Fire Relief for Elders Elaine and Jimmy Timentwa

I am raising money for my aunt and uncle, Elaine Timentwa Emerson and Jimmy Timentwa, who lost their entire ranch in the recent Cold Spring Wildfire. (Michele Sirois) 

Elaine Timentwa Emerson and her brother, Jimmy Timentwa, tribal elders from the Colville Confederated Tribes lost their entire home and family ranch to the devastating flames of the Cold Springs Wildfire in early September. They escaped with little more than their lives as the rapidly enclosing flames surrounded them.
Elaine's home was totally destroyed
 
At 2:00 PM, the Cold Springs Fire started south of Omak, WA on September 6, 2020 during abnormal and disastrous fire conditions. With sustained gusts at 50-55 mph, the wildfire exploded like a volcano, rapidly making its way south through shrub steppe, forest, and farmlands. In the wake of this fire, 78 homes were lost and over 60 outbuildings, hundreds of livestock and countless wildlife suffered the immeasurable fate. This fire is currently under investigation for arson.
 
Elaine and Jimmy’s ranch sits near the small community of Monse some 30 miles south of Omak. Here the fire chose to unleash its devastation.  With the flames rapidly barreling towards them, they found their only available refuge in the family cemetery just across the road from their homes on Highway 97. Parked near their parents’ grave, they were filled with fear, horror and anger as the family ranch which had been there for close to 100 years including their homes lie in the path of that fire. In the midst of their shock and not knowing how much damage was done to their family’s land, they were surprised to see a doe race through the flames and collapse on one of the graves next to them to escape the blaze. Examining the way, the fire moved across their lands, their homes and ranch must have burned in a matter of minutes.
The cemetery where Elaine and Jimmy found refuge.
 
With Hwy 97 closed in both directions, once the fire subsided, they choose to stay to take care of the land and animals, if any survived. They slept for three nights in a tin shed Jimmy had erected to house his sportscar he won years ago.
The entire ranch burned
 
Elaine, a master cedar root basket weaver, fluent speaker of the Okanagan Salish dialect and cultural knowledge bearer, managed to only save the cedar baskets she had recently completed. All her materials and tools were lost to the fire.
 
Her brother Jimmy who has worked his entire life to build and maintain the family ranch, lost everything and was not able to grab anything. Somehow his tin shed, and a tractor survived the flames.
What was left of Jimmy's home
 
Over the next few days, Jimmy would also discover that some of his livestock had survived. He has a responsibility to the land that includes a sizable herd of cattle and range land for crops including hay to feed the livestock. He is unique for a Native American farmer in this region; he both owns and works the land, runs cattle and is independent. Not many farmers of any ethnicity have survived the downturns in the economy over the last 30 years, and yet Jimmy Timentwa was able through his hard work to make a living without help from anyone or agency.
Now he finds himself struggling how to provide for his surviving livestock and find a way to rebuild.
 
These two elders, raised with the Methow Indian traditions and language, have always been there for others in the Okanogan Valley by their deeds and actions. Elaine teaches the Okanagan Salish language, understands the uses of traditional plants, and teaches traditional cedar basketry to the younger generations. Jimmy has been the center of support for many of the Timentwa family’s efforts into education.
 
These two Native elders who would never have thought this could happen to them, are at peace with losing material things, but they still have anger as to why someone could inflict this much suffering on the animals and people who did nothing to deserve this fate.
 
With each new day, they welcome the morning sun and thank the Creator for a new day. The approximate damage in monetary terms is sizable. Insurance can cover some of the house replacement, but not all of it. Jimmy had several aspects of his ranch that were not covered by insurance. He had a tack building filled with historic tack, saddles, bits bridles, valued at $70,000. Tool shed with welder and forging materials at $50,000. An older farm tractor, combine, bailer at $100,000. Twenty (20) head of cattle and feed at $20,000. Elaine's insurance would replace part of the cost for her mobile home, ($65k) but there are the costs of transport, infrastructure, front porch and basketmaking tools which would be around $90k.
 
They both lost irreplaceable family heirlooms of beaded horse regalia and other beaded outfits for men and women. They have pictures and descriptions of all of Heirlooms. It is hard to put a price on those precious items, but Elaine vows to remake them with tanned buckskin and cut beads with $10-15,000 in materials. They are looking to find a way rebuild their lives, homes, and ranch.

If you can find a way to help support these two elders in this GoFundMe Me effort, please make your contribution to them here. Or a donation can be sent to a bank account set up in their names. For more information please contact the fund managers.
 
Thank you so much for your consideration of helping Elaine and Jimmy.
(The above was written by Jimmy and Elaine's nephew John Sirois)