APS helps rebuild neighborhoods damaged from California wildfires

As communities and neighborhoods continue to rebuild after the devastating California fires, Arizona Public Service a state-wide electric service, along with hundreds of other volunteer workers are helping to rebuild areas throughout Paradise and Magalia California from the ground up.

So far there are 153 crews working throughout different areas to bring back electricity.

“It’s the holiday time and it’s a big ask and these guys were committed to come over and to help out our neighboring state,” Said Robbie Houle, Supervisor construction maintenance for APS.

One of the homes that caught fire from the wildfire has been passed down from a family member for many generations. This year it was going to be passed down to Zella and her fiance Joel, they would have been the third generation to live in it.

“My entire neighborhood is totally wiped out, I grew up in Paradise, I lived there for 26 years,” said Zella Fluharty. Everything is gone I mean I know more people who have lost everything then people that have something left.”

Zella works as a caregiver for an elderly lady near her home in Magalia California. In June her fiance got a job with Arizona Public Service in Yuma. He was been working in Yuma when the fire broke out.

“I was definitely feeling helpless as it started to dawn on me how severe the fire actually was, I didn’t know what to do,” Joel Lambert said. “I would just talk to my daughter on the phone and try to keep her calm.”

Joel says he is thankful that a company like APS is working to bring back is neighborhood he lost in Magalia.

“When they come to this town they can at least see there is some progress being made. For the ones that rebuild the contractors have the ability to have that power to get that house back up,” Houle said.

Joel is still working at APS in Yuma and awaits the arrival of his fiance and three-year-old who plan to move to Yuma later this year.