Wildfires in California are notorious for ravaging cities, burning thousands of acres and destroying properties and homes, and claiming lives.
Sometimes forcing residents to rebuild their community from the ashes.
Find out how recent fires have devastated these California cities:
Greenville and the Dixie Fire
The Dixie Fire started in July 2021, blazing through over 960,000 acres in Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama counties for over three months.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, 95 structures were damaged and more than 1,000 structures were destroyed, most of which are clustered in the town of Greenville, about 150 miles northeast of Sacramento. . One person died in the fire.
Greenville, “a small town with a ton of soul,” is home to the largest community in the Indian Valley with about 1,000 people, according to the Plumas County website. It is a city of history with buildings that date back to the mid 1800s and companies that transport artifacts from the gold rush era.
The fire obliterated most of Greenville and its historic buildings in 2021, including Village Drug Co. in downtown Greenville, the oldest building in the communitybuilt in 1860.
“The city has completely disappeared. The town was devastated and leveled,” said Eva Gorman, owner of a boutique called Josefina Fine Knits. The bee a few weeks in the fire. “There is nothing left, almost nothing left of the city.”
Hotels, shops, a post office and a mail truck, Greenville’s First Lutheran Church – all turned to rubble from the Dixie Fire, The Bee reported in August, more than two months before the fire is completely under control.
This is not the first time that the flames have devastated Greenville. In 1881, most of the buildings in the city were destroyed by fire, according to the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce. It was quickly rebuilt the following year.
Greenville is still rebuilding its town after the last devastating fire.
“[T]he community is in a time of transition and rebirth,” according to the county’s website.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services reported in April 2022 that the process of repair, reconstruction and rehousing of people in the community is still ongoing. By April, more than 96,000 tons of debris had been removed, but other protocols, such as soil testing, erosion control and tree felling, continued.
Temporary accommodation has been set up in trailers for displaced families and portable classrooms have been secured in Taylorsville for students to return to in-person instruction.
Berry Creek and Bear’s Fire
In September 2020, the Bear Fire leveled the small rural-suburban town of Berry Creek, with a population of approximately 1,200 people.
Located north of Lake Oroville in Butte County, Berry Creek is known for its Bald Rock views, nature trails and local businesses. On its municipal webpage is a dedicated listing of storefronts and home markets — handyman plumbing repairs, organic farm produce, nutritional drinks and second-hand sales — with direct contact with owners, by first name.
But most businesses were probably consumed by the ferocity of the Bear Fire. Fueled by 45mph winds, The Bee reported in September 2020, the fire destroyed all the houses in its path and burned down Berry Creek Elementary School. He also took over Village Market, the the only grocery store and gas station in townCal EOS said.
Burnt vehicles, downed power lines, ash and smoldering logs were all that remained of the foothills community, The Bee wrote.
The Bear Fire was eventually renamed the North Complex Fire, a combination of three lightning-triggered fires, including the Claremontthe Sheep and Fire Bear. In total, the North Complex Fire has ravaged over 318,000 acreskilled 16 people and destroyed more than 2,000 structures, according to the Incident Information System.
Cal EOS reported in July 2021 that Berry Creek was hardest hit during the fire, with 12 Berry Creek residents dead and 1,238 structures destroyed.
The city is still recovering. According to Cal EOS, progress has been made in reviving Berry Creek’s Village Market lifeline.
“Cal OES was able to preserve the gas station during debris removal, great news for Berry Creek since the nearest gas station is approximately 30 to 45 minutes away,” the agency said in its report.
While the site still has to undergo further tests and inspections to be rebuilt, a new market has been opened to residents. News Action Now reported that Gold City Market was opened in Oroville in February 2022.
Berry Creek United, a non-profit organizationwas formed by four locals weeks after the fire destroyed the town. It aims to rebuild the community and provide essential goods to displaced people.
Paradise and the Campfire
The town of Paradise in Butte County, 90 miles north of Sacramento, is also on the road to recovery after being flattened by Camp Fire in 2018.
Paradise, known for its tall pines and oaks, was a destination for gold diggers in the mid-1800s and served as a trading post, according to the town’s website. As the legend says, the town takes its name from William Leonarda mill owner, who after a hot summer day delivering wood to the valley, told his team after settling in the shade of the ponderosa pines: “Boys, this is heaven”.
Today, many of these trees are being removed as part of town planning. Long-term recovery plan.
The campfire burned over 150,000 acres in Butte County in November 2018, destroying more than 18,000 structures, killing 85 residents and firefighters and injuring three during the 17 days of activity. According to the city’s website, 90% of the buildings in Paradise were destroyed by fire.
Salons, Colyer Veterinary, stores, the city’s iconic trees – all reduced to ashes, The Bee reported in June 2019 as some residents have returned to see remnants of their community.
“It would be nice to go on vacation for about five years and come back and see how it goes,” resident Stewart Nugent told The Bee as he cleaned up his yard which was destroyed after a workman cut a burnt tree and accidentally fell. above. “See what they have. See if they’ve reopened the Jack In The Box.
Some rebuilding in paradise has been done. According to a KTVU report in June 2022, 1,400 houses have been rebuilt in Paradise.
The city is undergoing a long-term reconstruction plan, which includes three phases: recovery, reconstruction and fulfillment. Stage one is about clearing debris and dead trees, stage two is focused on economic development and returning homes to residents, and stage three is about helping residents thrive in their community.
Projects included in the plan create a walkable downtown and assess roads.
Rebuild the Paradise Foundationa grassroots movement led by Camp Fire survivors and community leaders, was also formed to provide resources, help repopulate areas affected by the fire, and return residents to their homes.
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 5:00 a.m.
