#CampFire Remembrance Day (1yr Anniversary of #CampFire)
A year ago today the Town Of Paradise burned. 90% of the Town’s population became homeless that day. 85 people burned to death. It burned approximately 219 sq miles, and destroyed nearly 19,000 structures. Most of this damage occurred in 4 hours. Here’s the link to the Paradise Wiki page. My Town Of Magalia also burned. About 25-30% of the dwellings gone. Here’s the link to the Magalia page.
My former home in Paradise burned. The only thing left were some cinder block walls.
My Grandpa’s home is also gone
That day I heard about the fire around 6:30am or so on one of my local Facebook groups, but it was so far away and we are used to fires up here…so I wasn’t too worried. My middle daughter came to tell me about it but I shrugged her off saying “yeah, I know, I’m not worried.” Next, my oldest daughter, who worked at the Feather River Cancer Center, said flames were in the parking lot of the hospital when she left there and suggested I’d better pack up the animals and my stuff…
At that point I began to think maybe this WAS serious so I gathered my clothes and important papers, my animals (1 big dog & 2 cats) their food and my “bugout bag” and loaded up the car. The roads were already clogged with people trying to leave as I attempted to get to my oldest daughter’s house further north in Stirling City. We sat at her house until about 8pm when the word came to evacuate her area too.
Off we all went in a caravan: my daughter, her husband, & their two kids, the husband’s parents leading the way, and me bringing up the rear. It was pitch black and I had to drive with one eye closed because my glasses were making me cross-eyed! By the time we got to Forest Ranch, there were flames almost to our road into Chico! In fact that section of Chico had to evacuate temporarily too!
When we got to a gas station, my daughter put gas in my car & told me there was a shelter opening up in Gridley at the fairgrounds. I spent a week or so there. I made some friends there, one of whom offered to let me & my animals stay at her family home. Lovely people I’m still in touch with to this day.
I was one of the lucky ones but many weren’t so lucky. My heart goes out to them and I hope & pray that our beautiful little Town can rise from the ashes to be a true PARADISE again. Here & there you see signs of hope:
Addendum:
New sign for Magalia Twitter link
Butte Strong sign Twitter link
Paradise Strong Beer Twitter link
As of 11/8/19
- 649 water advisories lifted
- 475 building permits issued
- 12 homes have been rebuilt
- 317 building permits issued
Its ALL Blarney!! 