Home / Disasters and Accidents / Community Rebuilds Home After Devastating Fire
Community Rebuilds Home After Devastating Fire
14 Jan
Summary
- Lori Wisniewski's home was lost to fire on January 27, 2025.
- A community coalition is rebuilding the home at no cost.
- Builders expect the home reconstruction to finish by late spring/early summer.
Lori Wisniewski's life was irrevocably altered on January 27, 2025, when a fire destroyed her Nevada City home and claimed the lives of her beloved pets. The blaze, reportedly caused by an accident involving a wood-burning stove, left Wisniewski without her home and with insufficient insurance, compounding her grief after losing her husband to cancer.
In response to her plight, a remarkable community effort, spearheaded by Matthew Sutherlin, CEO of Green Bee Construction, has undertaken the reconstruction of Wisniewski's residence. This initiative is powered by the generosity of local tradespeople and businesses who are donating their time, labor, and materials, ensuring the rebuild is at little to no cost to Wisniewski.
Despite challenges posed by weather and hazardous materials from the fire, the builders are making steady progress. They anticipate completing the home by late spring or early summer of 2026. Wisniewski, a former post-surgical nurse, has even incorporated an accessible room for friends needing recovery space, reflecting the community's spirit of mutual support.
