Ruby Meaders has a lot to be thankful for today. Unlike many of her neighbors, she still has her home.

"The winds whipped up and there was no holding the fire back," says an emotional Meaders. "It jumped canyons and got worse and worse until finally it all just burned."

What began as a controlled burn in a national forest in New Mexico soon became the state's largest-ever wildfire. All of Los Alamos, New Mexico's 11,000 residents were forced to evacuate. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed and few trees were left standing. Among all of this ruble and destruction, stood one home that was spared, in part because of its seamless steel siding.

Meaders had ABC Seamless Steel Siding installed on her home eight years ago. At that time, she didn't have any idea it would someday save her home and everything inside.

"When the fire was going on, I was down in Albuquerque at my daughter's house, " explains Meaders. "I was looking at this inferno on the TV and wondering what was happening to my town, my neighborhood and my house."

Once the fire jumped over Los Alamos Canyon, it just roared into Los Alamos and the whole fire only took a day and a half to wipe out Meaders' neighborhood.

"When I returned home, I was stunned and grateful to see my own house still standing," states Meaders. "I couldn't understand why all of the other homes were gone, but I attribute mine being saved to my seamless steel siding and steel roof." She adds, "I think the fire respected them. If any hot embers had blown on my siding or roof, they wouldn't have ignited because of the steel."

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The only damage sustained by Meaders' home was the plastic vinyl fascia, which melted during the fire.

Meaders says, "Inside my home, everything seemed to be in order just as I had left it. It just had a terrific smoke smell."

With estimates of smoke rising 20,000 feet above the ground and fire temperatures reaching nearly 2000 degrees, it is amazing anything is still standing. More than 400 homes were burned in Los Alamos, many of them down to the foundations. Burned out cars and children's bikes littered the streets as if a bomb was dropped on the community.

"There isn't a house nearby, none across the street and none in the east or west of me. Mine is the only one still standing for about a 3-block radius." describes Meaders. "I have a lifetime worth of memories in my home and they were all saved thanks to my steel siding and roof. I am so happy with ABC Seamless Steel Siding and I would highly recommend it to everyone."

 

 

Courtesy of ARA content, www.aracontent.com