John Himmel of WSDOT took the original photo from below that shows the burned areas all around the sanctuary property. We added the labels. All of the black is where the fire hit. You can see that the fire circled around below the chimp house towards the driveway.
Even all of us who have been on the property since Monday find this image sobering.
Amy M says
Wow.
Marcia Douthwaite says
A terrifying scene—SO thankful you ALL are okay. Words cannot convey what I feel.
Jody M says
Speechless
leslie sodaro says
indeed very sobering. and thank you all for writing your views of what happened
Libby says
So sad the loss of all that nature, however, so lucky and all can be rebuilt/regrown. Today is a new day, we are alive and can shape what’s next.
Karen M Roth says
I find it a reason to praise God out loud and not just in your mind or heart. For it was God that protected you all! God is the one who gave direction to the firefighters as to where to be and what to do.
Praise you Heavenly Father for protecting these lives here!!
Hillary Wilson says
so sad but begs to ask the question were any of the structures on Young’s Hill damaged?
Diana says
Hillary – there were some logs that burned that provided a bridge across two mounds. And another large log that was on the ground. We removed them yesterday. No structures burned and only one fence post was damaged. The fence posts likely made it through because there was gravel around them and the weeds were cut short.
Rachel says
So terrifying… But makes you realize just how blessed the chimps are to have such wonderful people protecting them. SO grateful they and their caretakers are okay. Love to you all.
Angela Derriso says
Wow. Talk about a close call. Glad everyone’s okay. You guys really are brave to have gotten through this.
Donna says
omg … I knew it had come close, but to see this is chilling. I am so glad for the outcome.
Sara Lissabet, Fairfax says
This is truly an amazing story of danger, heroism, strategic planning, and team work. The photo above is indeed sobering; the only tiny patch of green still left after the devastation of fire consumed the land around the sanctuary.
You “all” – and by all I’m referring to each and every individual that defended the chimpanzees during this event – have made this miracle of survival possible.