MIDDLETOWN >> Thirty-year Lake County resident Linda Miller was in Berkeley for the weekend when the Valley Fire blazed through her home in September 2015. Of her belongings, only a small bag of clothes she took with her on the trip remained.

But Miller did not just lose her house, she lost her job and place of sanctuary. That’s because Miller lived and worked at Harbin Hot Springs for 25 years.

Harbin Hot Springs was a decades-old resort, hidden in the Middletown hills. It was known for its spring water pools and welcomed vibes of self-expression and spirituality. The clothing-optional oasis attracted people from not just from around the county or the Bay Area, but from around the world — including Germany, Israel, and Japan.

For those itching to re-enter the spring-fed pools, the opportunity might come sooner than later. Despite the amount of work needed to finish the place entirely, the facility plans to begin opening some of its famed pools before the end of summer.

It will offer a taste of what is to come — and what once was. On a typical day for $35, one could go to a yoga and dance class, eat in the community kitchen or restaurant, soak up in the pools, take a free class in the temple, and star gaze at night by the campsite. Easily, Harbin hosted over 100 guests every day, and anywhere from 800 to 1,000 on a busy day.

When the Valley Fire hit, over 600 people, including 250 employees and 56 residents, were evacuated safely.

“Everything was lost in one swoop,” said Miller, who had several job titles at Harbin over the years, from general manager to bookstore employee. “I was in shock for about a year. It was a shock that seemed to erode a sense of capacity to do anything. The idea of settling another home was something I couldn’t consider at the time.”

About 90 percent of Harbin suffered. The flames consumed most of the trees that hugged and thrived between the resort. Almost all of the buildings were gone, too, including hundred-year-old structures with unique design features like the temple.

According to Harbin’s Managing Director Eric Richardson, recovery came instantly. Right after the fire, crews cleaned up the area and cleared as much land as possible. Rebuilding was in the thoughts of many but like many projects under planning commission, it has taken time. Since the start of their rebuild almost a year after the fire, they have had the support of many.

“We had to part with approximately 200 or more of our employees and that was gut-wrenching,” Richardson said. “Now, we re-hired about maybe 25 people to help with the rebuilding process.” Harbin has had to hire many kinds of contractors too, including locals, due to the magnitude of construction needed. It is without a doubt that Harbin will need plenty more hands and time to finish rebuilding as they plan to have approximately 10 to 20 more spaces than the 90 it once had.

Richardson said that re-building can easily take up to five years, but construction will happen in phases to allow visitors in.

Because many people visit Harbin for the spring water, “the first major building that will be brought back will be the spa and then after that, it’s likely that the Welcome Center will.”

Already, the spring water system is circulating and about six pools are running, including a 100-plus-year-old pool and famous heart-shaped pool that survived the fire. The fact that some things survived, like the pools, is very important for the Harbin community, Richardson believes. He shared that in various parts of the reconstruction process, some of the old is being used for the new. For example, in one of the pools, located inside a new building, still, has original railings that have special designs made by local artists. New to the pool are wooden benches, made from trees that were burned down during the fire, all made by local hands.

“We tried to work with a little bit of the old with the new because we don’t want to lose who we once were,” he said.

Tree work doesn’t end there. Because the resort is located deep between the hills, the area is now clear of vegetation as a result of the fire. In an effort to bring as many trees back to the area as possible, “without recreating the circumstances that led to the fire,” the Harbin team started the Project for the Land, Water, and Trees, a reforestation program. The program consists of planting saplings all along the main side area without dousing the land with harsh chemicals that other reforestation plans use. They have already planted 50,000 new Douglas-fir and ponderosa pines.

“We want to do another 50,000 trees. This essentially helps the land and the water, hence the Project’s name. If anyone is interested they can go to harbin.org to contribute,” Richardson said. The site includes donation details, where a $100 donation can help plant up to 10 trees.

Harbin has come a long way since its history of owners, to its downfall in 2015, and to its rebirth with recent re-construction. But what has not fluctuated over the years has been the strong sense of community that still lingers.

“People came to get married, find a place to heal after losing or divorcing someone,” said Richardson. “It is a communal center for healing, a cultural phenomenon. For a lot of people, Harbin was like a balm to the soul and for others like a family.” That was the case for him, too. From the East Coast, he accidentally heard about the Lake County oasis on Google in the 1990’s and landed a job and home under its residency program. He’s called Harbin home for 18 years.

Miller also agrees that Harbin is an incubator for strong community support. She said, “It means everything to me that they’re rebuilding. The land has a specially sacred vibration … and it will revolve around healing waters to help find balance and a sense of the natural rhythm of being. It is the heart of the community.”

A timeline-like photograph album is available online to get a sense of Harbin before and after the fire. To keep up with major reports and updates visit Harbin’s Rebuilding News page at harbin.org/community/news/.