Animal refuge begins recovery

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1999 | 11:10 a.m.

Diana Hiibel said she and her husband are overwhelmed by the outpouring since the fire and hope the nature center will be able to reopen for visitors in September after enclosures are restored and security fences rebuilt.

Support has ranged from $20 personal checks to large-scale fund-raisers. Sierra Pacific Power Co. employees raised $5,000 that was matched by the company's charitable foundation.

Volunteers have spent the week scrubbing pink fire retardant from animal enclosures, tearing out charred trees and rebuilding damaged habitat.

"What we've seen is people taking the bull by the horn, getting a list of needs, knocking on doors and coming back with tons of stuff," Ms. Hiibel said. "It has been overwhelming."

Although the 33 animals survived the Wednesday blaze, about 85 percent of the land burned.

Workers evacuated most of the smaller animals, including lynxes, foxes, falcons and tortoises. Those animals returned to the refuge Thursday afternoon.

The larger animals, including the tigers, wolves and a rare snow leopard, found shelter in their enclosures. The tigers continue to recuperate from singed faces and smoke inhalation.

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