One month later: Historic cleanup in Coffey Park after historic wildfires

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (Alex Savidge/KTVU) - Wednesday marks one month since the destructive North Bay fires broke out in Napa and Sonoma counties -- and for thousands of people the recovery process is really just beginning.  

The cleanup efforts will be historic, especially for those who live in one of the hardest hit areas of Coffey Park in Santa Rosa, which was mostly wiped out by the Tubbs Fire

Just this week, crews began the process of clearing debris from properties in the middle-class neighborhood. Contractors are working under the army corps of engineers to demolish what's left of these homes so that so people can begin the process of rebuilding. Only a handful of homes remain, and one of them belongs to Dan Ferguson.

“When we came back, we were blown away,” he said. 

But overall, Ferguson considers himself fortunate. The firestorm that began on Oct. 8 swept across the city leaving devastation and death behind. At least 23 people were killed  in Sonoma County alone.