I grew up in Paradise in the 70s and 80s. Back in those days, there were 4 wards in a town of 27,000. In recent years, for a number of reasons, the number of wards was decreased to 3, and then 2. There are two church buildings, one burned down - the other is still standing. Years ago, the Mormons were more influential in that area, now they are declining in numbers like everywhere.

That being said, there is plenty of loss to go around. New estimates are that 11,000 plus structures were lost. I only know 2 people whose homes survived. Tonight it was confirmed that the house my parents lived in for the last 45 years is completely gone. We found out yesterday their previous house and my grandmother's house were destroyed. My mom escaped in time, with only time to half-pack her car. She is 78.

The thing is, this is a Mormon recovery board and sometimes things affect Mormons, ex-Mormons and non-LDS alike and that's just the way life is. On the other thread on this subject, it was like some posters were trying to assign an agenda. Observations are not an agenda. And believe me, losing your home - your North Star as my friend described it - the place you run to when you need to find yourself again - that sucks. No religion required.

I am so sorry for your family's losses, CA girl...and I so deeply understand.

I was thinking a great deal about this when the fires were happening, because when Calabasas was given mandatory evacuation orders, there is a very "easy," direct, back-way "route" that a fire would preferentially take from Mulholland Drive (an eastern Calabasas boundary), right up the hill ("my" hill) to where I grew up.

I was thinking of how I would feel if the house I grew up in (the house my parents built themselves, over many years) suddenly was no more.

I am so sorry for your loss, and for the losses of each of the different members of your family.

I'm so sorry, CA girl!

How horrible for your mother to lose her home of 45 years, and what an ordeal to endure, at her age. I'm glad she's OK. Imagine losing her whole town, too. It must be sad for you to think that your hometown is "gone", as the news describes it.

My brother lived in Paradise, and we all enjoyed visiting him there. It was such a beautiful place! All of the people we knew are OK. My brother's house is still standing, along with the homes of his nice neighbors.

My condolences to your mother, to you, and to your friends who lost their homes. Take care of your mother, the poor dear!

I'm sorry that your mom lost her home, CA Girl. That poor town took such a terrible hit.

I wanted to put somewhere that people are pulling pet and farm animals that survived out of Paradise. The UC Davis Veterinary school has some of them, including a number of cats, for which they are caring. They have a Facebook page. I also heard that a number of emergency veterinary clinics in surrounding areas also took in surviving pets.

So devastating...

It was reported in the news this morning that over 600 people [double yesterday's reported numbers] are still missing [or unaccounted for], with numerous lives lost.

The report also mentioned the firefighter-prisoners that recieve $1/ day [stand-by], and $1/ hour for heroic, hard work.

I hope my friend is still alive and wonder about those that lost much, or all.

Thoughts on your family's losses CA girl, and everyone.

I'm naturally nostalgic. My childhood sucked!, and yet I will visit the neighbourhood 'scene of the crime' now and then, just to eat a burger at the old joint or simply walk the sidewalk my six year old feet use to walk.

I can't imagine my whole neighbourhood gone; just like that.


So sorry for your loss, CA girl; and the other RfMers who have been affected by these fires, as well.

Wishing you all well,

Human

She'll be living in a borrowed SUV for the foreseeable future.

Some of the people displaced in Chico are in tent cities but have been told they need to find alternative lodging within a week, before some heavy rains soak the area.

After Hurricane Katrina, my niece had to relocate from New Orleans for a total of about a year and a half. She spent a lot of that time living and working in San Francisco. She tried going back after the first six months, but there was simply not enough infrastructure and services in place to make a go of it.

For Paradise, I heard a report that was giving a five year time frame for the town to recover. There may be many people who never want to go back.

I'm not sure the town will recover. I've been through those mountains a few times; there are a lot of beautiful little communities.

But what is there to go back to? I'd bet some proportion of the people decide to start over elsewhere, meaning that the population won't return to pre-disaster levels.

It looks like the local utility may have been culpable since the fire started near electricity lines. If that is true, I think it's time for heads to roll. Something like this happened last year, IIRC, and the state let the company pass the costs on to rate payers. In such situations, there is no incentive for a business to improve its operations. But mistakes by a power company have devastating consequences, including huge human and economic costs.

People need to be held responsible or these things will continue, especially if the average temperatures on the west coast rise a degree or two.

I'm so sorry for your families loss. I can't imagine the devastation. Fortunately, I'm far enough away that I only get some smoke, now and then. Air quality is good, most of the time.

Fire is so destructive. Fortunately, many evacuated in time. This fire moved so quickly many thought they had a little more time.

I'm encouraged by all of the donations and help. Even the LDS Churches are loaded with donations for people to pick up.

They just couldn’t stop calling themselves Mormons. So God burned down their town. You don’t mess with Mormon God.

The whole ordeal is so tragic. :-( I live 125 miles away from Paradise and it seems that everyone around here knows at least someone who lost everything. We've also had terrible air quality here, resulting in school closures, etc.

I did see on the news that airbnb is allowing fire victims to stay in vacation homes at no charge.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2018 01:43PM by bluebutterfly.

It's hard to even imagine the devastation those people are feeling having no home or possessions to return to. Knowing they will need to start over again, whatever that consists of.

For those who had jobs there, the jobs would be gone too would they not? Was Paradise a commuter town? Besides a retiree community, what else was it known for to sustain itself?

Is it reasonable for a town that's been burned beyond recognition to rebuild again, given the propensity of the wildfires there?

Will future property owners be able to insure their homes again for fire &/or hazard insurance?

IIRC, Paradise was a small city of about 30,000 people. That's a pretty decent size. It would have had grocery stores, car shops, bakeries, clothing stores, dry cleaners, etc. -- in other words, all the normal services. My college town was about that size back when I was there, and it had a ton of businesses.

I’m so sorry CA Girl, I really can’t fathom the pain this fire is causing.

Is Paradise close to Gridley, CA girl? I read somewhere that a large group of Idaho Mormons migrated to Gridley just after 1900.


CA girl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I grew up in Paradise in the 70s and 80s. Back in
> those days, there were 4 wards in a town of
> 27,000. In recent years, for a number of reasons,
> the number of wards was decreased to 3, and then
> 2. There are two church buildings, one burned down
> - the other is still standing. Years ago, the
> Mormons were more influential in that area, now
> they are declining in numbers like everywhere.