The Camp Fire sparked just over six years ago on Nov. 8, 2018. It killed 85 people and destroyed more than 19,000 structures, becoming California’s deadliest wildfire. The Butte County communities of Paradise, Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon and Concow were devastated.
NSPR spoke with five community leaders about the recovery process. Here’s what they had to say about life after the Camp Fire.Bruce Yerman
— Director of Camp Fire Collaborative
Yerman leads the Campfire Collaborative, an organization which has been helping survivors meet basic needs for the past six years. He said that the lessons learned in the process of recovery are applicable elsewhere.
“What I don’t think the outside community realizes,” Yerman said, “is just how cutting edge this area is in terms of recovering from disaster.”
He said that housing displaced victims is one of the most pressing challenges in recovery, with many Camp Fire survivors still camping on their property. Even though there are still a lot of unmet needs, Yerman is optimistic and grateful for the support of the surrounding community.
“There's no way we could be where we are without the support of people in all of Butte County and the patience of people in all of Butte County,” Yerman said. “I feel that our community is connected like it's never been before.”Amy Rohrer
— Director of Valley Contractors Exchange
Rohrer is the director of Valley Contractors Exchange, a nonprofit that supports and represents contractors in the North State. She has spent the last several years helping rebuild.
When asked about the challenges to rebuilding, Rohrer said that the rural geography and lack of access present problems to contractors. Properties located in the outer regions of the county are likely to have uneven lots and still be on a septic system.
Rebuilding does not come as a one size fits all solution. Rohrer emphasized that communities tend to recover in small, incremental steps.
“I think what I'd like people to know about recovery six years after is just that we've still got a lot of work to do,” Rohrer said. “The houses are slow at returning because of workforce, insurance, interest rates. And this is going to have a ripple effect.”Teri Rubiolo
— Community organizer and owner of I Am’s Garden
Rubiolo is a Concow resident who has been helping her community by providing food, household items, and essential services to survivors in Concow.
She said rural communities are still in need of support and are often overlooked.
“Six years into it, Concow, Yankee Hill, Big Bend, the smaller, rural areas, are still really struggling. It’s really hard to get some help,” Rubiolo said. “And we’re so grateful for the donations that still come in. I know that there’s disasters and hardship everywhere, but if you got a spare blanket, trust me, we got people that can use it.”
Housing remains one of the main challenges to recovery.
Rubiolo said many survivors have been living in trailers on their property but are running out of time. County regulations allow property owners affected by the Camp Fire to occupy a trailer on their land until April of 2025.Scott Amick
— Supervisor with the Paradise Recreation and Park District
Scott Amick, recreation supervisor at the Paradise Recreation and Park District, said Paradise parks played an important role during the Camp Fire and recovery.
“Bille Park itself ended up being a shelter in place spot that saved many lives,” Amick said. “People were able to head there, and because the parks are so well manicured and so well taken care of, they did receive a little bit of a burn, but for the most part, they're either intact or have been built back up to their state before the fire.”
The Paradise Recreation and Park District has received grants to update Bille Park and Lake Ridge Park in Magalia. There are plans to build a flow track for mountain bikes and to install a ropes course at Bille Park.
“We host the kids free fishing tournament once a year, and we also have the Fall Family Fun Fest,” Amick said. “We do so many things way up on the ridge that we're hoping to bring people up the Skyway to invest in our community and just increase commerce in this beautiful area we have up here.”Aaron Singer
— Executive Director of Paradise Stronger
Aaron Singer, executive director at Paradise Stronger, said the gym also serves as a community space for counseling and other support.
“Paradise Stronger came from the idea that people are going to need to rebuild their lives as they rebuild their homes,” Singer said. “So there's fitness in the front and a nonprofit to help people with their physical health, their mental health, emotional health, spiritual health, even nutritional health.”
Singer said that six years still feels very recent in terms of time to recover from such a disaster.
“I see where we’re going but also I see where we’ve been and how long it’s taken to get there,” Singer said. “Six years is nothing but when you’ve been part of it day by day it feels like forever.”
