Santa Rosa man spends Thanksgiving clearing fire-damaged home

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- These are the hands of a man working harder on Thanksgiving than he ever imagined, or would have liked.

They belong to Brian Hoyt of Larkfield Estates in Santa Rosa, and they got this dirty because he's spending this day cleaning up the remains of a duplex he used to rent out.

Brian opted out of the Cal/OES FEMA clean-up offer because it didn't pencil out in his case. And, he is trying to save every dime.

He is one of many North Bay fire victims who discovered that rebuilding costs exceed his insurance --- by double.

He's received a payout on the house, but still has a mortgage to pay, and no rent coming in. The rebuild will take more than a year.

"I can save on the heating and plumbing, at least," said Brian as he went back to work with the shovel.

Call it sweat equity on Thanksgiving day. He can use those hands to carve turkey, later.