Alyssa Nolan is one of those cape-less heroes.  A new mother made homeless when 2008’s Humboldt Fire swept through some of the same areas as last year’s Camp Fire, she turned a long-held aspiration of getting a tiny home for herself into a full-time charitable mission. Building tiny homes for fire survivors who’ve lost just about everything.  

Her workshop is a vacant gravel lot behind a former Ford dealership in downtown Oroville. There’s no electricity available so Nolan makes her own, filling a generator with gas she buys out of her own pocket. 

In this episode of “After Paradise,” we commemorate the year anniversary of the Camp Fire by focusing on where we are now, 364 days after the fire. We’ll hear from those working in mental health about how the one year mark is triggering stress and anxiety for many in the community, and about practical ways to manage. We’ll hear about recovery from survivors living in communities all over the Camp Fire burn scar. And we’ll visit with a few people providing a message of hope. It’s been a long road, and it may not feel like it now, but we can turn the challenges and devastation of this disaster into Post Traumatic growth. 

In honor of the one year anniversary of the Camp Fire, Cultivating Place is joined this week by Douglas Kent, author of Firescaping, and Calli-Jane DeAnda and Ben Hart of the Butte County Fire Safe Council to talk about the importance of gardening and gardeners modeling important land care and stewardship ethic in fire country. Join us.

On the 100th anniversary of the Armistice ending World War I, Chico author Dan Irving recounts the history of this war in his book Heart of the Poppy: From War to Amor.

About Dan Irving:

Dan Irving is a sixth-generation San Franciscan. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. It is Dan's hope that the publication of 'Heart of the Poppy' will inspire more groups and young people to get out of their comfort zone, travel to a third world country, and provide needed services while having the adventure of a lifetime. 

In this episode, Dave is going to the dogs. Literally. But that's OK with him because Dave loves dogs and dogs love him and now, thanks to Dr. Clive Wynne, he can prove it. Dr. Wynne, a researcher in animal behavior at Arizona State University, is the author of the new book, Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You.

From Pavlov's dogs (you'll find out there's more to that story than wringing a bell) to modern research using MRI machines, Wynne's book is an exploration of a simple and compelling question that he asked himself, "What is it that makes dogs special?" 

It’s again time for our weekly check-in with representatives from some of the lead agencies attempting to help Camp Fire survivors. Joining us is Justin Jacobs, representing the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Colette Curtis spokeswoman for the town of Paradise, Butte County Spokeswoman Casey Hatcher and Mickey Rich for the Paradise Irrigation District. 

From his "Growing with Plants” blog to his first book "Mastering the Art of Vegetable Growing”, which he researched, photographed and wrote – plantsman Matt Mattus is inspiring.

He joins us this week on Cultivating Place to share more on the different twists, turns and fertile offshoots of his plant journey. We talk about his first book AND get some hints about his new book coming out soon on unusual selections for the flower garden too. Listen in!

Author photographer Douglas Keister published People, Places, & Pieces of Paradise on the anniversary of the devastating Camp Fire. Stunning images from the fire’s ignition on November 8, 2018, to the fire’s aftermath, along with portraits and sketches of citizens and survivors. 

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko announced his retirement last week.

Bosenko has been with the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office since 1979, holding the title of Sheriff since 2006. Since then, he’s won three elections, two unopposed. Now, he says it’s time for change. 

“Been married to the job for 40 years. I think I’d rather spend some time with my wife of 40 years.  And there was some things really recently that came up. I lost a few friends, one to cancer, and a couple due to heart attacks and I felt this would be time now.  We’ve accomplished a lot over the 13 years me being Sheriff, and I felt it was time.” Bosenko said.