When the Hawk Fire swept through the Reno‑Sparks area this past weekend, it left a trail of devastation that included dozens of homes. Among the losses was the property of Rick Arrate, a 68‑year‑old resident who has lived on Peavine Peak for more than two decades.
Fire destroys decades‑old home
Arrate bought his seven‑acre parcel at auction over 20 years ago. The remote location, overlooking the community of Stead, made it a quiet retreat where he raised his two dogs, kept his firearms, and tended an orchard of apple trees. As firefighters battled the blaze, three large red trucks, a crew of 25 men and a D6 dozer worked the perimeter, cutting brush and removing trees, but the fire ultimately consumed the house.
“The firemen showed up, and they had three big red trucks and 25 men and a D6 dozer,” Arrate recalled. “They dozed all around my house, they chopped brush, they cut down my apple trees… they did an incredible job, but it didn’t get saved.”
No insurance, no immediate aid
When the flames died down, Arrate returned to find only a smoldering pile where his home once stood. He was able to rescue his two dogs, his firearms, and a bag of dog food, but the structure was gone. Because the property is considered very remote, no insurance carrier was willing to provide coverage, even for a modest premium.
“It’s very remote, and I couldn’t even find anybody to talk to me about insurance. Not for any amount of money in the world,” he said.
Community support and fundraising effort
Arrate’s granddaughter has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover rebuilding costs. The goal is $100,000; at the time of writing, $21,894 has been contributed by friends, neighbors, and strangers who heard his story.
He expressed a desire for practical assistance: “I want a cheap set of building plans, and I want a backhoe so I can go up there, just to borrow one… I want to get out of my daughter’s house. I’m living in someone else’s house. I’m a hermit. I do my own thing, and I need to get back up there.”
Looking ahead
While the road to rebuilding is uncertain, Arrate remains hopeful. “Do I know how? No,” he admitted, “but I just believe somehow it’s going to happen and I’m going to still live happily ever after.”
The story underscores the broader challenges faced by homeowners in the Washoe County wildland‑fire zone, where remote locations often lack affordable insurance and where community networks become essential for recovery.
Original reporting: 2news.com — read the source article.
