Contributions sought to help Cottonwood family that lost home, barn to fire

An account at North Valley Bank was recently established to assist a Cottonwood family burned out of their home and barn on Monday, June 22.

That morning, Denise Russell awoke to her 12-year-old son, Kyle Malone, yelling "fire."

On June 29, as she stood among the blackened ruins that used to be her home, Russell cried as she thought of the family photos she won't get to show her grandchildren.

"We got out with nothing," she said. "Nothing."

Russell, her husband, Shawn Malone, and three of their children jumped off the back porch as a fire ripped through the barn that stood next to their home.

Kyle said he had gone to get a drink of water and heard a cracking noise, noticed a funny smell and opened the barn door to be faced with a wall of flames.

Russell called 911 to report the fire and waited in the grass with her family, all still in their pajamas, for the engines to arrive.

Calvin Ciapponi, battalion chief of the Cottonwood Fire Department, said seven engines, three water tenders, three battalion chiefs, a breathing support and 25 people responded to the fire.

"I live in Happy Valley and I could see the column at Happy Valley and Gas Point Road," he said. "At that time, I ordered two additional engines than what was on the initial dispatch."

Ciapponi said the dry wood of the barn and house fueled the fire, which destroyed the barn and left the house with just a foundation, a few punctured walls and a partial back porch.

The home, which was actually three mobile homes lining an 8,000-gallon pool surrounded by hand-laid tiles and plants, had been built by Malone's dad. A singed blue porch swing still sits on the back porch near where they jumped, a melted yellow motorcycle helmet near the front door.

"I can't even go up there and look," Russell said.

She said she feels like she's in a dream and wants to fall asleep and wake up to find the fire never happened.

Kyle said he and his dad had just finished putting $3,000 worth of new roofing on the house a month ago. Now the roof has fallen into what used to be their living room.

"We worked all day for weeks on that," he said.

Though they had fire insurance, Russell said it won't cover anywhere near the value of what they lost. In the barn alone, they lost several dirt bikes, a welding machine and a generator. In the house they had several computers, including a custom gaming computer Malone made for Kyle, and a lifetime of belongings.

"Nothing will ever be replaced," Russell said.

Russell and her family have been staying in a motel in Redding since the fire and are eager to get back to their property, she said.

Russell said they will need help removing the remnants of their barn and house so they can get a new home on the property.

"It's nothing but devastation," she said.

Donations can be made at North Valley Bank to the Malone Fire Donation Fund.