A lightning strike caused a wildfire which started in the Sequoia and Sierra National Forest on July 31. Coined the Rough fire, it burned 151,623 acres of land. Throughout late August and into September, the Rough fire was easily in range to burn down Hume Lake Christian Camps.

It was announced on Nov. 5 that it is fully contained and that the threat of the fire is gone. However, there are still hazards in the burned area that will keep most of the area closed into spring. Several different campgrounds are closed off to the public.

Miraculously, the grounds of Hume Lake are untouched by the flames of the fire. After months of hardships and uncertain times, fresh, fallen snow has brought a new season to the people living at Hume Lake.

In the last two weeks, there have been multiple snowstorms to aid putting the smoldering areas out. This snow is welcomed by the residents of Hume as an analogy to the new season of things to come since the threat of the fire left, as well as smothering the danger.

Bunnie Gerber is the wife of Concessions Supervisor Kevin Gerber and her family lives at Hume. She recalls the two separate times they were called to evacuate their homes.

“It was surreal. The fire and evacuation time made us see as a community, what is important and what is not,” Gerber said. “It drew us together to be a better team, letting little petty things go and working together. For our family, personally, we had some much needed time together during evacuation after a very wonderful, busy summer. It was great to push through hard minutes together, pray and seek God for help and direction together and enjoy each other’s company.”

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Now that their family is back on the hill, she looks back on the time spent away and is looking forward to the future. They are also thankful for the new snow.

“We worshipped God together through song and teaching,” Gerber said. “We played games, laughed, cried and bonded together closer as a Hume Family. I think the fire has ‘burned away’ things that were not honoring in our hearts and drawn us closer together. I think living here now, after the fire, God is inviting us to live more simply and be more thankful for all that He has given us. This ministry has been home to me for almost 17 years now and I’m seeing it new. Fresh eyes, healing land, healing hearts and fresh snow: what a gift.”

Through this fire, God showed his hand over Hume in various ways. Maintenance Manager Ron Setter notes his time during the fire and the firefighters that worked to keep the fire away from the grounds.

“I saw God working in many different ways,” Setter said. “One being through the firefighters that were here. They at certain times realizes that the only reasoning behind why the fire didn’t jump certain areas, was an outside source. We all know what that is, being God’s hand over the Hume ground. I was here for the entire ordeal. I did have all my personal stuff packed up if the firefighters decided that it was time to leave, but I remained on the grounds the entire time during the fire.”

Rough fire did not have all bad effects. Setter names some of the positive upsides the fire brought.

“I think it was a learning experience for everybody,” Setter said. “I definitely think it was a growing experience for everybody in the same regards, seeing how miraculously God saved our little camp, in the midst of somewhere between 120,000 acres or 150,000 acres of land that was burnt. I think all in all, there is a definite unity in the camp and the staff for what happened and through the ordeal the closeness that everybody drew knowing that God truly has his hand here.”

If you were to see an aerial view, you would be able to see the path of the fire and how it encroached it from all sides. The 180, Hume Road and another forest road acted as a barriers that the fire miraculously did not cross. One firefighter noted that the only thing that had to happen for the fire to cross would be either wind to blow embers across, or a tree to fall down across the road, spreading the fire.

Another firefighter realized just how blessed the camp was to be spared. Former videographer Ryan White talked to a friend of his about the fire.

“I was talking to a firefighter buddy,” White said. “My friend said what happened there, never would have happened in a million years because everything worked perfect. He said, ‘We literally don’t know how it happened. It was a miracle. The backfire shouldn’t have worked, but it worked perfectly. Everything that we did worked perfectly and that never happens with wildfires because they literally burn out of control.”

White worked as a videographer for Hume. However, he was staff during the danger parts of the fire.

“I was actually the first full time staff member off the hill,” White said. “I had to grab all the camera equipments and I had to grab all the servers that were associated with trying to make video happen when we’re off the hill. When we got the first initial call, at 2pm I think it was, I didn’t even get to pack any of my personal belongings.”

Although he is no longer working at Hume, White still has the same appreciation for the camp.

“After talking to firefighters and looking at the maps and images, you just can’t help but say that God intervened in a powerful way,” White said. “God’s hand over Hume is apparent. I was talking to some staff and we were saying, ‘Hume is just a property, and its more the people and impact of Hume, that makes Hume what it is today.”

The residents of Hume are back in their homes on the hill. Even though they are safely back and the grounds are untouched, the aftermath of the fire is visible everywhere. One does not have to look far away to see the outcome of the devastation. Hume has been spared from the flames.

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This writer can be reached via twitter @alexrurik23 and via email @[email protected]