OC residents whose homes were damaged in Norte Fire describe hurdles after filing insurance claims
Three weeks after the Norte Fire damaged or destroyed seven homes in Orange County, some residents whose homes remain standing say they are facing serious smoke damage and insurance challenges as they try to return home. Among them is San Juan Capistrano resident Cyndi Dudek, who evacuated her neighborhood as the fast-moving fire approached. “It was very frightening,” Dudek said. Dudek had moved into her home in August. Two months later, on October 16, the fire reached her neighborhood. She said conditions deteriorated rapidly as she evacuated. “From the time I went from my front door just to my car, we were gasping. The smoke was in our face,” she said. Although homes one block away were destroyed, Dudek's home remained standing. Still, she said the property suffered extensive smoke damage. “We lost the habitability,” Dudek said. She said a strong odor remains throughout the home and that ash continues to cover nearly everything inside. Dudek said she is especially concerned because her husband has compromised lungs. An expected lawsuit alleges the destructive Norte Fire in Orange County was caused by a San Diego Gas & Electric equipment failure. The couple filed a claim with the California FAIR Plan, the
