Couple Weds Days after Fire Burns Home

Newlyweds Steve Cooke and Kim Malone lost everything aside from their vows in the destruction of their home in Twin Pines, Calif. on Wednesday, Aug. 7 as a result of the Silver Fire blaze, which tore through the homes of Twin Pines and shook up the lives of the couple who were just starting off. During a routine day at work on Aug. 7, Steve Cooke received a call from his 84-year-old father, Carol, who just moved in with his son and his now-wife from Oregon. “He called and said smoke was coming down the valley and through the house. I did a quick online search and saw there was a fire and a mandatory evacuation, so I told him to grab the [wedding] rings and the dogs, and he got out of there,” Cooke said. Carol was able to retrieve the rings from a safe then run to safety with the wedding rings and the couple’s two dogs, both Labrador mixes, before the fire engulfed the home. All other personal belongings, including clothing, books and even a valuable original photograph of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, were destroyed in the blaze. With the couple having prepared to hold their wedding at their home, everything they needed for the celebration was lost in the fire, including their marriage license, tuxedos and even Kim’s wedding dress. “She had to buy a new wedding dress in Newport. We had to improvise. Even our fireproof safes were melted,” said Cooke. Despite the tragedy, the couple decided to go on with the wedding slated for Aug. 10. The couple hosted about 40 friends and family members who gathered at the house of Steve’s son, Jason, in Colton that Saturday. “Everyone and everything showed up, including the food,” Cooke said, explaining that the couple was determined not to let their special day be ruined. “Only material stuff was lost. Material [items] have very low value in life. They’re nice to have, but they’re not that important.” After the wedding the couple spent a few days in San Diego before returning to the site of their former home in Twin Pines. They are now staying in a hotel paid for through their insurance, Cooke said. He estimated off the top of his head that the couple lost some $175,000 in possessions, not including their home. With insurance only covering $42,000 of that, the couple is taking a $133,000 loss. The Cooke family has set up a website to receive donations for their losses. Those who would like to donate to the family may visit CookeFamilyFund.mydagsite.com to donate. Area fire crews announced Aug. 12 that the fire was 100 percent contained. It sparked Aug. 7 between Riverside and Palm Springs, burning 20,292 acres, destroying 48 homes in its wake and forcing the evacuation of 1,500 homes. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to fire reports.