'All That Remains Are Ashes': As Residents Of The Destroyed City Of Paradise Try To Start A New Life

Since early November, fires are raging in California due to dry weather and strong winds. By November 16, they caused the death of 60 people, more than 600 residents were missing, and preliminary forecasts indicate that the fire will not stop until the end of the month.

Фото: Depositphotos

Having absorbed kilometers of forest, the disaster began for populated areas - the main victim was the city of Paradise. The fire completely destroyed it, forcing more 26 thousands of people to look for a new home. And no one, including the government, can confidently say how soon, and soon, if at all, people will return to their usual life, writes TJournal.

170 years of history against fire

Like many towns, Paradise has its own legend of origin. In the summer of 1850, a team of sawmill workers took a break in a grove of tall pines. Enjoying the cool air and the coniferous smell of trees, the brigade leader said: "Guys are paradise." From this, according to local folklore, began the history of Paradise - a small town that became a supplier of gold ore and wood. Over the years, it has evolved thanks to a small but active community.

Like hundreds of other American towns, schools, cultural zones, parks, museums and businesses appeared in Paradise slowly but surely. When in November 2018, a devastating fire came close to the city, more than 26 thousands of people lived there.

Mentally returning to the events a week before the catastrophe, the residents recall that they knew about the impending danger, but did not anticipate how quickly the fire would swallow the city. When the homes started burning mailboxes and exploding propane tanks left in case of a barbecue, the evacuation was still going on.

“We didn’t have time to react,” says Erik, a resident of the destroyed city. “Even on the news they didn’t know that the fire was coming.” It happened so quickly." It’s hard to argue with the last statement - at its peak, the fire destroyed an area the size of a football field in three seconds. And this despite the fact that five thousand firefighters fought the fire.

According to the surviving Anna Dyce, she was about to evacuate with her father, but suddenly he ran back into the house. The girl still signaled to him, urging him to leave when a part of the building collapsed. She tried to drive away, but because of the intense heat the tires melted. To survive, Dyce spent the night in a small pond nearby. Nothing is known about her father's condition. “He ran inside and never returned,” said the girl.

“City of Trees”, “City of Roses” or simply Chico - since the beginning of the mass evacuation, this town got its third nickname - “Tent”. Hundreds of people who lost their homes during the devastating fires are hoping to take a breath and think about their future plan. The most popular place for climate refugees was the parking of the Walmart shopping center - it is large and illuminated at night.

Next to numerous tents, there is a help center that distributes clothes and necessities to people. Every day, trucks of charitable organizations come to the camp, and sometimes local volunteers do not cope with the flow. Some work day and night. “There is no person who would not find suitable clothes for themselves here,” said Michelle, a resident of the burnt Paradise. Like many who arrived in the "Tent City" light, she sleeps in her car.

12 November, three days after the destruction of Paradise, US President Donald Trump said that the fires were caused by "negligent forest management." He threatened to deny California the allocation of funds from the federal budget to combat disaster, if local authorities do not take the situation under control. A few days later, the president nevertheless agreed to provide the state with all the necessary assistance, promising to go to California soon to personally examine the situation.

During the evacuation, many residents of Paradise believed that they would only wait out the fire and return home, so they took a minimum of things with them. Now they have to cope without them. Because of the speed of the spread of fire, someone did not have time to get to the house, leaving identification documents. “How should I buy things in exchange for lost ones if I do not have any documents?” How should I prove who I am? I can not buy a phone because they are asking for documents, and everything has burned in me, ”said the refugee of the“ Tent City ”.

At the same time, the surviving houses are subject to raids by robbers. On November 14, six people were arrested on suspicion of hacking and theft in evacuated areas of the state. Technicians, medicines and clothing, and in more rare cases, firearms become the prey of intruders. For example, one of the suspects found a civilian version of the AR-15 rifle, a chainsaw and other tools that, according to investigators, do not belong to him.

But a passport and expensive things are not the most important thing that residents of distressed areas left. Some did not have time to return home for pets. It is difficult to establish the exact number of dead pets, but even if a fire passes by houses, an animal that is deprived of the opportunity to escape may die of starvation. Rescuers do not always have time to help, so local activists deal with the problem. They go on reconnaissance to the zones where the fire took place, evacuate the pets and return them to the owners. Emaciated, scared and tormented, but alive.

Mixed prospects

"This will be a long and difficult road for all residents of Paradise," said Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. According to the department, the restoration of the city will take at least several years. The authorities promise to provide temporary accommodation for all refugees soon, but they do not name specific dates. “Local people will have to stay in shelters a little longer,” said Long.

So far, the government has no plan for accommodating refugees until the restoration of Paradise. The authorities are not against the fact that people are in a tent camp, but they want to move them as soon as possible. One reason is the risk of spreading disease. After the outbreak in Chico Norovirus (causes diarrhea, fever and body aches), several patients were sent to quarantine, but doctors do not want to repeat the incident.

One of the options under consideration for people who have lost their home is to create a temporary refuge for refugees. According to the publication The Sacramento Bee, the majority of Paradise residents do not have money to quickly build a house, so they really face the prospect of living in a government camp in the next few years.

“There is no longer a whole city, I still don’t realize it,” said a surviving resident of Paradise. She always thought that the city was located too far from the fire hazard zone and did not suggest such a devastating outcome. “All that remains is ashes,” said another refugee.

According to weather forecasters, 23 November over the territory of forest fires will be a series of heavy rains. The amount of precipitation anticipated is not enough to completely stop the spread of fire, but they can delay the disaster and give the fire brigade a breather. By November 16, they control about 40% forest fires.

November 18 volunteers plan to close the tent camp at Walmart. As activists say, it was a temporary measure, and soon they will concentrate all their forces on preparing full-fledged shelters for refugees. How they will look is unknown. According to the Associated Press, no one plans to expel people from the camp to the planned date, although the government has assured that it seeks to resettle the poor in comfortable housing as soon as possible.

But until that happens, the Chico camp remains a haven for many people. Someone can not allow a hotel room, others are not allowed with animals, and there are those who refuse to accept what happened. “I just want to go home. I don't care that he is no more, ”says Suzanne Kaksonen. She does not plan to wait for help from the government and wants to return for her trailer on wheels. Unless, of course, he survived the fire.

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