobody says business is up, not with the dinner crowd gone, but it's enough. >> pleased to be open later in the evening. but there's nobody out here. so we close at 5:00. >> reporter: still, much better than the alternative. and it's worth noting while it's a success story, it's not a total success story. that shopping mall took roughly a month to open, and then profits dipped by 30%. now profits are down to only 20% off. so they still have work to do. live in santa rosa, wayne freedman, "abc7 news." dan? >> wayne, thank you. work to do but progress at least, which is encouraging. while the flames here were causing so much damage in santa rosa, the nuns fire was spreading to the south. people in glenn allen just lost

everything. but one family is planting its futcher in the same spot. it was all just so surreal. this is what melissa and austin saw when they awoke, a firestorm bearing down on their small farm. an inferno dubbed the nuns fire. >> about 11:30, we were woken up by neighbors on the night of the 8th. they said everyone has to go. everything is on fire. >> there used to be a million buildings there, now there's nothing. >> reporter: they knew the small farm they built on a college dream would be no more. >> we were hit pretty hard, because we were just about to go on full production, pretty much for ourselves in 2018. so we had a big setback. >> reporter: when they returned the next day, there was a glimmer of hope. >> all the animals made it. >> reporter: all of their animals, the goats, cows --

>> chickens, you're alive. >> reporter: even the chickens survived. it gave them some hope that they could rebuild. >> we had a brief opportunity to change our lifestyles and we decided that the purpose and what we were doing was beyond ourselves and we had to just stick with it. >> reporter: today, the chickens are happy and so are the cows. the herd is even a little bigger. as you can see, the debris has been cleared. there are crops to harvest, but still a lot of rebuilding to do. but they're back. >> it's been a long season. >> reporter: and they're doing it all themselves. >> it's been quite a challenge to have to reinvest money back into rebuilding the farm. we buy all the materials, and produce something to sell at the same time. >> reporter: fortunately, they say business has been good, they've been selling out at farmer's masks. they say because locals have wanted to see them succeed. >> the community has been behind

us throw the whole process, the rebuild and wanting to support us and see us continue to be here and thrive. >> reporter: they're going to open their farm to the public this weekend and sell pump kins for the first time, planting seeds for a futch they are just one year ago didn't seem promising. >> so true. but things are beginning to turn. if you want to see those pumpkins yourself, i can tell you, melissa and austin would be delighted to see you. they'll be open this weekend. and the farm is off highway 12 in glenn ellen. want something fun to do? go up and see them. our special coverage continues here on "abc7 news." we're devoting live team coverage to the north bay wildfires one year later throughout the evening. you can continue watching on air or online at abc7news.com. we have so much more to share with you on this one-year

anniversary. stay tuned for that. let's go pack back to san franc in the studio. still ahead on "abc7 news" at 5:00 -- >> trash, the smell of feces and a lot of homeless people. what's being deemed the most dirty block in san francisco, the nationwide attention it's now getting and what's being done about it. and our coverage of the north bay wildfires one year later continues all evening, including a new tiny home offering hope for a soon-to-be family of five. but they're running into permitting problems. how michael finney is helping them get to the bottom of it. a live look from sky 7 at the areas of devastation one year later. so much remains unbuilt. we'll have a lot more coming up, including a closer look at the technology that

sky 7 shows us a grass fire that caused a scare this afternoon. fire crews advised neighbors to evacuate, but they've been allowed to go home. the fire burned just off higgins canyon road. cal fire says crews held the flames to just five acres and the fire has been contained. san francisco is in the national spotlight, and not in a positive way.

we take you to one neighborhood with a dubious new th >> reporter: this has just been named the dirtiest street in san francisco by "the new york times." you may not be surprised, but we wanted to know what's being done about it. >> when i first moved here in '82 it wasn't like this. >> reporter: larry has been living here since 1982 and amassed a collection of photos depicting what's happening. >> heroin freeze, that's what i call id. >> reporter: it's the drug users, trash and human waste covering the streets that sparked an article if "the new york times," comparing this part of the city to developing world squaler. >> reporte >> i don't think it's the worst street. >> reporter: it's not the only neighborhood with cleanliness issues. the department of pub hilic wor

receive a lot of calls. >> people are not respecting their city, and we have to take responsibility. >> reporter: the mayor calls the article and others which criticize the city for its streets unfortunate. just over $70 million has been allotted to cleaning budget. >> we have to have the conversation to not just overlook when someone throws something on the ground. they should be given a ticket. >> reporter: as for gossberg, who says after 36 years along hyde, he feels hopeless. but maybe there is a silver lining. >> i'm glad they did the article. maybe something will be done. >> now back to our north fwa wi -- north bay wildfires. >> a family that lost its home in the north bay fires may have a really happy ending, the

entire family bought a tiny home just weeks after their house burned down, but they have not been able to move in. and michael finney, as he so often does, jumped into action to help this family try to navigate their way through some of the difficult entities, the difficult bits of red tape required in order to make this happen for them. michael has that story. >> reporter: i've got to tell you, it's been quite a ride of emotion for this soon-to-be family of five. they're finding it difficult to piece together the complex puzzle of permitting and bureaucracy. this tiny home has everything they need. they won the home that features a pull-out dining room table that converts into a bed for the kids. there's also a king-size sleeping loft. and a very serviceable kitchen.

but if you ask 5-year-old sayla, the best part is the jacuzzi bathtub. the family couldn't be happier. >> it's beautiful. it's amazing. >> reporter: the tiny home gives them hope. in stark contrast to the now clear plot of land they used to call home in santa rosa. the property has been in his family for years, and they have not decided that they will rebuild. in the meantime, they are rent thing plot of land behind this home to place their tiny home. but the family has been unable to obtain the necessary permits needed before moving in. >> it's been, you know, what is that, ten months? almost 11 months of just like waiting, talking, figuring out permits and whether or not we can do it. >> it just felt like this uphill struggle.

no one tells us the same information. no one seems to be on the same page. >> reporter: 7 on your side arranged a meeting between a permit official and the family to get all the questions answered. jesse oswald is the city's chief building official. he said the biggest obstacle is whether a tiny home built in tennessee meets all california regulations and requirements. >> someone needs to certify that they meet those minimum requirements as established by the state of california. >> reporter: the tiny home is manufactured by new frontier tiny homes. they're normally certified by pacific west associates. santa rosa said it was not familiar, and questioned whether it could accept a pwa certi certificati certification. after the meeting, 7 on your side arranged that the city is now ready to accept the certification. >> it's good to know. >> reporter: and they hope the family can move into the home in

less than two months before the birth of their third child. final certification of the tiny home is pending a visual inspection from pwa, which should happen before the end of this month. just so many struggles, as you've been seeing out there today, dan. >> michael, great job. tiny home. great work as always, michael. a year ago here in santa rosa, the winds were howling as the plates were spreading. a little breezy here tonight. but basically a very warm and nice evening. >> now your accuweather forecast with sandhya patel. >> you're right, dan. let's take a look at live doppler 7 hd. the coast is clear from coast to inland. we are

coming up at 6:00, we'll expand our coverage of the north bay fire's anniversary with my partner dan out in the field. and dan noyes examines why people are able to rebuild faster than some others. also -- >> it's not fair that they put that burden on us. >> frustrated fire victims looking for answers. the staggering number of them are underinsured and didn't know it. michael finney investigates who is to blame. that's all coming up at 6:00. "world news tonight" with david muir is next. i'm kristen sze. >> and i'm dan ashley. live once again in santa rosa. for sandhya patel, michael finney, and our entire team working so hard in the north bay on this one-year anniversary, we appreciate your time. one last time, we thank you upstairs here, drone view 7 giving you a closer look, a

bird's eye look at the fountain grove neighborhood, so devastated by the wildfires one year ago. some rebuilding, but a lot more to g

tonight, breaking news. as we come on the air in the west tonight. the states of emergency. a major hurricane moving in. hurricane michael rapidly gaining strength at this hour. the new track just in tonight. racing toward the american coast. the fast-moving storm could make landfall as a category 3 hurricane. mandatory evacuations coming. long lines for gas already. tonight, cruise ships out at sea changing course. meteorologist ginger zee has the hour by hour when this hits. also tonight, we have new reporting here after that deadly limousine crash. 20 people killed. among them, four sisters. what authorities have just revealed about the driver tonight. and about the limo itself. and tonight, what we've learned