#CampFire

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#1
I'm not going to point fingers at anyone or try and place blame. I would, however, like to know that our board members from Paradise are okay. It's going to take years (if ever) for that beautiful little town to recover. Here's the latest CalFire report:

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Everyone who lives in the forest is finding it hard to sleep right now. The sounds of helicopters flying over is frightening, the smell of drift smoke unavoidable. Everyone I know has been touched by this fire in one way or another - friends and family have lost everything. Other friends and family are over there on the lines trying to knock this fire down. Some of them are fighting the fire while their own homes lie in ruins, mere piles of ash and rubble. There are 48 confirmed dead and more than 200 still missing.Over 7,600 single residences have been destroyed and 260 businesses, making this the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history.

If you want to help, go through an organized drive. If you're on Facebook, pages like Butte County Sheriff, Yuba County OES, Oroville News Live, Butte Wx Spotter, Rabbit Creek Journal and the pages of the elected officials are good places to start.

I'm going to monitor this thread and ask other mods to do the same. As I said above, this isn't about pointing fingers or placing blame. This isn't about discussing climate change or other political hot topics. This is about letting everyone know there are thousands of our neighbors who need a helping hand. I'm asking everyone to respect this and not turn this into something else. Thank you all.

If you know of someone who lived in Paradise and you haven't been able to reach them, it's possible they may be in a shelter or even a Walmart parking lot with no way to reach out. If they lost their cell phones, they may not have phone numbers readily available. Do check those pages I've mentioned above. They have a lot of links to websites with survivor lists, missing person lists, etc.
 

Warhawk

The cake is a lie.
Staff member
#2
As far as ways to help, the Sacramento Kings have organized a wildfire relief donation option through Ticketmaster with no fees, etc.:

https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/sackings/EN/buy/details/18FIRESD

Also, from a friend of the family who lives in Chico:

If you are looking for a great place to volunteer this was easy and well organized.
The nonprofit World Central Kitchen took over the kitchen and food prep buildings of Italian Guy Catering, who donated his facilities. They are at 28 Bellarmine Ct., Chico. They need people to help prep meals being provided to help our priceless First Responders, Shelters & other Service Agencies. They have a FB page. Shifts are for four hours. They have a sign up from their Twitter page, but it is mostly filled. We didn’t sign up, just showed up, and there was plenty to do.
 
#3
My 27-year-old nephew owns home in Magalia. Entire roughly 13,000 population evacuated, apparently at least half (maybe much more) Butte County town burned completely down to the ground. He's volunteer fire fighter, been on the lines 12 hours on 12 hours off, seems to be
deployed somewhere around Feather River canyon at this point. Does not know if his home survived gigantic raging wild fire. Hopes to save as many homes, structures as he can for as long as the battle takes. His mother living in Arizona says very spotty communication last few days with so many power lines down, cell towers melted, infrastructure shattered everywhere in the scorched zone.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#7
Finally heard from people we know in Paradise, they evacuated to Eureka and were even able to save some of their stuff. Both homes gone.


VF, you and your families homes survive?
We're fine. Some very dear friends lost their home and pretty much everything they owned but were able to get out everything that breathes. Right now my thoughts and prayers are with all those who have family members unaccounted for. I cannot imagine what they're going through.
 
#9
Glad to hear VF is safe. Hope others are as well.
Have many co workers that are impacted by this, and were impacted by the Redding fires. Very sad.
 
#10
Update on Magalia: Luckily for my nephew his home one of only four that survived in the entire sprawling subdivision. But property apparently has some scorch or smoke damage, may not be able to live in it until end of December or longer. Town still totally evacuated and now staying with friends in Chico. Magalia's infrastructure so wiped out with businesses lost to fire, utilities devastated, roads closed, authorities still banning residents from returning. One gigantic, horrible mess is the way he put it.