Camp Fire survivor shares her story two years later

Antoinette Peppler, a Camp Fire survivor, explains how she turned her experience into something more meaningful.

Today&people on the ridge are reflecting on their journey two years after the camp fire.

Action news now reporter carmela karcher spoke with one fire survivor who took her experience into something more meaningful.

Carmela karcher: "i'm here in paradise, two years after the camp fire tore through the town.

The mood: very emotional.

I spoke with one woman who remembers the day like it was yesterday."

"all we could hear was just propane tanks exploding and we could see the fire was getting closer and closer to our house and so&we had to leave."

Antoinette peppler&a camp fire survior.

Antoinette peppler/camp fire survivor: "we had just moved in to our rebuilt home and i was on my way to work and&we could see the white plume of smoke.

And we thought oh there is definitely a fire but hopefully they will get it under control and so i came into town and it kept getting darker and darker.

I work at save mart so i pulled in there and it just&the ashes and the smoke was just raining ashes."

But this wasn't an unfamiliar feeling.

She also went through the saddle fire in 2016.

"we had the fire marshals come down and tell us to we had to leave, and we didn't want to leave because we already lost our home.

So, we hesitantly left and then after two weeks we were able to come back.

The fire had burned trees that had already been burned once.

We were able to move back in and start our lives and just wanted to help other people going through it."

Carmela karcher: "out of the ashes.

A meaning that has resonated with thousands of people affected by the fire.

And peppler wrote this book to help those in her community."

"i started writing posts and they said 'write a book.'

We want something to hold onto.

Grab a hold of it and keep so i wrote out of the ashes and it's just been a way to help others."

"the message is to never give up.

To be paradise strong."

And paradise hasn't given up.

"now we are trying to rebuild with what we have."

Carmela karcher: "peppler also told me that she is very proud to be in such a strong community.

In paradise, carmela karcher, action news now, coverage you can count on."

Her blog...out of the ashes...has since gained a following of thousands of people since the camp fire.