SAN DIEGO — The Oak Fire burning in Mariposa County near Yosemite National Park broke out a little over two weeks ago. So far it's burned more than 19,000 acres but is nearly fully contained at around 92%.
This has been a devastating fire for the people in Mariposa with nearly 200 structures destroyed. One of those destroyed homes belonged to San Diego native Dana Robinson and her 11-year-old daughter.
Robinson has created a GoFundMe account.
The two are now homeless after moving to Mariposa County just a few years ago. Robinson moved a few years ago to Mariposa County for her job as a social worker. Now, her daughter is back in San Diego with her grandma while Robinson has stayed back to look through the ashes of what's left of their home.
“All my life I always wanted to be a good mom, that’s all I ever wanted and I felt like because I didn’t have a stable housing that I just felt really bad that she wasn't getting the proper childhood and then I finally got a house, ”said Dana Robinson.
In an emotional interview she could not contain her tears when talking about how she raised her 11-year old daughter Lola on her own and finally found stability for her, but Robinson says there's no longer stability, after losing their home in the Oak Fire.
Currently Lola is staying with her grandma Debbie Robinson, while Robinson is in Mariposa dealing with this devastating reality.
“I have to drive past it and it’s just so heavy because I’m a renter and I don’t know where to live. I just want stability for my daughter, that’s all I ever wanted,” said Robinson.
She told CBS 8 that two weeks ago she was coming back from work when she noticed her neighborhood had been blocked off by fire officials.
The next morning Robinson learned the home where she had built dozens of memories with her daughter had been destroyed with everything inside it, including family antiques.
All burned to ashes by the Oak Fire that has burned more than 19,000 acres near Yosemite National Park.
“I lost everything except what I was wearing to work that day,” said Robinson.
CBS 8 talked to Lola from her grandma's La Mesa home, CBS 8 asked her what was one of the items that burned in her house that can no longer be replaced, she responded and said, “My teddy bear Mr. snuggles and the house itself, It used to belong to my great grandmother before she passed away five years ago.”
With no house to return to and without Mr. Snuggles, Robinson and Lola are both devastated with this reality.
“My mommy is really strong,” said Lola.
The two are grappling with the thought of starting over, but without insurance and without enough affordable housing in that area, the two fear starting over will take years.
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