WEED-

The Boles Fire in the City of Weed in Siskiyou County was listed as 25-percent contained Tuesday night.

According to Cal Fire, 365 acres were charred and 150 structures were damaged or destroyed. But the forward spread of the fire was halted and most flames were extinguished.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

At a Tuesday night fire information meeting at College of the Siskiyous, community members gave firefighters a standing ovation.

FOX40 met some residents sifting through the rubble of their homes along North Davis and Shasta Avenues Tuesday afternoon, an area especially ravaged by Monday’s wind-driven flames.

Paul Stonecypher lost many belongings, but kept a healthy perspective.

“Everybody’s O.K.,” Stonecypher said as he surveyed the damage. “That’s what matters. All this can be replaced.”

Mary Hammond, secretary of Holy Family Catholic Church, did not lose her home. But her place of work and worshp was burned to the ground.  Still, her faith remained strong.

“We’re not really in control of anything,” she remarked.  “You gotta have faith.”

Grace Community Evangelical Prebeteryan Church was also destroyed by the flames.  And portions of Weed High School and Weed Union Elementary School were damaged, as was the Roseburg Forest Products plant, a large employer in the community.

At least three firefighters battling the Boles fire are among those who lost their homes, according to Cal Fire.

A fund to help all victims of the Boles fire has been set up by North Valley Catholic Social Services. Donation information can be found here. www.nvcss.org