This week, fires have destroyed homes, keepsakes and personal possessions. While there are some items that can never be replaced, the American Red Cross is ensuring the survivors have what they need to rise from the ashes and continue on.

Antwone Peterson, his wife Tori and the couple’s two children lost their home at 2255 Emmanuel Church Road in Conover to a fire on Thursday.

“We’ve covered their immediate needs,” said Yerby Ray, executive director of the Catawba Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross.  “They have a safe place to stay, money for a change of clothing and funds for groceries.”

The local chapter is helping three Catawba County families, including the Petersons, who were displaced from their homes by fires this week. All of the families have children, said David Garrison, emergency services director for the Catawba Valley Chapter.

Whenever the agency gets a call a family is in need of help, a volunteer is sent to the scene to assess what kind of help the family needs.

“Immediately you want to make sure they have somewhere to go,” Garrison said.

If the family doesn’t have a place they can go, the agency provides a hotel.  They also find out what other items the family may need, such as clothing, food money, baby supplies or prescription medications.

Garrison said each family is given a debit card with a pre-set amount of money to buy what they need. The amount they receive is based on the size of the family and the extent of financial assistance they family requires.

On average, the Catawba Valley Chapter helps 47 families impacted by fires in its three-county district of Catawba, Alexander and Caldwell counties. Since January, it has helped 81 families. Garrison said all but six were families affected by fire.

He said this time of year is when the number of home fires begins to increase.

“This is a time and season when people are turning their heaters back on and start using their fireplaces again,” Garrison said.

Those factors help contribute to the rise in home fires.

The fire that destroyed the Petersons’ home was caused by combustibles that were too close to the stove, said Fire Inspector Jason Boggs with the Catawba County Fire Marshal’s Office.  He said the combustible items were so burnt, it was impossible to tell what they were. Boggs said the house was considered a total loss.

The Conover Police Department and the county Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating a “suspicious” house fire off Sixth Avenue SW in Conover that occurred Wednesday morning.

Fire also destroyed a garage and heavily damaged a home at 3281 Bird Dog Lane in Newton on Thursday. Then on Friday, a fire damaged a home at 1720 29th Ave. Dr. NE in Hickory when a fire in the fireplace spread in the home as two people slept. Children returning home from school alerted them to escape.