Peace of Mind After the Jesusita Fire

Melissa and Christian Stepien made it out safely. Their home, unfortunately, was completely destroyed. The Jesusita Fire ​— ​a wind-driven blaze that scorched 80 homes and nearly 9,000 acres in the foothills above Santa Barbara in 2009 ​— ​burned so intensely through the Stepien house that even its foundation had to be abandoned. They were left with three acres of charred earth, a few big oak trees, and views that carry the eye from nearby Cathedral Peak, down into Rattlesnake Canyon, and on out to the ocean and mountains of Gaviota. 

When it came time to regroup and get their heads around the complete rebuild of the place they called home, they found Bruce Giffin through a recommendation from a friend. “We heard a lot of good things about Bruce,” remembers Melissa. “And it turned out to be a good decision ​— ​he was excellent.”

Just six months earlier, the Tea Fire had destroyed more than 200 homes a few miles away, and those families offered a lot of support and advice for the victims of the Jesusita blaze. Giffin, as well, was sympathetic and patient with the Stepiens, remembers Christian. “He was very gracious and, at the same time, always on top of the project, holding weekly meetings with us and keeping his crew on point.”