paradise

National

A California town wiped off the map by wildfire is still recovering 5 years on

4:58pm November 08, 2023

by Kirk Siegler

Five years after of one of America's worst wildfires, slow and expensive recovery continues in Paradise, Calif., which could be a portent for what's ahead on fire-stricken Maui.

Dan Wentland, Sherry Wentland, Gwynn Harris, and Randy Harris (left to right) attend services at the Lantana Road Baptist Church on March 8, 2020. The couples have known each other since the 1970s and lived in Paradise, Calif., until the 2018 Camp Fire de

National

After California's Camp Fire, Some People From Paradise Put Down Roots In Tennessee

10:39am July 26, 2020

by Lily Jamali

A group people displaced by the Camp Fire in California moved to an unlikely place far away: Crossville, Tenn. They say the community, the cost of living and the values were the major draws.

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Chelsea Isaacs sits on the couch in her RV with her 2-year-old twin daughters, Harper and Riley, and her mother, Kim Schwartz, on June 11 in Magalia, Calif. They have been living for almost a year in an RV after the Camp Fire destroyed their home in 2018.

National

The Camp Fire Burned Their Home, But Strong Family Ties Kept Them In Paradise

3:58pm November 27, 2019

The wildfire destroyed 11,000 homes, and the Issacses' house is one of the first on their street to be rebuilt. They committed to staying in Paradise, Calif., because of their jobs and growing family.

Kasten Ortiz plays right tackle on the offense, and says he's glad this football season has helped boost the community's sense of pride.

National

Paradise Bobcats Football Team Gives California Town Hope After Fires

7:20pm November 08, 2019

by Eric Westervelt

One bright spot for the fire-devastated town of Paradise, Calif., is the high school football team. The Paradise Bobcats finished the regular season undefeated.

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Christine Bottaro and her husband have hardened their 164-year-old house in Nevada City. When the house was renovated, they used cement composite siding and plastic composite materials for the wraparound deck instead of wood. They also installed a rock ga

After Paradise, Living With Fire Means Redefining Resilience

7:15pm May 29, 2019

by Eric Westervelt

Across the West, hundreds of communities are vulnerable to wildfires. But wildfire and recovery experts warn that the impulse to re-create what was there before disaster is misguided and dangerous.

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Dan Efseaff of the Paradise Recreation and Park District points to where the fire came over the ridge and into Paradise. Cal Fire determined that the fire started near the rural community of Pulga, east of Paradise.

National

Rethinking Disaster Recovery After A California Town Is Leveled By Wildfire

7:25am May 28, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

The 2018 Camp Fire destroyed 90% of the town of Paradise, Calif., and killed 85 people. Should the federal government jump in to rebuild communities at high risk of future disasters?

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A burned-out property sits next to a home that's still standing near Paradise six months after the Camp Fire. The fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.

National

More Than 1,000 Families Still Searching For Homes 6 Months After The Camp Fire

6:50am May 08, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

Six months ago, California's deadliest wildfire almost completely destroyed the town of Paradise. Survivors are still struggling to find places to live in a region with a chronic housing shortage.

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A resident of Mexico Beach, Fla., looks over damage caused to the Florida Panhandle by Hurricane Michael in October 2018.

National

2020 Census To Be Hand-Delivered In Disaster Recovery Areas

1:09pm May 03, 2019

by Hansi Lo Wang

The Census Bureau is planning to send workers to personally visit every household in Paradise, Calif.; Mexico Beach, Fla.; and Puerto Rico, which are still recovering from wildfire and hurricanes.

David Anderson is a property owner and builder in Paradise, Calif. He expects the housing market to eventually come back after the Camp Fire burned nearly 90 percent of the town to the ground.

Rebuilding Paradise, One New Home At A Time

11:31am March 20, 2019

by Marc Albert

While many doubt the wisdom of rebuilding in a fire zone, the first building permits have been issued as the town of Paradise, Calif. begins to recover from the devastating Camp Fire of last November.

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Cal Poly architecture students focused on reimagining and rebuilding Paradise, Calif., by presenting models, renderings and updated concepts during a community forum in Chico, Calif.

'Reimagining Paradise' — Making Plans To Rebuild A Town Destroyed By Wildfire

4:16pm March 08, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

Residents of Paradise, Calif., are being given reassurances that their town — almost completely destroyed by last fall's Camp Fire — will be rebuilt. But will the new town be too expensive for many?

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