CALIFORNIA, USA — The skeleton of cars are unmoved and homes have turned into rubble and ash. Sadly, News 8 reporter Ariana Cohen and photojournalist Tine Howard have seen many scenes like this over the past two weeks of covering the Dixie Fire. News 8 is giving you a behind-the-scenes look into their journey to northern California.
"We are just boarding the plane now heading to cover the Dixie Fire and we will give you the latest once we get there," Cohen said.
Cohen and Howard first arrived to northern California the weekend of August 8.
"We just arrived to Sacramento a couple hours ago. We got this rental car. We're going to make a long drive," Cohen said.
And off they went to begin their journey to cover the single largest fire in California history.
"The air quality here has gotten progressively worse, making it hard to breathe," said Cohen.
And residents agreed.
"It was hurting my eyes when I first came out of the house," said a little girl in Sacramento.
"I have asthma and I can definitely feel it," said a woman living in Sacramento.
As they drove through the smoky roads and devastated neighborhoods, they made their next stop in Janesville.
They met a friendly family who welcomed them to their home with a beautiful landscape and a chicken coop. The Janesville man took his family members in who had to evacuate and he said it doesn’t matter how many fires may threaten his home, he never wants to move away from his neighborhood.
"I have beautiful mountains around me. I have this backyard and it's quiet. I wouldn’t give this up, it's part of living out in the country," said Janesville resident Matt Draughns.
They met people who were forced to evacuate.
"It’s a little overwhelming to have to leave your home," said a Lake Almanore West resident.
Many are leaving their homes to live in tents and trailers at an evacuation site in Susanville. Here, they learned how vulnerable yet courageous people really are for what they had to endure.
"Sorry, it's hard having a beautiful home and bed to sleep in and be told you had to leave," cried a Chester woman temporarily living in a tent.
The following day they made the trek to Greenville, a small historic town with a name more recognizable now, but not for the reasons the community wanted.
They also met a Greenville man who stayed home when the fire ripped through.
"It's like someone came in and dropped a bomb on this place. Until you actually really see this, the pictures that you see on TV do no justice, none," he said.
Greenville, the Gold Rush era town, is now skeletons of once popular community bars, libraries and restaurants.
Structures built in the 1800’s are reduced to smoldering ash, twisted metal and only chimneys rising over the ruins.
"Even though everything else is gone, the root of the community and the foundation and root of this community has held strong," said the Greenville man.
News 8 crews flew back a second time on August 18 when they learned the Dixie Fire had scorched more than 600,000 acres and even more fires were threatening communities like Milford.
This is where they met 81-year-old Donald Cameron, a wood carver who was so thankful his precious sculptures were unscathed.
"I sure didn't want to lose those," said Cameron.
The next day, they drove on Highway 36 near Susanville and Chester where they saw billowing clouds of smoke and angry flames.
They met best friends who shared stories of loss.
"I hollered and yelled at God asking why did this happen," said Greenville resident Melody Hamilton.
News 8 crews also witnessed the firefighters who have fought the flames for over a month.
Through all this destruction, they saw the beauty of small communities and families pull together.
"We will rise above this," said Hamilton.
WATCH: Victims of Dixie Fire in Northern Fire speak to News 8 (Aug. 19, 2021)